EU may respond Turkish moves in eastern Mediterranean: analysts
ISTANBUL, Turkey (North Press) – Turkey announced again on Tuesday the extension of the mission of the Oruc Reis ship for excavation in the eastern Mediterranean after it had previously announced the end of the ship’s mission.
In a previous statement to North Press, a specialist in Turkish affairs said that Turkey’s withdrawal of the Oruc Reis from the eastern Mediterranean, and the announcement of the end of its mission, “comes within the context of the restraint process.”
The announcement of the extension of the Oruc Reis mission coincided with the announcement by the Turkish Ministry of Defense of war games under the name Tiger Claw 2 for 2020, that started in the Mediterranean on Wednesday, in which the land, naval, and air forces participated.
New Turkish provocations in Greece
“The situation in the eastern Mediterranean is escalating, after some Turkish concessions, where all of this was aimed at winning the European Union’s (EU) favor and preventing it from imposing sanctions,” Turkish affairs specialist Hamed Osmanoglu told North Press.
“What is happening will complicate matters further, especially since Greece knew that Turkey would continue to provoke it. Earlier, it had underestimated the importance of the Turkish calls and the withdrawal of the Oruc Reis from the eastern Mediterranean,” he added.
“Turkey has returned to a policy of provocation, not only towards Greece, but even towards the EU, and perhaps the latter will be serious this time by taking steps that are not in Turkey’s interest, most notably the imposition of sanctions,” Osmanoglu noted.
Greece has demanded the EU impose an arms embargo on Turkey, according to what German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas.
Another specialist in Turkish affairs who preferred not to be named told North Press, “Things are heading towards the trap of demonization, but it is difficult for NATO to impose an air embargo on one of its members.”
“Perhaps if the EU makes a mistake like this, it will lose Turkey as a member of NATO, and it will enter into an inevitable confrontation with it, which is unlikely to actually happen with these developments on the ground,” he added.
Inciting Europe against Turkey
The specialist pointed out, “the Greek position is prejudiced and constitutes incitement against Turkey, in an attempt to involve greater Europe in its own problems with Ankara.”
“Europe is unlikely to respond to such demands, especially as the results could get out of control.”
Turkey, in the words of its Defense Minister Hulusi Akar, accused Greece of “seeking to show its differences with Turkey as disagreements between Ankara and the EU in general, so that Athens is distorting facts.”
“Turkey is moving steadily towards imposing part of its vision for the eastern Mediterranean solution,” Ubeida Abu Omar, a journalist interested in Turkish and international affairs, told North Press.
“Greece has nothing but incitement from Europe against Turkey, but European policy realizes that an agreement with Turkey is better than a dispute with it, because Turkish arms exports to Europe and Asian and African countries are in a remarkable development,” he added.
Earlier, German Chancellor Angela Merkel revealed the pressure on her country as president of the EU to impose sanctions on Turkey.
Merkel said after the summit meeting that “EU leaders intend to discuss arms exports to Turkey with NATO partners,” after Greece threatened to impose an arms embargo on Turkey.
The mission of Oruc Reis has been extended to June 15, 2021, in a step which indicates a continuation of the escalation, with clear Turkish disregard towards the EU warnings of sanctions.
Reporting by Sardar Hadid