turkey

Before the decision to turn the museum of the Christian Basilica of Hagia Sophia into a mosque and yesterday’s NAVTEX (a navigational warning), since May, 2019, there were a series of provocative actions by Turkey

It is Mr. Erdogan’s commercial and military strategic alliance with Russia through which the Turkish leader has heaped scorn and contempt on Washington and NATO.

French President Emmanuel Macron issued a stern message to Turkey criticising its activity in Libya but other EU states are not on board and there is no solid EU front against Turkey.

It has become clear all these years that Greece’s decision not to fully exercise its rights under international law has to this day failed to limit Turkey’s provocations.

In the pre-coronavirus period he unsuccessfully tried to open many fronts at once but did not achieve the victories that as self-styled sultan he very much desired.

The Turkish leadership went as far as to liken the situation at the border to the plight of the Jews during the Holocaust. This disrespected the memory of the millions brutally murdered by the Nazis.

'In the last 10 days we have shown that we can defend our national and European sovereignty. Greece and Europe cannot be blackmailed by anyone,' the PM told the German-Hellenic Economic Forum.

Erdogan appeared unimpressed by what the EU was offering so far, saying the Union was always offering help but then falling short or not stepping up.

“Why did he (Erdogan) do this to us if he knew Greece won’t let us cross?” she asked, sitting on a rug near a pile of bags full of clothes and diapers for her sons, aged 13 and 7.

Officials in Brussels are reportedly enraged with Erdogan’s behaviour as Reuters reports but they realise that they are essentially being held hostage and they are considering offering new funding to Ankara, effectively caving in to his blackmail.

'We have just been to the border area and have seen how tense and how difficult the situation is. The Greek authorities are facing a very difficult task in containing the situation and I want to thank the Greek border guards, the coast guards, the civilians, the police, the servicemen and servicewomen, and Frontex for their tireless effort, said Ursula von der Leyen.

Russia supports Assad and accused Turkey of flouting agreements it made with Moscow, aggravating the situation in Idlib, and failing to neutralise militants there,

In direct opposition to the UN Convention Ankara has steadfastly maintained that islands have no EEZ, a position that was rejected by the US, France, and the entire EU among others.

The strategy of pursuing closer ties with France was vindicated in 1979 when French president Valerie Giscard D’Estaing passionately supported Greece’s accession to the European Economic Community (EEC)

The French president’s remarks at a joint press conference with PM Mitsotakis are to date the clearest and most emphatic message of support of Greece’s sovereign rights.

Though strong international players such as the US and the EU have criticised the MOU it is clear that only France has begun to offer palpable backing at sea in the Mediterranean.

The MOU expropriates a large chunk of Greece’s EEZ with the specious argument that islands such as Crete (which is much closer to Libya than any EU state or Turkey) have no EEZ.

Turkey’s untrammeled audacity and enormous provocations have led to not unfounded suspicions that Ankara is getting ready for extremely bellicose acts against Greece.

Geopolitical constants have been lost, developments are being shaped elsewhere, and Greece for the time being cannot have the impact that it deserves and would want to have.

Our country must be present with the diplomatic vigour that its geopolitical place demands and with a clear conception of its size and role.

In a rare diplomatic move Vice-President President Mike Pence and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo hosted a reception for the Greek prime minister which naturally was attended by Greek-American leaders and wealthy potential donors.

For Greece a presidential statement regarding Turkish violations of international law in the Southeast Mediterranean and the Aegean would have been welcome but there was no joint press conference after the talks.

The two leaders are expected to surely discuss the volatile situation created by Turkey in the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean, where US energy giant ExxonMobil has acquired drilling rights in Cyprus' EEZ.

No one can ignore the fact that a new energy map in which Greece will have a leading role is being drawn up.

By opening a corridor for the procurement of gas EastMed is expected to contribute decisively to safeguarding the energy sufficiency and security of EU member-states.