Insight
Can the EU and Turkey avoid more confrontation? by Luigi Scazzieri 10 August 2020
Tensions between Europe and Turkey are rising. The EU should forge a firm common stance with London and Washington, while keeping the door open for better relations. EU-Turkey relations have been tense since the Turkish government’s crackdown on civil liberties in the wake of the failed August 2016 coup by elements of the Turkish armed forces. The relationship became markedly transactional, as the EU and Turkey focused on co-operating on preventing migrants from reaching the EU. But even transactional co-operation has become difficult. Disagreements are no longer confined to the deterioration of democracy in Turkey. Ankara has become increasingly assertive in advancing its interests in its neighbourhood, clashing directly with Cyprus, France, Greece and the US. In June, there was a dangerous confrontation when a French naval vessel tried to inspect a cargo ship that it thought was violating the UN arms embargo on Libya, and was reportedly harassed by Turkish ships escorting it. In July, Turkey stated it intended to carry out a seismic survey near the Greek island of Kastellorizo, 2km from Turkey’s coast, prompting Greece to say it would deploy its military to defend its sovereignty. The situation was defused only after Germany hosted direct talks between Greece and Turkey. But Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said Turkey will continue energy exploration, meaning more dangerous incidents are possible. Multiple sources of friction Competing claims over maritime borders, partly fuelled by the recent discovery of large natural gas resources in the eastern Mediterranean, are the main source of friction between the EU and Turkey. Ankara argues that Cyprus has no right to exploit its gas resources until it reaches a deal to share them with Turkish Cypriots in the island’s north. Turkey, which is not a signatory to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), contests the Greek and Cypriot declared Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs), and claims a larger EEZ for itself. When states disagree over delimiting their EEZs, they should try to reach a bilateral agreement. However, no talks are ongoing, and Turkey has tried to assert its claims by applying pressure to Greece and Cyprus. Ankara has repeatedly sent planes into Greek airspace and drawn up plans to drill near Greek CER INSIGHT: Can the EU and Turkey avoid more confrontation? 10 August 2020
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