Gelisim News

Turkey has been alienated after the ‘Arab Spring’

Commenting on the Greek Foreign Minister, Dendias’s Turkey visit, Political Scientist Assoc. Dr. Fuat Fatih Tuncer implies this visit is important for the tension of relations between Turkey and Greece. Tuncer says, “ The ‘alienation’ Turkey is facing in the region after the Arab Spring has unfortunately enabled Greece to take more aggressive actions in East Mediterranean.”

“GREECE WANTS TO UTILIZE FROM INTERNATIONAL CONJUCTURE”
 
Stressing that after the US elections, rapprochement of the US and Europe again is observed and Turkey’s future policies are objects of interest, Tuncer continues, "Turkey, sometimes clearly and sometimes indirectly declare a desire to open a new page with both the United States and the European Union. However, Greece's Sea Continental Shelf and Exclusive Economic Zone statements causes Turkey to react drastically. Turkey, therefore, has launched its drilling ships to the area, rejuvenated dialogue channels with Middle-East actors such as Egypt and made an exclusive economic zone (EEZ) agreement. When the ‘fait accompli policy’,Greece wants to create by utilizing from the international conjuncture, conflicts with Turkey's 'Blue Homeland' policy, the tension has increased.”
 
THE AGRESSIVE EXPANDING POLICY OF GREECE JEOPARDIZE THE COUNTRIES’ SAFETY IN THE REGION
 
“The policy of Greece in the region get reactions of not only Turkey but also the other countries in the region” said Tuncer who also added Greece’s desire to expand its continental shelf to 12 miles in Ionian Sea gets reaction from Albania and it’s attempts in Mediterranean Sea also gets reaction particularly from Turkey, Libya, Egypt and other countries in the region. This agressive Expanding Policy of Greece in the seas not only jeopardize the countries’ safety but also may negatively affect the policies of countries such as the USA, Russia and EU.
 
 
“IT HAS BEEN OBSERVED WITH ALARM BY EU AND USA”

Tuncer, who mentioned that the USA after Biden is trying to establish a new containment policy against China and Russia, says, "Considering the fact that the discussion started from Ukraine issue can jeopardize the security of whole region beginning from Black Sea, the Turkish-Greek showdown in the Eastern Mediterranean has been observed with alarm by the EU and the USA. "It is of great importance that the dialogue between Ankara and Athens is maintained in a healthy way since these two allies in NATO are constantly threatening each other and this will cause questioning of NATO's credibility in the period when the Atlantic Region is trying to strengthen again.”

Assoc. Dr. Lecturer Fatih Fuat Tuncer concluded his statement as follows;
“With Dendias' visit, the problems that have not been solved for years are not expected to be solved miraculously. However, Turkey’s future position carries a vital importance for the Atlantic region during this abovementioned rapprochement of the US and the EU. In this respect what Turkey expects is softening of US and EU sanctions, and concrete steps taken by the EU on EU membership.
 
Especially, discourse of visa deregulation coming up again in the media and EU financial support to be given to Syrian refugees mentioned in the news show that they try to give a positive message to Turkey before EU summit in June. Turkey's attempts to regain maneuverability in the field and working with Egypt have caused Greece to enter a path to re-establish dialogues with Turkey. Undoubtedly, it is of great importance that the EU and the USA encourage Greece at this point since Greece and Greek Cypriot State have been trying to use the benefits of their EU membership as a trump card against Turkey untill today."

Underlining Ankara’s need to be in dialogue with all actors in the region, Tuncer continues, "The reason is that the Eastern Mediterranean is not just a matter of common concern for Greece and Turkey. The  'meet with everyone' policy which Turkey has recently restarted must be pursued with determination Because the ‘alienation’ Turkey is facing in the region after the Arab Spring has unfortunately enabled Greece to take more aggressive actions in East Mediterranean.”