“Solidarity towards Greece and Cyprus is absolute, there is no other way than de-escalation,” said the Greek Vice President of the European Commission, Margaritis Schinas in an interview with the “Proto Thema” podcast.
“Europe will not tolerate it and will protect its geostrategic interests in the region”, is his clear message to Ankara. In this context, he expressed his belief that “in the coming weeks the crisis will ease and we will move to coordinated procedures of dialogue and conciliation”.
On the issue of immigration and developments after the Moria fire, he stressed that “Europe will remain an asylum destination for the persecuted all over the world, but those who have no reason to be in the European Union will have to return to their homelands. Moria reminds us of what we need to change in the future”, he said, adding: “No one can blackmail the EU with either fires or smuggling games”.
Borrell on Turkey
A message to Turkey for an immediate de-escalation in the Eastern Mediterranean so that there is room for dialogue again was sent by European Commission Vice-President and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell. Speaking before the European Parliament in Brussels, Mr Borrell emphasized that old empires, such as Russia, Turkey and China, seemed to be returning with an approach that was both unsustainable.
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Mr Borrell emphasized that tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean had risen sharply since the summer and that he made some efforts for a de-escalation, as according to him “this is a gentle way to say that the situation is not improving”. The EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy stressed that the cessation of the illegal surveys by Turkey is a step in the right direction but more steps are needed for dialogue.
Weber: Europe should stay united & keep the pressure on Erdogan
A message to Turkey that Europe will not tolerate blackmail on its borders was also sent by the leader of the European People’s Party Manfred Weber in a post on Twitter while the debate in the plenary of the European Parliament was in progress.
#Turkey debate: We @EPPGroup stand with Greece and Cyprus! Europe should stay united and keep the pressure on Erdogan in the #EasternMediterranean. We will not be blackmailed at the the border, we will not be provoked at sea. We don’t want conflict, but we will not back away. pic.twitter.com/r583ni8CQf
— Manfred Weber (@ManfredWeber) September 15, 2020
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