Greek-Turkish’s Troubled Waters
“I create darkness; I create evil; I, the Lord, do all these things” Isaiah 45:7
Greek-Turkish’s Troubled Waters in the Mediterranean
Report by France24 – 28/08/2020
Tensions have been mounting in the Mediterranean Sea in recent days with announcements of military exercises in the area emerging from a slew of countries. It has not reached the stage of open conflict fortunately, but the escalations between Greece and Turkey have been alarming.
On the one hand, Turkey on Thursday announced that it would conduct military exercises, including firing exercises, on September 1 and 2 off the Turkish town of Iskenderun, north east of Cyprus.
On the other hand, the Greek defence ministry on Wednesday revealed that Greece, Cyprus, France and Italy have agreed to deploy a joint presence in the Eastern Mediterranean within the framework of the Quadripartite Cooperation Initiative (QUAD). This exercise included the use of three French Rafale fighter jets, a frigate and an attack helicopter.
Between the Turkish fleet and the European ships currently at sea, the Mediterranean is bristling with a military presence, the likes of which the region has not seen for many years.
Macron has repeatedly demanded further EU sanctions against Turkey and the two NATO allies almost came to blows in June after a French warship attempted to inspect a Turkish vessel as part of a UN arms embargo for Libya.
“I don’t consider that in recent years Turkey’s strategy is the strategy of a NATO ally … when you have a country which attacks the exclusive economic zones or the sovereignty of two members of the European Union,” he said, describing Turkey’s actions as provocations.
“Germany and other partners are beginning to agree with us that Turkey’s agenda is problematic today,” Macron said. “When six months ago people were saying France is the only one blaming Turkey for things, everyone now sees that there is a problem.”
For the Turkish leader, Erdogan, the issue at stake is not only strategic, it’s also political. “For several years now, the Turkish government has chosen to develop a rhetoric of ascending power, a country capable of dictating its conditions to its neighbours,” explained Decis. It’s therefore a question of Turkey’s staging capacity to impose itself against its rivals.
As a sign of its refusal to give up the arm-wrestling with Greece and its supporters, Turkey on Thursday accused France of reinforcing tensions by deploying warplanes in Cyprus in a display of support for Athens. “The time of the kings is over. You have no chance of getting anything from us by acting like this,” admonished the Turkish defence minister.
“Think not that I am come to send peace on earth. I came not to send peace, but a sword.”
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Joel Huan
The Mystery of Ephraim 