ANKARA: Turkey and Greece on Monday held talks geared toward resolving maritime disputes, the primary exploratory talks held since 2016.
Bilateral relations have been beneath specific pressure since final 12 months, when Turkey despatched an power exploration vessel to disputed waters close to Greek islands. The transfer led to a disaster, with EU leaders threatening sanctions.
The 2 NATO members held 60 rounds of talks, described as exploratory quite than official, between 2002 and 2016.
Specialists cautioned towards having excessive expectations about any instant success from the talks, which resumed after a years-long hiatus.
Dr. Zenonas Tziarras, researcher at PRIO Cyprus Centre, stated the exploratory talks weren’t negotiations as such and, due to this fact, no settlement was anticipated.
“They goal to discover the intentions and positions of the 2 events in addition to set the agenda of the particular negotiations,” he advised Arab Information. “A lot will depend upon whether or not they can comply with restrict the agenda to the problem of maritime zones, equivalent to continental shelf, unique financial zone and maybe territorial waters, leaving objects that Turkey desires so as to add – like demilitarization of the islands – out.”
He stated that though Turkey initiated the talks, they’d been scheduled for final summer time and acquired sidetracked by the Greek-Turkish disaster. “Turkey has made this transfer as a result of, similar to Greece, it sees the talks as a mechanism for de-escalation that enables it to concentrate on different issues and a projection of ‘good conduct’ in gentle of the brand new presidency within the US.”
He added that Turkey was attempting to persuade the West, together with the US and the EU, that it remained a dedicated Western accomplice.
“Nonetheless, these are tactical strikes that goal to appease harsh reactions to Turkish overseas coverage from the EU and the US, equivalent to extra sanctions, and permit Ankara to reap extra advantages from these relations.”
Greece desires to restrict the talks to rival interpretations in regards to the delimitation of maritime boundaries beneath the rules of the UN Conference on the Regulation of the Sea, which Turkey isn’t a celebration to.
However maritime delimitation talks might take a very long time as neither facet seems prepared for compromises that might value them common help at residence.
“We’ll attend with optimism however zero naivety,” Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis advised a parliamentary session, referring to the disagreements with Turkey over maritime borders.
Turkey additionally intends to debate a spread of different long-running and thorny points, such because the demilitarization of Greek islands or sovereignty of sure rocks. It accuses Greece of illegally deploying troops on some islands.
The 2 international locations virtually got here to blows in 1996 over the sovereignty of an uninhabited Aegean islet.
“If there’s a convergence of pursuits and an settlement on the agenda, the 2 sides can both resolve the problem politically or refer their dispute to the Worldwide Courtroom of Justice,” George Tzogopoulos, a senior fellow on the Worldwide Heart of European Formation, advised Arab Information. “The method might be a protracted and time-consuming one.”
The talks comply with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan dialling down his confrontational rhetoric towards the EU, emphasizing his willingness to open a brand new chapter in relations with the bloc.
“I’d choose the success of those talks if each events resolve on the continuation of talks,” Sinan Ulgen, a former Turkish diplomat and chairman of the Istanbul think-tank Edam, advised Arab Information. “However it can be crucial that these talks function an insurance coverage coverage towards any potential escalation within the East Med.”
A NATO protection ministers assembly in February and an EU summit in March additionally function an extra supply of leverage over the talks between the 2 neighbors.
Tzogopoulos was pessimistic a few breakthrough however optimistic a few joint understanding of the necessity for some bilateral and multilateral cooperation.
“For now, Greece counts on calmness within the Japanese Mediterranean with a view to focus on its post-COVID-19 financial restoration and the absorption of EU funds. Turkey, for its half, can also be searching for calmness in its curiosity in recalibrating its relations with the EU in addition to with the brand new American administration.”
The exploratory talks in Istanbul coincide with intense discussions about potential EU sanctions towards Turkey over its power exploration within the disputed waters of the japanese Mediterranean. Brussels pledged to enlarge a sanctions blacklist with extra names.
A controversial settlement from 2019 between Turkey and Libya over the maritime borders within the Mediterranean is also jeopardized by the exploratory talks.
The settlement delineated the maritime borders between the Greek island of Crete and Cyprus.
It was criticized by the EU, which described it as a critical breach of worldwide regulation, however is probably going for use as a bargaining chip towards one other deal that was signed final August for the partial demarcation of maritime boundaries between Greece and Egypt.
Tzogopoulos stated that Greece would depend on its settlement with Egypt and that Turkey would flip to its settlement with Libya if a proper dialogue on maritime zones began.
“Some zones lined within the two agreements do overlap, whereas different zones stay undelimited. So, a possible settlement requires compromises by the 2 international locations in addition to the participation of different international locations of the Mediterranean in talks.”
