SYRIZA for four K. Mitsotakis – Erdogan: Reduction of tension and The Hague for continental shelf / EEZ

By Niki Zorba

A few hours before the official confirmation of the fourth K. Mitsotakis with the Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan (expected today), SYRIZA hurried to greet the relevant information as a “positive development” with two “asterisks”:

The fourth to lead to a reduction of the intensity in Greek-Turkish and with a long-term plan the recourse to The Hague for continental shelf / EEZ.

“The meeting of the Greek Prime Minister with the Turkish President, especially in a period of global destabilization, is imperative and therefore, if confirmed, is a positive development,” the press office of the official opposition said in a statement. “It will also be an opportunity for a meaningful dialogue, with clear red lines, with the immediate aim of reducing tensions and the ultimate goal of resorting to The Hague for a continental shelf / EEZ.”

Tsipras and persuasions for dialogue

SYRIZA was expected to support the forthcoming Mitsotakis-Erdogan foursome, as its president last week, in a series of interventions in the shadow of the Russian invasion, insisted on maintaining open channels of dialogue between Ankara and Ankara. Turkey, through its “expert neutral” stance on Ukraine, is upgrading its role in the region and is “not isolated,” as the Greek side often argues.

It is indicative of Mr. Tsipras’s reference to the Parliament, during the debate on the Russian invasion:

“Global developments are an additional reason for to actively pursue a meaningful dialogue with Turkey. No illusions but the country of dialogue must remain open. It is wrong to insist on the false narrative of “supposedly isolated Turkey”. “Instead of seeking as a country to put the agenda on the neighbor.”

He said the same in a TV interview he gave (ANT1), in the midst of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict:

“I think that Turkey is upgrading through the latest developments its role in the region. I think that all those who had rushed all this time to talk about an internationally isolated Turkey, about a deadlocked Erdogan, were wrong. Turkey today is a more predictable power in the eyes of its Western allies, both the United States and the European Union.

Erdogan is trying to take advantage of this, we see that he is trying to maintain a neutrality, Turkey has a tradition in the logic of skill neutrality from World War II, this attitude of skillful neutral in this case gives points to Turkey and the West he does not lose points – you said before – he was late in closing the Straits, he has a lycophilic relationship, but he maintains it for years with Russia, so things are not so simple. “Let’s do a little more in-depth analysis in relation to the role of Turkey.”