Two of Turkey's main Western allies, the United States and Germany, on Tuesday increased pressure on Ankara to stop its "
provocations
" in the Mediterranean, where the fragile detente with Greece is already threatened.
Read also: Tensions in the Mediterranean: when the French and Turkish Marines gaze at each other
"
We demand that Turkey stop this deliberate provocation and immediately start preliminary talks with Greece,
" said US State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus, as Turkish authorities have returned a vessel to a disputed area. gas exploration, at the risk of rekindling the crisis with Athens.
"
Coercion, threats, intimidation and military maneuvers will not resolve the tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean,
" she added in a statement.
According to Washington, which "
deplores
" the Turkish decision, the dispatch of this vessel "
deliberately complicates the resumption of essential preliminary discussions between Greece and Turkey
», Two neighboring countries allied within NATO despite their historic rivalry.
"
The criticism expressed by the United States, which had nevertheless declared that the map of Seville (...) had no legal value for the seismic activities of Turkey on its continental shelf constitutes a serious inconsistency
", reacted the Turkish Foreign Ministry in a statement.
Ankara believes that a map prepared by the University of Seville is being used by Greece to justify its maritime claims.
Read also: Turkey to return controversial ship to Eastern Mediterranean
Athens and Ankara have experienced strong diplomatic and military tensions since the deployment by Turkey, from August 10 to mid-September, of a seismic exploration boat, escorted by warships, to carry out studies off the coast of Greek islands, in an area potentially rich in natural gas.
At the end of September, the two neighbors, under international pressure, had finally agreed to start "
exploratory talks
" on their Mediterranean disputes, paving the way for a phase of detente.
The head of American diplomacy Mike Pompeo then went to Greece where he insisted on the need to find "
solutions
" and "
strongly
" supported the principle of a dialogue, calling "to
resume discussions on these issues as soon as possible
”.
"
Major setback
"
But the Turkish navy announced Monday that the ship Oruc Reis would resume operations in the region until October 22, sparking Greek anger.
The head of Greek diplomacy Nikos Dendias denounced a "
major escalation
" and "
a direct threat to peace and security
".
"
Greece will not take part in any of the talks as long as Oruc Reis and its escort ships are there
," Minister of State George Gerapetrite said on Tuesday.
On the European side, this new incident also sparked renewed mobilization, especially as Turkey remains under the threat of sanctions from the Twenty-Seven.
"
If there were indeed to be new explorations for Turkish gas in the most controversial maritime areas of the eastern Mediterranean, it would be a major setback for de-escalation efforts
," the German
foreign minister
said in a statement Tuesday. Heiko Maas, who was going to Greece and Cyprus to discuss these tensions.
"
Ankara must end the cycle of detente and provocation if the government is interested in talks - as it has repeatedly assured
," the minister insisted.
Berlin still asks Turkey "
that the window of dialogue which has just opened with Greece not be closed again because of unilateral measures
".
To read also: The Greek Prime Minister in
Figaro
: "Turkey must understand that there are rules to be respected"
During this semester, Germany is chairing the European Union, which meets Thursday and Friday at a summit in Brussels and must in particular address these new tensions.
Ankara decided to send its ship to the disputed area just days after a previous EU summit in which Turkey was threatened with sanctions.
"
If Ankara continues its illegal actions, we will use all the instruments at our disposal
", warned the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen.
Economic sanctions have been developed and they are ready to be "
used immediately
", she insisted.
