Erdogan “empire” at a crossroads? Next provocation follows - Prime Minister makes a promise to Merkel over the phone

The relationship between Europe and Erdogan's Turkey is at a crossroads.

After the conflict with Greece and Cyprus, the next provocation has now followed Turkey.

• The

  Turkey

  lays claim to natural gas in the Mediterranean.

• The relationship between

  Europe

  and Turkey is at a crossroads.

• Erdogan's

  coalition partner is catching votes with nationalist demands.

Update from September 17th, 7.11 a.m

.: The Turkish President

has

assured

) of

his readiness for a negotiated solution

in the conflict over

in the Eastern Mediterranean

report

.

and

talks

are required

, said Erdogan on Wednesday in a

call

with Merkel, according to the Turkish presidential office.

Erdogan had also "underlined that he wanted to continue to pursue a determined and active policy on Turkey's rights".

In the coming week, the EU will discuss possible

against Turkey.

Since the discovery of rich gas reserves in the eastern Mediterranean, there has been heated debate over their exploitation.

Both the EU members

and

as well as Turkey lay claim to the relevant sea areas and underpin this by sending

.

This raises concerns in the EU that the dispute

could lead

to a

.

Erdogan's “empire” at a crossroads?

The next provocation follows - European consequences threaten

Original notification from September 16

: Brussels -

candidate for EU membership

for years

, now President Recep Tayyip

facing a decisive crossroads.

Turkey is moving further and further away from the rule of law and fundamental values ​​of the

, said the EU foreign affairs representative Josep Borrell.

The trigger for this is the conflict over the Turkish gas search in the eastern

.

Borrell emphasizes: "It is clear that developments in Turkey and Turkish action in the Eastern Mediterranean and beyond call into question how our relations will develop in the future."

Dispute over natural gas: Nobody is right, nobody is wrong https://t.co/Si5CDy1i0E #Mediterranean # Mineral Resources # Turkey

- tagesschau (@tagesschau) September 11, 2020

Erdogan and Turkey at a crossroads: dispute with Greece and Cyprus endangers the relationship

For now has

from Ankara set the gas exploration and looks of a military solution against

and

from.

For Borrell, this is "a step in the right direction that gives us some hope that this will lead to further steps towards a dialogue." At the end of August, the

foreign ministers

threatened

sanctions against

if

did not take part

in the

gives in.

This tightened Erdogan's tone, but now he seems to have rethought.

The debate on this is to be continued at a meeting of foreign ministers.

According to Borrell, the outcome will depend on the behavior of the Turkish leadership over the next few days.

"This is the moment of a historic turning point."

Turkey at a crossroads: Erdogan's coalition partner provokes with demand

It is precisely on this difficult crossroads that a coalition partner provokes

with a demand.

Devlet Bahceli, chairman of the ultra-national MHP, spoke out in favor of reintroducing the

.

In 2005 the death penalty was abolished in Turkey - it

was a mistake

for the coalition partner of

.

In March 2019, shortly before the local elections, Bahceli called for the reinstatement of the death penalty.

Just like then, experts see the discussion this time as a vote for nationalist supporters.

Naci Bostanci, leader of the AKP parliamentary group, recalled that the

"has been abolished by a bipartisan consensus." Turkish President Erdogan has not yet commented on his coalition partner's demand.

tko

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is arming his country militarily.

The head of state of Turkey is striving for world power status - and is pursuing a clear strategy.

The EU Parliament also announced that it would not recognize the Belarusian President Lukashenko as a legitimate president and praised the opposition for their commitment.

Sanctions should follow.

List of rubric lists: © Umit Bektas / dpa / Xinhua