EU High Representative Josep Borrell called today for quick resumption of exploratory talks between Greece and Turkey and the UN led negotiations for the Cyprus issue, in an article he posted in his personal blog.

Borrell predicts that tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean and relations with Turkey,  one of the greatest EU challenges in 2020,  will likely remain the case for 2021″.

“It is not surprising that the last European Council of the year, held last week, has had this as one of its main foreign policy issues for discussion”, he says.

“European integration has been driven by the aim of overcoming the dynamics of conflicts between states, which have characterised European history, under evolving social and political formats, for many centuries.  Since their creation, the Ottoman and Russian Empires have been part of this equation. And today still, it is clear that the European Union will not be able to achieve stability on the continent unless it finds the right balance in its relations with Turkey and the Russian Federation” notes the High Representative.

He says that some may read these lines with scepticism. “But those that do so often think from purely national standpoints, rather than from the broader pan-European outlook that the EU offers. It is important to recall the political essence of the European project. Indeed, in less than thirteen years after the end of the II World War, one of the bloodiest conflicts ever, the European Communities, followed by the European Union, brought together former enemies around a common agenda of cooperation and integration” he adds.

He goes on to say that “the continuous deployment of Turkish drilling and exploratory vessels, be it in waters adjoining Cyprus or Greece, created a very negative environment that impeded the development of a positive agenda. This led me to travel to Greece, Cyprus and Turkey in late June… I visited the Northern border of Greece, and flew as close as possible to the drilling platforms deployed by Turkey in an area close to the coast of Cyprus. I also had a night walk across the green line in Nicosia and saw the abandoned town of Varosha from a helicopter within Cypriot-controlled territory.”

“The anachronism of these vestiges of war, frozen in the past, and testimony of a still unsolved conflict in the midst of the European Union, were profoundly disturbing and revealing. There had been no progress whatsoever since I last visited Varosha in 2005 as President of the European Parliament. If anything, this visit further strengthened my determination to look for solutions” he adds.

Borrell says that while the relationship with Turkey is very complex, and has many dimensions, “I reached the conclusion that disagreements with Greece and the non-resolution of the Cyprus issue are centerpieces. My July trip to Ankara confirmed this, with foreign minister Çavusoglu underlining the role of Turkey in the protection of the rights of Turkish Cypriots and explaining Turkish views on the exploitation of resources in Cypriot waters. On his side, the Minister of Defense, Hulusi Akar, offered me a detailed presentation, from the Turkish perspective, of the incident a few weeks earlier between a French frigate and a group of Turkish naval units.”

“Minister Çavusoglu bid me farewell in a joint press conference where he criticised harshly some member states, as well as the EU itself, denouncing biased and unfriendly attitudes vis-a-vis Turkey. I preferred to respond with the language of diplomacy, although the tone and formulations used by my Turkish host raised questions on whether this would be enough” he adds.

“I do not want to continue with a blow-by-blow account of my various efforts trying to help find space for renewed bilateral dialogue between Greece and Turkey on maritime disputes and confidence building measures, or on discussing how to support UN efforts in relaunching the Cyprus settlement talks. Suffice it to say here that channelling both issues through appropriate diplomatic and technical processes is essential to create space for a healthy EU-Turkey relationship. These are questions that can no longer be postponed” says the EU High Representative.

Borrell recounts his trip to Malta in mid-August, to meet with Minister Çavusoglu, which he says “turned short due to the signature of a maritime delimitation agreement between Greece and Egypt. Turkey‘s response was to suspend a foreseen renewal of exploratory talks with Greece aimed at addressing maritime differences accompanied by the relaunch of Turkish provocative maritime activity. This has only confirmed my conviction regarding the centrality these two issues have gained in the EU-Turkey relationship.”

He also notes that “the relationship with Turkey has deep historical roots. Its present direction of travel, however, seems to take it further away from the EU.”

Turkey, according to Borrell, has become a regional power to be reckoned with and has scored undeniable successes. “Unfortunately, in quite a few cases, Turkey’s international agenda is not well aligned with the EU’s and its methods are not those of the EU. Strong Turkish resistance to/and criticism of EU naval operation Irini, reveals fundamental differences in our understanding of UN Security Council resolution imposing on arms embargo on Libya.”

“All this raises fundamental questions regarding Turkey’s objectives. And the fact that Turkey is a candidate to EU accession, places the EU in a position where it is entitled to ask those questions. There is no doubt that we have much progress to make in conducting an honest and profound dialogue with Turkey on these matters, and Turkey in providing responses” he notes.

“While I truly welcome statements by Turkish officials, even at the highest level, proclaiming the strategic interest of Turkey in joining the EU, it is important that those statements are followed by actions that confirm such intentions. At the same time, relations cannot be a one-way street. The EU also has to show Turkey that it would be welcomed as a family member if it meets its side of the bargain. This is where the positive agenda agreed in the joint statement of 2016 plays a vital role” he adds.

The EU High Representative says that “we have to find a way out of tit-for-tat dynamics and get back to cooperation and trust. This was the main message of the October European Council and this message has been repeated last week. I believe there is greater understanding for this on Turkey’s side today than in October. Still, the situation has not fundamentally improved. Hence, our overall assessment of the year must be negative. But we do also have a chance to redress things and this is what we must do.”

He goes on to say that there is a high probability that, if we continue in this downward spiral,  the EU will have to adopt strong measures, to convince Turkey that it is serious and determined to ensure respect for our interests. I will report on this to European leaders in March 2021. “A strong cooperative relationship with Turkey would constitute a major contribution to European stability. Likewise, it will be difficult for Turkey to find a better partner than the EU” he adds.

According to Borrell, “we have a chance still to redirect our relations. The EU extends an open hand to Turkey hoping it will seize it, and the agenda presented by EU leaders is clear. I am ready, working together with the Commission and member states, to discuss our proposals for a positive agenda with Turkey and explore ways of bringing our relations forward. This could also include enhancing regional cooperation through an Eastern Mediterranean Conference. But for all this to happen, actions that may be considered aggressive or contrary to EU interests have to stop.”

Moreover, he stresses that “we need to ensure the renewal of dialogue with Greece and the relaunch of the Cyprus settlement talks, in the understanding that they too must reach a satisfactory conclusion and cannot go on endlessly. Time is not our friend in this case. And yes, we must have a strong and frank dialogue on the regional conflicts and develop a greater common understanding on how to address them in a manner that will respect mutual interests.”

“Some may think that I am a dreamer and that this agenda simply cannot materialise. It will certainly not happen unless we try.  Beyond clear steps from Turkey and a change of its negative actions and rhetoric of the last months, we need to find a way to get back to honest and effective dialogues and efforts, and strong engagement and commitment from all sides, including from the most-affected EU member states. We need to bring back the energy in our talks with each other, not about each other,
Frankly speaking, we can either move towards a mutually beneficial agenda or suffer the consequences of our reciprocal misunderstandings. I have no hesitation regarding my own choice” he