[News] Europe: The Turkish agenda does not suit us ... and it threatens new sanctions

[HiTLeR]

 

On Friday, European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell called on Turkey to stop its aggressive measures that conflict with European interests.

Borrell, in an article published on the European Union website, indicated that strong measures will be taken against Turkey if relations with it continue to deteriorate.

He pointed out that Ankara's continued exploration operations in the eastern Mediterranean caused a negative atmosphere, pointing out that the Turkish foreign agenda does not fit with the policies of the European Union.

 

Borrell stressed that the union is looking into the possibility of launching a real dialogue with Turkey on the outstanding issues.

Earlier, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, during a phone call with European Council President Charles Michel, expressed his hope to open a "new page" between his country and the European Union, in the first contact between the two sides since Brussels imposed sanctions on Ankara last week.

 

The Turkish presidency said in a statement that "At a time when Turkey wants to open a new page with the European Union, some are making unremitting efforts to provoke crises."

 

Erdogan, calling for the "saving" of Turkish-European relations from this "vicious circle," expressed his desire to "re-launch" the dialogue with the European Union by "looking at the whole situation" and "on the basis of mutual interests."

 

The statement quoted the Turkish president as saying that the immigration agreement concluded by Turkey and the European Union in 2016 could constitute a starting point for creating a more "positive" climate between the two sides.

 

European sanctions on Turkey

The leaders of the European Union decided, during a summit in Brussels, on Thursday, to impose sanctions on Turkey because of its “illegal and aggressive” actions in the Mediterranean against Greece and Cyprus, especially the gas exploration operations carried out by Ankara in recent months in the eastern Mediterranean in marine areas. Sovereignty disputes with these two countries.

 

Days after these European sanctions, the United States imposed sanctions on Turkey, last Monday, for its purchase of the Russian S-400 air defense system.

"We hope that the European Union will be able to adopt a constructive and rational stance towards Turkey," the statement quoted Erdogan as saying.