The European Parliament has on Thursday urged the European Union to impose sanctions on Turkey after President Tayyip Erdogan this month paid a visit to the breakaway Turkish Cypriot north of Cyprus.
The parliament passed a non-binding resolution in support of EU member Cyprus urging EU leaders to ‘take action and impose tough sanctions in response to Turkey’s illegal actions.’ The voting was 631 votes in favour, three against and 59 abstentions.
As it seems, the resolution is likely going to boost support for France’s initial push for EU sanctions on Turkey next month, following through on a threat made by the EU in October over a dispute between Ankara and two EU members Greece and Cyprus over natural gas rights. According to the resolution, the EU parliament called Turkey’s gas exploration in the eastern Mediterranean ‘illegal’, a charge Ankara has rejected.
Paris which is at odds with Ankara on other issues too, has not yet drawn up detailed sanctions, but diplomats say any measures would likely target areas of Turkey’s economy linked to its hydrocarbon exploration, such as shipping, energy and banking.
‘Turkey knows what it needs to do,’ French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian told a French parliamentary hearing this week. ‘Confrontation or collaboration, it’s up to them.’
Cyprus has been split along ethnic lines since a Turkish invasion in 1974 triggered by a brief Greek-inspired coup. Only Ankara recognises Northern Cyprus as an independent state. Erdogan enraged Cyprus on Nov. 15 by visiting Varosha, a resort that has been fenced-off and abandoned in no-man’s land since 1974. Ankara backed the partial re-opening of Varosha in a move criticised by the United States, Greece and Greek Cypriots.
‘However another EU diplomat while commenting said that it’s too early and there is no consensus because Turkey is a key partner in many areas.’
‘Turkey is a key partner in many areas, so there’s no consensus in the Council (of EU governments). It is still too early.’
Turkey, a member of NATO, has slid towards authoritarianism under Erdogan’s rule in recent years, undermining EU priorities in Syria and Libya, but remains a strategically located partner that the EU cannot ignore.
Germany holds the key to whether sanction will go ahead or not being the current holder of the EU’s six-month presidency and Turkey’s biggest trade partner in Europe. It had hoped to mediate between Athens and Ankara, but was angered when Turkey resumed exploration for gas off Cyprus last month after a pause.
A new spat erupted this week between Germany and Turkey over the interception of a Turkish vessel in the Mediterranean.
‘I think now there’s a common understanding that there will be sanctions,’ said a senior EU diplomat. ‘The question is what the market will bear.’
AFRICA TODAY NEWS, NEW YORK