Greece’s Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said the EU leaders would re-examine the situation in the Eastern Mediterranean and relations with Turkey in line with the conclusions reached at October’s European Council meeting. Speaking at reporters upon his arrival at the two-day EU leaders summit in Brussels on Thursday, he said, “It now remains to be seen, if we, as Europe, are actually credible in what we have agreed upon, as agreements must be kept.”
Shortly following his doorstep statement, he took to Twitter: “On the issue of the Eastern Mediterranean, what is at stake is very simple. It is the credibility of the European Union. We agreed in October that, should Turkey continue its provocative behavior, there will be consequences. Pacta sunt servanda (agreements must be kept).”
According to government sources, Greece’s target at this European Council meeting is the implementation of decisions reached at October’s E.C. conference, which was reaffirmed in November, they added. Concerning the draft text of these decisions, sources pointed out that “we are working on improvements, as there still are, unfortunately, some countries that do not want sanctions or measures against Turkey.”
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Mr Mitsotakis will also seek to raise the significance of specific issues pertaining to Turkey’s geopolitical attitude, one of them being “the instrumentalisation of the migration and refugee crisis,” while he will also remind EU leaders of his earlier November proposal for an arms embargo against Turkey.
In doorstep statements on Thursday, French President Emmanuel Macron said France’s stance on the Turkish issue is clear: “we shall defend the sovereignty of EU states and stability in the Eastern Mediterranean and the entire region, including North Africa and the Middle East.”
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EU’s assessment of Turkey is not positive, said the EU’s High Representative Josep Borrell, while President of the European Council Charles Michel noted that “we will look into our relationship with Turkey and see how we can send a clear message, in continuation of our defending of European values and interests.”
