NATO member state Turkey has been searching for raw materials in disputed waters in the eastern Mediterranean for some time. This has increased tension with Greece and Cyprus. In a joint final statement, the seven EU countries fully supported those two member states.
The countries also warn Turkey that the EU is ready to impose new punitive measures. According to the statement, these can be discussed in the European Council at the end of September. French President Emmanuel Macron said it is still preferable to engage in dialogue. “We are not naive, but we want to start the conversation again in good faith.”
Military escalation
Turkish and Greek officials already met at NATO headquarters on Thursday. Those talks were aimed at preventing further military escalation, the Turkish Ministry of Defense reported. For example, Greek and Turkish warships collided with each other last month.
The consultations, which may continue in the coming days, are not intended to resolve the conflict over the search for raw materials. One could, for example, talk about setting up a hotline between the armed forces of the two countries.
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