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#Turkey invited #Greece to exploratory talks between - #Thread
Some ask why and why now?
To begin with, as you probably remember, the talks were scheduled for last summer but were suspended because of the escalating crisis. Therefore, today's outcome is not a surprise as such.
Some ask why and why now?
To begin with, as you probably remember, the talks were scheduled for last summer but were suspended because of the escalating crisis. Therefore, today's outcome is not a surprise as such.
You might also remember that, in comparison to #Cyprus, #Greece adopted a milder stance toward #Turkey in the context of recent #EU summits. It was even more cautious about the sanctions. This was not accidental, as #Athens was still working and hoping for the prospect of talks.
#Turkey on the other hand never intended NOT to go to exploratory talks. What it did want, was to increase the pressure, its bargaining chips & project its claims, as it did systematically since last summer, & engage in the talks from a position of power.
What about the timing?
What about the timing?
Timing has at least something to do w events in #USElections. #Erdogan can no longer rely on #Trump. In that sense, #Turkey's carte blanche period might be over - or so Erdogan fears. So he's trying to create positive conditions for TR- #US relations in view of #Biden's presidency
Yet this isn't the only or even the primary reason. It only explains the timing. Exploratory talks were only a matter of time. Because #Turkey- #Greece needed them for deescalation (they face many other issues) & external pressure was mounting. The just had to find the right time
Of course this doesn't mean that talks were pre-planned. Only that new conditions permitted them.
What to expect? Not much.
This is just another round in a series of 60 other rounds of exploratory talks. A deal between #Turkey- #Greece is not a real possibility at this time.
What to expect? Not much.
This is just another round in a series of 60 other rounds of exploratory talks. A deal between #Turkey- #Greece is not a real possibility at this time.
Especially difficult will be to see a deal solely on #EEZ/CS. Something like that, even partial, would be possible only if #Greece accepted to negotiate other issues as well (e.g. territorial waters). Even so, we should remember that these talks are only a first stage. #EastMed
In the talks the two parties will *explore* intentions/positions &, if all goes well, set the agenda of negotiations. So they won't immediately yield any results. They mainly function as deescalating mechanism-& deescalation is what everyone wants.
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Just another #thread, expanding on recent #Turkey foreign policy trends https://twitter.com/ZenonasTziarras/status/1349035430616952835?s=20
