The report on Turkey by the High Representative Borrell and the European Commission is being presented to the Council today. In principle, the report is positive, because it correctly sees Turkey as a problem that concerns the whole of Europe and it also underscores the problems that Turkey’s behaviour creates for the European Union.
There are omissions, however, such as casus belli, references to Turkey’s violations, such as the phrasing regarding Varosha or the direct violations of the International Law of the Sea, the UNCLOS.
In the Council debate to follow, I will underscore these omissions. But we need to take away what is positive: Europe sees Turkey as a problem and is proposing a double agenda. Positive measures, on one hand, but on the other hand it also includes the clear potential to take measures, sanctions against Turkey, if it backslides again into its unacceptable unlawful behaviour.
March 22, 2021