EUdebates turkish illegal actions and stands against Turkey’s aggression

EU lawmakers pressure Borrell to be tougher with Turkey. In light of a crucial EU foreign affairs meeting next Monday (13 July), MEPs from all political groups in the European Parliament on Thursday (9 July) strongly condemned Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his regime’s activities in the Mediterranean. #eudebates #Migration #Greece #Turkey #illegalmigrants #migration It is encouraging that the German government has finally taken a stand on Turkey’s aggressive foreign policy, writes Robert Ellis and argues that Thursday’s debate in the European Parliament on Turkey’s negative role in the Eastern Mediterranean and Monday’s Foreign Affairs Council meeting will indicate which way the wind blows. Robert Ellis is a member of the Advisory Board at Vocal Europe, a Brussels-based think-tank dedicated to research on EU diplomatic actions, enlargement policy and democracy. With regard to Operation Peace Spring, Turkey’s invasion of the Kurdish area of Rojava in northeastern Syria in October last year, the State Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Development, Maria Flachsbarth (CDU), has stated that the Federal Government cannot find any grounds that would legitimize the operation under international law. Apart from the presence of the Turkish army in Idlib province, there have been two previous Turkish incursions into Syria, in 2016 and 2018, which have led to the occupation of the areas concerned: the Manbij pocket and the Kurdish enclave of Afrin. The bone of contention with Europe is Cyprus. Already in 1964 the UN’s Security Council sent a peacekeeping force, UNFICYP, to keep the Greek Cypriots and the Turkish Cypriots apart, and it is still there. In 1974 Turkey intervened after a coup by Greek Cypriot extremists and has since occupied northern Cyprus. In 1983 Turkish Cypriots declared the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, which is only recognized by Turkey. Now the issue is the exploitation of the natural gas reserves in Cyprus’ EEZ (exclusive economic zone), which Turkey does not recognize. Licences have been granted to a number of foreign companies, including Eni (Italy) and…