Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias accused Germany of failing to live up to its leadership role in the EU by rejecting pleas from Athens to impose an arms embargo on Turkey.
“I really fail to understand Germany’s reluctance to use the enormous power of its economy to set a clear example to countries that they must obey international law,” Dendias said in an interview with POLITICO.
Against a backdrop of heightened tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean, Greece has appealed to European partners in recent weeks to stop arms sales to Turkey. Athens argues such weapons could be used against two EU member countries, Greece and Cyprus, if there is an escalation of disputes over territorial waters.
Greece has specifically called on Germany not to allow the delivery of six Type 214 submarines ordered by Turkey. Athens argues the vessels would upset the balance of power in the Eastern Mediterranean.
Dendias noted the deal for the submarines dated back to 2009, when the Turkish government and its foreign policy were very different.
“I understand the financial issue, but I am sure Germany also understands the huge contradiction of providing offensive weapons to a country that threatens the peace and stability of two EU countries. This is the definition of the word contradiction,” he said.
Dendias said he did not understand why Greece should even have to raise the matter with Berlin “instead of Germany realizing by itself, from the checks and balances of its own system, that this is not compatible with its role in Europe.”
Greece and Turkey are both members of the NATO alliance, but with long-standing disagreements on a variety of issues, including sea boundaries. Their relationship has reached a low point in recent months.
Over the summer, the countries came close to a military conflict, as the the Oruç Reis, a seismic vessel owned by Turkey’s General Directorate of Mineral Research and Exploration, started research activities in disputed waters.
Germany has tried to play the role of the mediator, with Foreign Minister Heiko Maas visiting Athens and Ankara several times to push for a restart of diplomatic talks.
But Greece has voiced dissatisfaction with what Dendias has branded a policy of “appeasement” pursued by Germany toward Turkey. Athens argues Germany should be firmly on the side of its fellow EU members, Greece and Cyprus.
In the interview, Dendias called on EU leaders to send a clear message to Turkey at next month’s European Council summit. But he stopped short of explicitly demanding EU sanctions on Ankara.
He said Europe should give a “logical answer” to Turkey’s recent actions that would match European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s pledge to lead a “geopolitical” Commission.
Full story politico.
He keeps whining like a little kid who wants his icecream.
Germany cast Greece into a needless depression for a decade while Turkey prospered. Now look.
Turkey was neutral in WW2.
Turkey and Germany held genocides.
Germany’s largest immigrant population is Turkish and is 5% of Germany’s entire population.
Germany has 5,000 businesses in Turkey.
After Germany’s debt forgiveness that they never reciprocated, a rich Germany offered Greece to leave a euro that they dominate over a Europe they already tried to destroy twice. Even Britain had a hard time escaping the jaws of their undemocratic tight fisted rule over a Europe that depends on their unfair trade surplus or face imbalance, emission scandals to bribes to failing to repay loans, etc. This is all part of Germany’s money-centric dominance in the EU.
More recently, Merkel told Erdogan to stop his aggression to her inaction because he is “exposing” her. With enemies like this who needs partners in this oxymoron of a union. One where only Germany should leave to repair Europe.
It seems as though Germans are also nationalistic and even after their blackened history and remember their past enemies. Their leading Europe is as astounding as Trump being elected in the first place or Erdogan’s actions as of late.
It is shameless and hypocritical for Germany to supply Turkey arms to be used against a Europe that Greece secures its borders against, let alone while trying to extort a Europe that Jihadist Turkey should have no part of. This is 2020, progress or perish instead of regression to enable die hard tyrants and dictators.