Eastern Mediterranean – another irritant in Turkey-US ties
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The differences of opinion about the Syrian conflict between Washington and Ankara, including the US support for PKK/YPG terrorist group and Turkey’s purchase of a Russian-made S-400 anti-aircraft missile system, are not the only reasons for the deterioration of Turkish-American ties. The volatile situation in the Eastern Mediterranean is increasingly coming to the forefront.
Two recent developments have added to the mutual unease: The Pentagon’s decision to activate military bases and other facilities in the northern Greek port of Alexandroupoli amid the maritime tensions, and tit-for-tat statements by Ankara and Washington about the recent visit by Hamas leaders to the Turkish capital.
In recent years, the US and Greece have forged close political, economic and military ties. Washington’s decision to activate its bases in Alexandroupoli, just 30 km from the Turkish border, is interpreted by some analysts who closely follow relations between Ankara and Washington as an indication that the latter wants to relocate its bases in Turkey to Greece, given the proximity to Russia.
It seems unlikely that the two nations will resolve the contentious issues that currently divide them any time soon. On Wednesday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke with US counterpart Donald Trump, and the main topic of conversation was the Eastern Mediterranean, where Turkey and Greece disagree about oil and gas exploration rights. According to the Turkish Communications Directorate, Erdogan reminded Trump that Ankara was not responsible for the instability there.
The recent US activity in Greece has displeased Ankara. Historically, Washington took the lead in encouraging its two allies to find peaceful solutions to their disagreements with one another, thus avoiding NATO becoming embroiled in local disputes. To do so it had to remain neutral in the disputes over the Eastern Mediterranean, a region that borders on a number of conflict zones.
However, US attitudes seem to have changed as tensions rise between Turkey and Greece, both of whom believe their vital interests are at stake and have become increasingly confrontational.
In particular Turkey’s purchase of the S-400 missile system, and its closer ties with Russia in general, while the US continues to support groups in Syria designated by Turkey as terrorist groups have tested the relationship between Ankara and Washington.
At a time when the military forces of Turkey and Greece are on high alert, and both sides have deployed warships to shadow each other in the Mediterranean, the question now is what effect the US activity in Greece will have on the situation in the conflict-ridden region.
Against this backdrop, the latest war of words between Ankara and Washington erupted when a delegation that included Ismail Hanniyeh, the political head of Hamas, visited Turkey last weekend and met Erdogan in Istanbul on Aug. 22. It was the second time Erdogan has met Hamas leaders in Turkey this year, with the first meeting taking place in February.
After the US objected to the meeting, the Turkish Foreign Ministry responded by issuing a harsh statement on Aug. 25 that said: “A country that openly supports the PKK, which features on their list of terrorist organizations and hosts the ringleader of FETO (the name the Turkish government uses for the Gulen Movement, which it considers a terrorist organization), has no right whatsoever to say anything to (other) countries on this subject.” It called on the US to use its regional influence to develop a “balanced policy” that serves not only the interests of Israel but helps bring about a righteous and fair solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
Meanwhile, Turkey’s relationship with Israel is also strained and Erdogan’s recent meeting with senior Hamas officials did not help. Roey Gilad, Israel’s charge d’affaires to Ankara, said that his country has evidence that Ankara has given citizenship to Hamas members, a claim that prompted opposition MPs to raise the issue in the Turkish parliament.
Historically, Tel Aviv has adopted a rather careful stance on the dispute between Turks and Greeks/Greek Cypriots over the Eastern Mediterranean and avoided openly confronting Ankara, even though it is within the conflict zone. On Aug. 12, however, the Israeli Embassy in Athens issued a statement expressing full solidarity with Greece and its maritime jurisdiction. This move further strained Turkish-Israeli relations and elevated the already high tensions in the region.
While Turkey’s ties with the US and Israel have been deteriorating, its relationship with Russia gradually has been improving to the point where it is becoming a nightmare for Washington.
Sinem Cengiz
While Turkey’s ties with the US and Israel have been deteriorating, its relationship with Russia gradually has been improving to the point where it is becoming a nightmare for Washington. Ankara and Moscow have signed a contract for a second delivery of S-400s, Russia’s state arms exporter Rosoboronexport announced on Aug. 23. Turkey’s increasing engagement with Russia prompted Washington to remove the country from its F-35 fighter jet program and to threaten Ankara with sanctions.
Despite all of this, the US does not want to give up on its relationship with Turkey, especially when it comes to the situation in Syria. A US delegation led by James Jeffrey, Washington’s special envoy for Syria, arrived in Turkey on Wednesday to discuss the latest efforts to resolve the crisis in the war-torn country.
“We have exciting developments on the Syrian account,” Jeffrey told reporters at the airport. Given the absence of many promising developments in Libya or the Eastern Mediterranean so far, one could certainly do with some positive moves in Syria, where Turkey and the US can still find some common ground to cooperate.
- Sinem Cengiz is a Turkish political analyst who specializes in Turkey’s relations with the Middle East. Twitter: @SinemCngz
