ISTANBUL: Turkey does not expect to face European Union sanctions over a dispute with Greece in the eastern Mediterranean, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Monday, a day after a Turkish survey ship pulled out of contested waters.
The EU says it fully supports member states Greece and Cyprus in their dispute with Turkey and has said it is drawing up potential sanctions if dialogue does not begin. The bloc’s leaders could make a decision at a summit on Sept. 24-25.
Cavusoglu repeated Turkey was open to talks without pre-conditions, but added that the seismic research vessel Oruc Reis will soon resume operations after it anchored off Turkey’s southern coast on Sunday.
He said he did not expect EU leaders, who have already agreed modest sanctions against Turkey, to take further steps next week but such measures could not be ruled out.
“It could be against our ship, our company, individuals. They took such decisions in the past. Have we given up on our determination? No, our determination increased,” he told broadcaster NTV.
Tensions have risen over claims and counter claims pitting Turkey against Greece and Cyprus — which are backed by France — to maritime areas potentially rich in natural gas. Several countries have conducted naval exercise in the region, and Turkey has other vessels searching for oil and gas off Cyprus.
The threat of sanctions has in part pushed the Turkish lira deeper into record low territory, complicating the country’s recovery from a sharp economic slump due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Turkey’s Presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin tweeted on Monday that a peaceful solution could be found. “Greece and EU countries must not waste the chance given for diplomacy and must take reciprocal steps,” he said, without elaborating.
In a brief visit to Cyprus on Saturday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the United States remains “deeply concerned” about Turkey’s actions at sea. Ankara responded that Washington needed to be more neutral.
Turkey does not expect EU sanctions over eastern Mediterranean dispute
https://arab.news/w3ebn
Turkey does not expect EU sanctions over eastern Mediterranean dispute
- EU fully supports member states Greece and Cyprus in their dispute with Turkey
- Threat of sanctions has in part pushed the Turkish lira deeper into record low territory
Israeli military kills Palestinian teenager in occupied West Bank
- Mayor of Al-Mughayyir says army raided the village when people began to exit mosques after Friday prayers
- Israeli settlers in the West Bank also serve in the army, and sometimes carry their weapons with them when off duty
- Israel has occupied the West Bank since 1967
AL-MUGHAYYIR: Israeli forces killed a 14-year-old Palestinian in the occupied West Bank village of Al-Mughayyir on Friday, the Palestinian Health Ministry said, while the military said soldiers had responded to stone throwing.
The Ramallah-based Health Ministry announced the death of 14-year-old Mohammed Al-Nassan by Israeli fire in Al-Mughayyir in a statement on Friday.
Shortly after, Israel’s military said its forces had come to the village after Palestinians “hurled stones toward Israelis, set tires on fire and blocked access routes to the area.”
FASTFACT
The Ramallah-based Health Ministry announced the death of 14-year-old Mohammed Al-Nassan by Israeli fire in Al-Mughayyir in a statement on Friday.
The military said dozens of Palestinians were throwing stones upon their arrival, including one who posed “an imminent threat.”
“The soldiers responded by firing warning shots into the air, followed by fire to eliminate the terrorist,” the military said, adding it had set up roadblocks in the area to search for another suspect.
Amin Abu Aliya, mayor of Al-Mughayyir, said that the army raided the village when people began to exit mosques after Friday prayers.
“This young man (Nassan) was exiting the mosque where he was praying with the people, the military vehicle stopped in front of the mosque, they opened the back door and started shooting at him directly,” Abu Aliya said.
Abu Aliya added that following the incident, the army introduced a curfew for the village, closing all shops and setting up a new checkpoint at the village’s entrance.
He pointed to the heavy military presence in his village in recent months, which he said often protected Israeli settlers who recently set up nearby outposts and took land from Al-Mughayyir farmers.
In September, a settler who the military said was an off-duty soldier shot and killed a 20-year-old who the army said had thrown stones in Al-Mughayyir.
Israeli settlers in the West Bank also serve in the army, and sometimes carry their weapons with them when off duty.
Israel has occupied the West Bank since 1967.
Violence there has soared since the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel that triggered the Gaza war and has not subsided despite the truce that came into effect in October.
Since October 2023, Israeli troops and settlers have killed more than 1,000 Palestinians in the West Bank, according to Health Ministry figures.
