Southern EU countries propose new sanctions against Turkey

The seven southern countries of the European Union (EU) meeting in Porticcio (Corsica) on Thursday showed their support for Greece and Cyprus in the face of Turkey's actions in the eastern Mediterranean and are considering possible sanctions if the Eurasian nation does not rethink its movements, according to the Efe news agency. "We want to send a message of solidarity to Greece and Cyprus, of support in the face of unilateral sanctions and threats to European sovereignty," said French President Emmanuelle Macron in a press statement with the heads of government of Greece, Cyprus, Spain, Italy, Portugal and Malta, which together with France are part of the informal MED7 alliance. The aim of this coalition is to ensure better coordination on common issues such as economic, social, migratory and defence policy of this group of nations, which accounts for 40 percent of the EU's overall GDP, according to the data managed by the French daily Le Figaro.

The summit ended with a statement in which the EU leaders spoke of possible sanctions if Turkey continues with its intention to exploit the economic resources of the eastern Mediterranean in waters which Greece and Cyprus consider part of their territory. The letter insists on the need to defend the EU's sovereignty in the Mediterranean in the face of Turkish interference and in solidarity with Greece and Cyprus. It also demands the cessation of unilateral actions by Turkey in Greek waters and compliance with the arms embargo on Libya. "We reaffirm our determination to use all appropriate means at the disposal of the European Union to respond to these aggressive actions", explains the MED7 note. Despite the strong words, one part of the communiqué expresses the willingness to start a responsible dialogue on the part of the EU to restore the balance that should be set in motion by the President of the European Council, Charles Michel and the EU High Representative for Foreign Policy, Josep Borrell.

France is one of the countries that have shown the most firmness in response to Turkish gas exploration. This summer it even sent military ships and aircraft to the area to highlight its support for Greece. The Greek Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, has urged "Ankara to stop the prospecting and all its illegal activities and return to the negotiating table", and has warned that, otherwise, they will go to the International Court of Justice in The Hague. "Our responsibility as a European member and a Mediterranean country is to find the ways and means of a constructive policy in the Mediterranean, to build this pax mediterraneo which allows for harmonious exchanges while respecting the sovereignty of the region", explained Macron.

Macron's position vis-à-vis Turkey is much stronger than that of other southern partners such as Spain, Italy and Malta. These nations have opted for deterrence and fear a confrontation with Erdogan. Germany has been one of the EU countries that has most advocated negotiation, as a large part of its population is of Turkish origin and they fear that Erdogan will encourage immigration if there is a direct confrontation with him. During this meeting, Macron has not achieved a clear position on sanctions to be taken to the next European Council on the 25th, where negotiations with the rest of the EU partners will take place. 

A group of European socialists has even proposed an arms embargo on Turkey ahead of a summit to be held on 24 and 25 September to establish the EU's definitive position with regard to the Eurasian nation and the conflict in the eastern Mediterranean, according to the European agency Euractiv. The complicated situation of irregular immigration in the Mediterranean was also discussed at this meeting, at a time when the EU is going to begin to debate the future Migration and Asylum Pact - on which the Commission is due to make a proposal - and the continuation of the civil conflict in Libya.

The French president has also opted for controlling the migratory route from Libya to Malta and Italy with the coastguard and has once again pointed out that Turkey should re-implement the agreement for the readmission of immigrants who arrive illegally on EU soil from Turkish territory. For his part, Mr Sánchez and other leaders such as the Portuguese prime minister, Antonio Costa, stressed the need to combine responsibility with solidarity and humanity in all matters relating to migration.  

The leaders stressed their concern at the lack of progress in the civil conflict in Libya, another major issue discussed at this mini-summit. The situation in Libya "represents a threat to the whole region", and also "contributes to the aggravation of the terrorist threat and trafficking in human beings", reads the declaration drawn up by the seven countries. The declaration also stresses that the parties to the civil war "must agree on a ceasefire and commit to political dialogue" because "there is no military solution to the crisis". Sánchez stressed Spain's position on Libya with its support for the ceasefire agreements of 21 August, not only because it is a pact between Libyans "but also because it involves for the first time taking up the possibility of cooling the regional escalation, promoting the demilitarisation of the Sirte area and making progress in the political negotiations promoted by the United Nations".

Turkey is increasingly expanding its diplomatic agenda in Africa. Between 2010 and 2016, Ankara opened up to 26 new embassies in Africa. Its presence in the Libyan conflict has not stopped growing in 2020. These movements are worrying Egypt and are also causing mistrust between the Emirates and Saudi Arabia. France, which has major interests in the Maghreb, is also not looking kindly on Erdogan's deployment in North Africa, according to academician Michäel Tanchum, professor of international relations at the University of Navarra, in an analysis published in The Turkey Analyst, a blog on international affairs of the Central Asia-Caucasus Institute think tank

The latest economic cooperation and defence agreements between Niger and Turkey, signed in July 2020, are a direct threat to France's interests, as this European country generates three-quarters of its electricity from nuclear energy and one-third of the uranium used is extracted from Niger by the French company Areva. The expansion of relations between Turkey and the African nations is leading France to strengthen its ties with Cairo and Abu Dhabi in order to counteract Turkish expansionism. France is Egypt's third biggest arms supplier and maintains a naval base in the Emirates. "As Ankara advances in its activities in Africa, the rivalry between Turkey and the Franco-Emirati-Egyptian entente will become one of the main drivers of African geopolitics", Tanchum concludes.