Turkey open to ‘constructive’ talks but determined on east Med, Erdogan tells Merkel

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Wednesday that Ankara was open to “constructive” talks but would remain determined in its eastern Mediterranean standoff with Greece.

The videoconference call between the two leaders came ahead of an EU summit next week at which the bloc will discuss imposing sanctions on Turkey over its search for energy in waters claimed by Cyprus and Greece.

For all the latest headlines follow our Google News channel online or via the app.

Germany has taken the lead in trying to mediate an end to a conflict that has seen the two NATO neighbors stage rival air and sea drills in strategic waters between Cyprus and Crete.

The Turkish presidency said Erdogan told Merkel that the dispute “could be resolved through negotiations... provided that a constructive approach, based on fairness, prevails.”

Erdogan “underscored that he will continue to implement a decisive and active policy with regard to Turkey’s rights,” his office said.

Turkey believes that the EU unfairly backs Greece in a maritime dispute that stretches back decades but which gained added importance with the discovery of large natural gas deposits in recent years.

Read more:

EU chief pledges to defend Cyprus rights in Turkey standoff

For insulting Erdogan, over 3,800 sentenced to prison in Turkey in 2019: Report

Cyprus ready for talks with Turkey but not under threats: Cyprus President

Turkish Navy frigate TCG Gemlik (F-492) escorts Turkish drilling vessel Yavuz in the eastern Mediterranean Sea off Cyprus, August 6, 2019. Picture taken August 6, 2019. (Reuters)

The standoff appeared to be cooling off when Turkey’s Oruc Reis research vessel and its accompanying fleet of warships ended their month-long mission near a Greek island and pulled back to shore last weekend.

But Turkey stressed that the vessel was only undergoing planned maintenance and would soon continue its exploration in the eastern Mediterranean Sea.

The Turkish navy on Tuesday also announced the extension of the Yavuz drillship’s stay in disputed waters near Cyprus until October 12.

The Turkish and Greek war games have drawn in EU powers and even the naval assets of the United States and the United Arab Emirates.

NATO is hosting periodic rounds of technical talks aimed at opening up channels of communication that could keep Greece and Turkey from accidentally going to war.

Their two navies’ warships collided on August 12 in an incident that prompted Erdogan to warn Greece of a “heavy price” to pay were Turkish ships ever attacked.