«Only recently it looked as if war was about to break out, but now they want to sit down at the table and negotiate,» says a report in Süddeutsche Newspaper on the resumption of exploratory contacts Greece and Turkey which is expected to start on 25 January.
«In the controversy over gas reserves suspected to lie at the bottom of the Mediterranean, the warships of Turkey and Greece were moving menacingly, the governments of Athens and of Ankara had crossed swords, and not just metaphorically. Powers like USA, the France and the United Arab Emirates, sending warships and fighter aircraft, have thrown their weight behind Greece». But now the president Erdogan appears «reassuring» in view of the start of «exploratory outreach contacts».
The report summarises the events of the last few months that led to the escalation of the situation and observes: «The neighbouring states are far from agreeing on the issue of maritime borders in the eastern Mediterranean. In the background, however, there is Ankara's open claim to the Mediterranean Sea. its recognition as a regional power in the Mediterranean».
As the SZ notes, «The outbreak of a suspected armed conflict was avoided in the second half of last year through international mediation, mainly by the Germany, the NATO and the EU». In view of the new round of exploratory talks, the report estimates that «the chances of a quick deal are slim» and that «the two sides start negotiations with little expectation of a compromise.»
As he concludes, «Despite the contacts that are now underway, the situation remains explosive. Athens buys 18 modern fighter jets from France Rafal and extends military service from nine to twelve months: the armed forces of Greece are being depleted, the land army and navy are far inferior to the Turkish troops, only the air force is considered equal. Turkey has been expanding its arms industry and heavily arming itself for years. In addition, the Turkish military has gained experience in the use of modern weapons - such as drone- in the recent wars in Middle East and Caucasus».
