"We will have more to say soon," U.S. diplomatic sources say in the wake of a teleconference between the foreign ministers of the United States, Cyprus, Greece and Israel on Monday. A phrase that ties in perfectly with the buzz that has been building in recent weeks that major geopolitical developments are coming in the Eastern Mediterranean.
The conversation the four senior officials had was a first decisive step in the drive for multilateral energy cooperation in the Eastern Mediterranean.[/B] As long as all players decide to resolve what divides them and focus on what unites them.
In this context, Ioannis Kasoulides and Nikos Dendias made it clear to their interlocutors that under certain conditions they are not against cooperation with Turkey. These are not complex or complicated conditions, despite the fact that the Turkish side still refuses to comply. That is respect for international law, the sovereignty and sovereign rights of all states.
To get there, it was stressed that all parties should approach cooperation with policies based on the positive agenda. The four foreign ministers made a start by not including a single word about the violations and provocations by Turkey in the Joint Statement issued after the teleconference. Despite the fact that, according to well-informed sources, it was stressed by all during the discussion that these moves cannot be tolerated or accepted.
They avoided publicly referring to the tension created by the turmoil in the region, just as they did after the first 3+1 Summit in Israel in March 2019. The Joint Declaration issued then did not name Turkey but spoke of "external malign influences."
In essence, the four left no room for Turkish reactions, as is customary after any such summit. They threw the ball in Ankara's court to decide whether to comply with the conditions for becoming part of multilateral cooperation or abstain from this collective effort.
So far there has been no official reaction from the Turkish government, although the Turkish media have given some indication. Even pro-government websites and newspapers have shown a willingness to tone it down in recent days, waiting to see how Mitsotakis and Biden, who are meeting next week at the White House, will act.
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