Turkey is promoting a dramatic de-escalation, changing its tactics in Greek-Turkish relations ahead of the crucial European Council and NATO Summits. The assessment is that it will not stop its verbal attacks on Greece and Cyprus, but will indulge in a Zig Zag in which it will talk and talk. He will talk in order to maintain the climate of national fanaticism at home and he will talk in order to convince the international community that he wants a peaceful resolution of the disputes through dialogue.
The first sign of this behaviour emerged after a brief discussion between the defence ministers of Turkey and Greece in Brussels on Thursday. Houloussi Akar and Nikos Panagiotopoulos agreed that the tension should not continue. They talked about the need to solve the problems through dialogue, but without shaking hands or even being more specific.
Ankara is not convinced. It would be very naive to take for granted what Akar told Panagiotopoulos, forgetting what was said a few hours earlier in his uncomfortable argument with Greek MPs in Istanbul. Back when he was threatening gods and demons, talking about "peacekeeping operation in Cyprus in 1974" "Greek provocations in the Aegean."
Anyway, we must not forget that this is a staged and artificial crisis, which started without a cause but with a reason. Remember that the tension did not arise immediately after Mitsotakis' visit to Washington (the occasion), but almost a week later. It was initiated by the Turkish President announcing that he was cutting all communication bridges with Athens and would not speak with Kyriakos Mitsotakis again.
The exact opposite of what is now being said by Turkish officials, who pretend to be supporters of diplomacy and dialogue. And immediately afterwards they provoke Nicosia and Athens with ethnic slogans against them, adding more fuel to the fire of Turkish voters.
He did not take the bait
As can be seen from the discussion they had yesterday at the Presidential Palace and their public statements at the DISY Conference, Anastasiades and Mitsotakis remain determined not to fall into the trap of confrontation set by the Turkish government. They will continue to approach the extreme attacks of Erdogan and his associates with coolness, upholding international law.
In any case, the international community has not the slightest doubt about the absurdity of Turkish positions and methods. Everyone knows that behind the dominoes of provocations lies a revisionist policy. Several people understand that the motives are electoral. Some understand that the tension will remain at the verbal level and will not transfer to the field. This does not mean that the international actor should sit back and do nothing.
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