Gymnich station for the Cypriot train – Tomorrow in Brussels the crucial discussion of the “27” with the Turkish Foreign Minister – Kobos and Fidan face to face – Pressures to link the developments for Cyprus with the Euro-Turkish ones – The Turkish side is adamant
The debate on Euro-Turkish reopens without particular expectations that there is a possibility that something specific will happen in the immediate future. However, the tomorrow presence of the Turkish Foreign Minister at the informal meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the European Union (Gymnich) is a first step after a long period of stagnation.
It will be the first time Hakan Fidan will sit at the same table with “27”, who had also invited him to the previous Gymnich seven months ago and again in Brussels. At that time his participation was blocked by Nicosia, with Konstantinos Kobo rejecting the presence of Fidan.
Without any change in Turkey's attitude or the environment of the Cypriot, this time the Republic of Cyprus approved Fidan's participation. The meeting was originally to be held in Budapest under the Hungarian Presidency of the Council of the EU. Orbán's recent diplomatic moves, in relation to Ukraine and the Union's relations with China, forced Borrell to convene the informal meeting in Belgium capital.
The location does not play a particular role for the Turkish official, who is not expected to cause any surprise with his stance. Ankara is pushing to advance only certain aspects of the Euro-Turkish, which mainly have to do with trade issues and entry visas.
Among others it still holds the “paper” of immigration, considering that in this way she will escape from her obligations and will receive only what she claims from the “27”. Besides, the Turkish President has stated many times in the last two years that he believes that the Union needs his country more than the other way around.
Turkey's approach, outside of which remains the interface with the Cyprus. The Turkish government does not wish to enter into a process of packaging and matching its claims with the existing demands from the European Union. Ankara has the fictitious perception that it is negotiating from a position of strength, which is not true. p>
Despite the stubborn attitude of Erdogan and Fidan, Nicosia will attempt to exert pressure so that the Euro-Turkish and Cypriot issues are officially put on the same table. It is the Christodoulidis approach about tools that the EU has in order to pressure and convince Turkey to work constructively towards the solution of the Cyprus problem.
The question is how far they are willing. the Europeans to reach the debate, given that the interlocutor illegally owns them and maintains troops on European soil. And this is the big picture, which determines the limits within which the “27” can move.
On the other hand, the Republic of Cyprus considers the Gymnich > as a stopover that can lead to developments in the fall in New York. Constantinos Kobo's direct contact with Hakan Fidan is an important opportunity to discuss the current state of affairs following Ersin Tatar's refusal to give his consent for a tripartite meeting. At the moment when Ankara pretends to be in favor of arranging a joint meeting.
