We must not forget that Turkey is a member of the North Atlantic Alliance, but also that it therefore has obligations in relation to respect for international law.
This was stated by a senior French government source invited by the KYPE to comment on the country's position in the debate on identifying threats to Europe in the context of the European Union's Strategic Compass.
The same source, who spoke to reporters on the sidelines of events for France to take over the EU Council Presidency, pointed out whether a country can be considered a threat subjective, and referred to the draft text of the Strategic Compass, the which analyzes the geopolitical picture.
For Turkey in particular, he stressed that we must not forget that it is part of NATO and therefore an ally of France and most EU member states. However, as a member of the North Atlantic Alliance, the country must not violate specific principles and rules of international of law.
Answering a question whether the hybrid activities in the occupied territories should be taken into account, which concern the internal situation in the Turkish Cypriot community and a number of other issues, the same source noted that Turkey does have a hybrid presence.
Answering a separate question about Turkey-Greece relations and the general climate in the Eastern Mediterranean, the government source referred to the France-Greece cooperation which has been “opened” for other countries as well.
The purpose and message of these collaborations, he added, is that the maritime space must be governed by international law and the principle of free passage in international waters as the sea is not the property of a state.
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