EU shall get rid of ‘strategic blindness’ about Turkey: Erdoğan

ANKARA

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has criticized the European Union for its “language of blackmail” against Turkey on the issues of the eastern Mediterranean and said the block needs to get rid of “strategic blindness.”

“We hope that the European Union will get rid of the strategic blindness that drives Turkey away from it as soon as possible,” he said addressing the 12th Ambassadors’ Conference on Nov. 9.

“It must now be understood that the language of threat, blackmail is of no use,” he stated.

“We could not consent ignorance to our country, which carries the burden of every development in the eastern Mediterranean when it comes to natural resources,” Erdoğan said, noting that Ankara acted patient and cold-blooded on the eastern Mediterranean issue despite the “provocations” of Greece and South Cyprus.

Turkey acted with the self-confidence of being right and did not run away from the negotiation table on the issue, the president stated.

“Our proposal for the eastern Mediterranean Conference is the manifestation of our will to solve the problem through dialogue,” he said.

The natural gas reserve of 405 billion cubic meters that was discovered in the Black Sea has further strengthened Turkey’s will on this issue, Erdoğan said, noting that he hopes that they will receive good news from the drilling activities in the eastern Mediterranean.

Elaborating on the recent developments on the issue of the ceasefire in Libya, Erdoğan said Turkey’s intervention had a very serious contribution to the prospects for a political solution in the country. “We will continue to stand by the Libyan people in every field.”

Erdoğan also said they cannot understand why the deported foreign fighters by Turkey can freely move in Western countries.

“There is no value in questioning our attitude by those, who did not express the slightest sorrow for our dozens of teachers that were martyred by the PKK terrorism and those who host the leaders of the YPG on red carpets in the palaces,” he stated.

Multicentricity tendency and regionalization are gaining importance in international relations, he said.

“We are at a crossroads where the political and economic arena are being reshaped, where new regional alliances are being established and where supply chains are being re-shared. At this critical juncture, the extent of benefits that Turkey will use will depend on the steps that it takes nowadays. We are determined not to give our country and nation any disappointments,” Erdoğan stated.