Turkey: Erdogan is suddenly moving closer to Europe

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan wants to reopen Europe after months of tension. One month after tightening EU sanctions against Ankara, Turkey has now called on Greece to discuss a settlement of its dispute over gas drilling in the eastern Mediterranean. He is inviting Greece to organize the first meeting in January, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said in Ankara on Monday. The Greek Foreign Ministry said it had not yet received an official invitation from Turkey , but was ready to start talks on borders and exclusive economic zones. Cavusoglu will probably bring the issue up on Tuesday at a meeting with the ambassadors of the EU countries in Ankara. Since the discovery of rich gas deposits in the eastern Mediterranean, there has been heated debate over their exploitation. EU members Greece and Cyprus as well as Turkey lay claim to the sea areas concerned, Athens and Ankara also underpinned their demands by sending warships last August. In September, both sides agreed to resume talks, but did not give a date. At their summit in December , the EU member states decided to put other responsible parties or companies involved on the EU sanctions list because of Turkey's unilateral and provocative activities. If Ankara does not change its confrontational course in the eastern Mediterranean, they threatened to tighten sanctions. On the other hand, if it gave in, the EU held out the prospect of expanding economic relations. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has expressed the desire for better relations with the EU in recent weeks. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also tweeted that there had been a good exchange of views with Turkish President Erdogan after speaking with him in a video conference last Saturday (January 9th, 2021). Although Erdogan had insulted leading EU politicians as links in the Nazi chain, he now speaks of the EU having priority on the Turkish agenda. The Turkey wanted to turn a new page in relations with the EU in the new year. The most important reason for Erdogan's relaxation course is the elected US President Joe Biden. Turkey could face further penalties for arms deals with Russia as soon as Biden's government takes the stage. Biden, who as Barack Obama's Vice President was responsible for relations with Turkey , is considered to have a good knowledge of the country. In the past, he sharply criticized the deficits under Erdogan .