“Some have Sever syndrome”

Tayyip Erdogan and Vladimir Putin at the recent 6th CICA Summit in Kazakhstan. Yoruk Isik, a strategic analyst at the Middle East Institute, refers to K.: “I think Turkey has been with Ukraine, but is reluctant to confront Russia.” Photo by Vyacheslav Prokofiev, Sputnik, Kremlin Pond, Image via Associated Press

Ankara’s fear that deepening cooperation between Greece and the United States will reduce Turkey’s geopolitical footprint, as described by its neighbor’s “K” analysts. International Relations Professor at Kadir Has University Serhat Juventis and Strategic Analyst at the Middle East Institute Yoruk Isik explain how the balances in the Athens-Washington-Ankara triangle have shifted in recent years to the extent that Erdogan is concerned about US “encirclement”. through Greece.

“Greece in the past did not have a particularly intimate relationship with the United States, especially with regard to the issue of hosting its forces and weapons systems. This is how the United States organized its operations in the Balkans or the Middle East via Turkey. From their bases there, they took advantage of Turkey’s geographical location”, explains Professor Gouvents. . He notes that things changed after 2013. “After the Arab Spring” the priorities of the two countries changed. Greece filled the void that had arisen. For decision-making centers in Turkey, an asset that could have been used against the United States has been lost. There is outrage over this issue.”

With regard to the Alexandroupolis and Suda bases, Mr. Jouvents says, “Turkey sees the US military presence, even if it has nothing to do with the dimensions of the Middle East. This is troubling. This issue is particularly raised by anti-American and anti-Hellenic circles within Turkey. They have gone so far as to ‘treaty’ Sever syndrome.

On threats to transfer American weapons systems and questioning the sovereignty of the Greek islands, Professor Kadir Hass asserts that “there is no such thing! It is a fickle reading of international law. Devlet Bakhjili (chairman of the National Action Party) showed how far the concept of homeland can go. Blue. Extreme point.”

He himself explains to us that in previous years there were no great tensions in Greek-Turkish relations, as he asserts, “In Turkey the majority of those who supported the harsh attitude towards Greece were purged and silenced with the trials. Variopola and Ergenekon. ” Now, he points out, this anti-Greek rhetoric and narrative comes back again from the same circles.

Mr. Jouvents tells us his opinion that Greece has replaced Israel in Turkey’s list of enemies. “In the previous period, Israel took the position of Greece as a threat. For Turkey, Israel became the number one threat. I must say that Israel’s perception in the world of Erdogan and Davutoglu is perhaps a more serious threat. Because they do not see Turkey only as a nation-state, they see it from a global perspective” . He himself tells us that the President of Turkey practices politics only with a national view, he knows the enemies only with this logic and asserts that “after the end of the” Arab Spring “and when the hostility to Israel cost. It was seen mainly in relations with the United States, then the issue of Greece returned. “

Regarding the question about the sovereignty of the islands, Professor of International Relations Sirhat Gouvents emphasized that it is a “fancy reading of international law.”

Mr. Joventes stresses that the positions of the extremist circles are slowly and steadily returning, but he stresses that Ankara does not enjoy any stability in its positions. Erdogan said one day that 19 islands are under occupation and the next day he said the Dodecanese Islands and the next day he talks about disarmament. Often the strength of arguments is weakened. He especially loved “we’ll suddenly come one night” and after that, he says everything else. He claims that “Erdogan really wanted to carry out some operations in Syria. Because he saw that military success would bring success at home as well, but the door to Syria was closed.” “Then he turned his attention to Greece, forced the situation there a bit. But it is too risky.”

Relationship with Mitsotakis

Regarding the President of Turkey’s personal attacks against Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Mr. Giovindez explains the way Erdogan thinks.

Once Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert came to Istanbul and met Erdogan. As soon as Olmert returned to his country, the military operation “pencil” began and Erdogan said, “He deceived me.” I bothered him. That’s how Mitsotakis sees, too. It gives importance to relations between leaders and not between states. He says “he cheated on me” and that plays a role. Of course he might change his mind later.”

“The deterioration of US-Turkish relations began with Syria. Syria is the biggest poison in Turkish-US relations. So Alexandroupolis may have been a victim of this process,” says Yoruk Isik, a strategic analyst at the Middle East Institute. US support for the Kurds and some of the decisions made by US Central Command were unacceptable to Turkey, without going into the details of this reaction, whether it was right or wrong. Perhaps, given the way decisions are made in Washington, they may not have even thought about what will happen.”

Mr. Isik tells us that Turkey, like many other large countries, does not properly monitor neighboring countries. “I mean, what happens in Greece is not watched very carefully. Because Greece was not Greece ten, twenty, thirty years ago. Greece was probably the most controversial member of NATO. But it has evolved, and today it is successfully establishing a new relationship with the United States This is how Alexandroupolis gained importance with Turkey’s vacillation. I think that Turkey was supportive of Ukraine, but reluctant to confront Russia. He protected Russia in some matters in order to be severely punished for this attitude.”

On the Turkish leadership’s statements regarding the islands, Mr. Isik noted that they are “unnecessary and full of boldness. These are just meaningless. I mean, it is just that countries have settled here, I mean, like Greece and Turkey today.” But he warned, “The situation in Turkey is not optimistic at the moment. Even the opponents or the secularists have the same amount of anti-Hellenic rhetoric.”