Turkey needs to respect international law, German defense minister says
Berlin stands in solidarity with Athens and Nicosia, German Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer was reported as saying on Thursday during a visit to Cyprus, where she also called on Ankara to respect international law.
Germany and its European partners urge Turkey to “accept the legal view” with regards to its energy aspirations in the Eastern Mediterranean, she said while visiting a German warship that is part of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) off the coast of Cyprus, according to Germany’s Die Welt.
Kramp-Karrenbauer stressed the European Council’s support for Greece and Cyprus following the maritime borders agreement signed between Ankara and the Tripoli-based Libyan government, adding that the Council is working on a “framework” to bring sanctions against Turkey.
Kramp-Karrenbauer arrived in Cyprus on Wednesday for a two-day Christmas visit to the German contingent of UNFIL.
The German official also met with her Cypriot counterpart, Savvas Angelidis, who told Cyprus media that Berlin has pledged to implement any targeted sanctions approved by the EU over Turkey’s illegal energy drilling operations in Cyprus’ exclusive economic zone.
“Apart from Germany’s solidarity with Cyprus, the German minister said she will assume initiatives in the context of her responsibilities and on an EU level so that the EU summit decisions will be implemented giving the right messages with regard to Turkey’s behavior,” Angelides was quoted as saying.
