Tensions are rising dangerously in the Eastern Mediterranean between Greece and Turkey, two members of NATO. But can the world’s most powerful military alliance do anything to de-escalate the crisis?
carnegieeurope.eu
Put this couple months old article, to get some perspective on how Turkey and NATO and EU relationship will be.
There's no denial that any Turkey's bad feeling with Euro zone has roots in their relationship with Greece. Most of Turkish domestics constituencies already convince that they should forgot any Turkish possibility entering EU, since Greece will always become the hurdles.
No matter who control Turkey, even one day Erdogan's opposition (mostly belong to Ataturk based secular parties) regain Turkey political helm, seems they're believe Greece will still put hurdle for their EU membership.
However on NATO is another thing, there's seems still strong domestic support for Turkey's membership in NATO domestically.
How about the rest of NATO (except Greece) on Turkey? Seems the article above argue that NATO still see Turkey membership is essential for their South east flank. Any complaint and blame toward Greece and Turkey conflicts seems being directed not to Turkey alone but both Turkey and Greece.
Except France. At first I'm bit perplexed on why French negative attitude toward Turkey. There're no big Turkish diaspora in French, most of Muslim Imigrants (citizen, legal resident or illegal ones) in French coming from their ex colonies (mostly Algerian). So there's no domestic Political push from Right Wings for Turkish diaspora. If domestic political factor taking place, it should be from German that has largest Turkish diaspora in Europe. Still overall Turkey relationship with German can be considered better than Turkey with the rest of EU.
However looking at 20th century relationship between Turkey and France, seems the culprit back to Greece again. French seems have 'relatively' strong 'culturally' disdain with Turkey and Ottoman roots compare to other Western Euro members. They have fought war after WW1 when French support Greece forces in Anatolia and Turkey Euro parts.
Turkey military also seems practically not sourcing any of their assets from French, while Greece is one of French military assets customer.
For that, in my opinion any Erdogan belligerent toward Greece and now French is actually nothing new. Turkey and Greece will always have their spats from time to time, and French will always support Greece and this put themselves facing against Turkey.
Still as article above point out, NATO will still take Greece and Turkey condition as part of their "risk" for the sake of their South East flank.
The increased friction follows the beheading of a French teacher after he showed his class caricatures of the Prophet Mohammad. The two countries have sharp foreign policy differences.
www.npr.org
This article also talk on how French for sometime already doing 'adversarial' diplomatic move toward Turkey. More than other EU's except Greece. This in my opinion shown there're more on French political psyche based toward Turkey. Similar thing also happen with Turkey political psyche based toward French.
