The Turkish government once again encountered the firm resistance of the Greek Cypriot side regarding the upgrade of Turkey‘s Customs Union with the European Union, during contacts held in Ankara with a three-member European delegation. This came despite Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan’s declaration that relations between the two sides have recently improved and are moving in a more constructive direction. Nevertheless, Fidan himself acknowledged in his statements that “there is strong demand from both sides to upgrade the Customs Union, but the process is not moving forward due to blockages from the Greek Cypriot side.”
Kaja Kallas in Turkey: The visit that created a negative image
The recent visit of EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas to Ankara and her meeting with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan brought back into focus the perennially complex relationship between the European Union and Turkey. Despite Turkey’s rising geopolitical profile, both sides struggle to strike a balance between the need for close cooperation in critical areas and the intense criticism Turkey faces over the rule of law and human rights. In this context, Kallas’s choice not to raise the human rights issues that are central to Europe’s values drew significant negative attention.
Angelos Syrigos: The EU’s stance toward Erdoğan is “an ugly image”
Professor of International Law Angelos Syrigos, speaking to parapolitika.gr, was characteristically blunt: “What we saw the day before yesterday was an ugly image. Just watching all these Europeans rushing around — while Kallas in particular had a mandate from the European Parliament to deliver strong criticism of Erdoğan over human rights violations — and instead we saw the exact opposite. She was there, didn’t utter a single word about the state of human rights, about the fact that he shut down political parties, about the fact that he has thrown his political opponent in prison, and they were all saying how important a country Turkey is.”
It is telling that during her meetings, Kallas described Turkey as a “key partner” for the European Union, focusing exclusively on the areas of security, migration, and energy. For his part, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan confirmed that full EU membership remains a strategic goal, speaking of a new, more constructive direction in bilateral relations.
“Turkey is in no way ready for the unfreezing of the accession process”
According to Professor Syrigos, “Turkey is a country that occupies a critical position — it is the key to Russia and Ukraine, since trade passes through it. It is a country with a very powerful defense industry, a country that is growing, that has presence and a significant geopolitical footprint. However, Turkey is in no way ready for the unfreezing of the accession process. For the accession process to restart, the obstacles set by Cyprus — and also by France — must be overcome. And no one wants to reopen that discussion. Not even the Turks, who want everything done on their own terms — meaning Turkey should be accepted as it is, not that it should change.”
Hakan Fidan: Cyprus is blocking the Turkey–EU Customs Union upgrade
Nevertheless, Turkey is pursuing deeper ties with the EU on multiple fronts, with the most significant being the modernization of the Customs Union. Hakan Fidan openly accused the Republic of Cyprus of acting as a stumbling block to Turkey’s ambitions, at a time when the majority of EU member states want to see the process move forward. At the same time, the Turkish Foreign Minister acknowledged that the positive image of Turkey’s bilateral relations with most member states does not always translate into corresponding decisions from European institutions.
Gideon Sa’ar: Kallas’s visit was “a masterpiece of hypocrisy”
The presence of the EU High Representative in Turkey, alongside the two Commissioners Marta Kos and Magnus Brunner, also drew a sharp reaction from Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, who described Kallas’s conduct as “a masterpiece of hypocrisy.” Sa’ar criticized the EU official for omitting any reference to the egregious human rights violations taking place in Turkey, including the arrests of opposition mayors, restrictions on journalists, and the imprisonment of Erdoğan’s political opponents.
