Από το ιστολόγιο http://infognomonpolitics.blogspot.com/
Σύμφωνα με άρθρο που δημοσιεύθηκε πριν από λίγες ώρες στην ιστοσελίδα της εφημερίδας Wall Street Journal και υπογράφουν οι JAY SOLOMON από την Ουάσιγκτον και MARC CHAMPION από την Κωνσταντινούπολη, η υπουργός εξωτερικών των ΗΠΑ, Χίλαρι Κλίντον, ζήτησε από την Τουρκία να σταματήσει τις ενέργειες που μπορεί να απειλήσουν την ειρήνη στην περιοχή της ΝΑ Μεσογείου και προειδοποίησε την Άγκυρα ότι σε περίπτωση ένοπλης σύγκρουσης της Τουρκίας με το Ισραήλ, οι ΗΠΑ θα λάβουν ξεκάθαρα τη θέση του Ισραήλ.
Επίσης, στο άρθρο αναφέρεται ξεκάθαρα ότι οι ενέργειες της Τουρκίας απειλούν συμφέροντα των ΗΠΑ στη ΝΑ Μεσόγειο και συγκεκριμένα το σχέδιο εξώρυξης υδρογονανθράκων, που ανέλαβε η αμερικανική εταιρεία Νόμπλε Ένερτζι.
Κατά την άποψή μας το άρθρο, ξεκαθαρίζει το τοπίο και σε ένα βαθμό λύνει τον γρίφο που επικαλούμαστε στο άρθρο μας: Γεωπολιτικός γρίφος στην Κύπρο: Αδιέξοδο και συντριβή ή διάσωση της Τουρκίας;
Ακολουθεί το άρθρο της έγκριτης αμερικανικής εφημερίδας, που απηχεί τις απόψεις και αποτελεί τη φωνή του αμερικανικού κατεστημένου.
U.S. Ties to Turkey Face New Strains
Σύμφωνα με άρθρο που δημοσιεύθηκε πριν από λίγες ώρες στην ιστοσελίδα της εφημερίδας Wall Street Journal και υπογράφουν οι JAY SOLOMON από την Ουάσιγκτον και MARC CHAMPION από την Κωνσταντινούπολη, η υπουργός εξωτερικών των ΗΠΑ, Χίλαρι Κλίντον, ζήτησε από την Τουρκία να σταματήσει τις ενέργειες που μπορεί να απειλήσουν την ειρήνη στην περιοχή της ΝΑ Μεσογείου και προειδοποίησε την Άγκυρα ότι σε περίπτωση ένοπλης σύγκρουσης της Τουρκίας με το Ισραήλ, οι ΗΠΑ θα λάβουν ξεκάθαρα τη θέση του Ισραήλ.
Επίσης, στο άρθρο αναφέρεται ξεκάθαρα ότι οι ενέργειες της Τουρκίας απειλούν συμφέροντα των ΗΠΑ στη ΝΑ Μεσόγειο και συγκεκριμένα το σχέδιο εξώρυξης υδρογονανθράκων, που ανέλαβε η αμερικανική εταιρεία Νόμπλε Ένερτζι.
Κατά την άποψή μας το άρθρο, ξεκαθαρίζει το τοπίο και σε ένα βαθμό λύνει τον γρίφο που επικαλούμαστε στο άρθρο μας: Γεωπολιτικός γρίφος στην Κύπρο: Αδιέξοδο και συντριβή ή διάσωση της Τουρκίας;
Ακολουθεί το άρθρο της έγκριτης αμερικανικής εφημερίδας, που απηχεί τις απόψεις και αποτελεί τη φωνή του αμερικανικού κατεστημένου.
U.S. Ties to Turkey Face New Strains
By JAY SOLOMON in Washington and MARC CHAMPION in Istanbul
WASHINGTON—Escalating
tensions in the Mediterranean are complicating the U.S.-Turkey alliance
at a time when President Barack Obama views Ankara as central to
helping the U.S. manage the Middle East's political upheavals.
Secretary
of State Hillary Clinton privately has pressed Turkish officials to
back off from their threats to send warships to waters around Cyprus in a
dispute over energy deposits, according to U.S. officials. The top
American diplomat cautioned that any escalation could jeopardize U.S.
interests in the Mediterranean, as the gas fields are being jointly
developed by Cyprus and Houston-based Noble Energy Inc.
U.S.
officials also are concerned by Turkish threats to deploy naval vessels
to accompany flotillas headed to the Palestinian territories, which
could heighten the potential for a military conflict between Turkey and
Israel, both close U.S. allies. American diplomats have worked to broker
a rapprochement between Turkey and Israel, but officials in the White
House and State Department acknowledge the rift could endure.
Some
strategists in Washington and Europe are calling on the Obama
administration to lay down stricter red lines in the Mediterranean, by
using more aggressive diplomacy and the U.S. Navy. This is seen as
crucial for guarding against any miscalculations by Turkey, Israel or
Cyprus, though they acknowledge such steps could anger Ankara.
'We are keen to keep the tones low.'
Read an edited transcript of the Journal's interview with Cypriot Foreign Minister Erato Kozakou-Marcoullis.
"I
don't think the Turks are intent on starting hostilities, but you never
know what can happen in this environment," said Morton Abramowitz, a
former U.S. ambassador to Turkey. He added that Washington needs to be
up-front with Ankara and tell them that if conflict breaks out between
Turkey and Israel, "We'll choose Israel."
Turkish
officials stressed in interviews they aren't seeking a war with either
Cyprus or Israel, and said Turkey has been forced to take action to
guard against provocative steps by others. "Look, nobody wants any
disasters here. We are aware of the situation," said a senior Turkish
official.
Mr.
Obama has cultivated Turkey as a major strategic partner since coming
into office in 2009. White House officials say the U.S. president speaks
regularly with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan to
coordinate on the political transformation in the Middle East and North
Africa. And the Obama administration hailed Ankara's decision last month
to house a North Atlantic Treaty Organization radar facility, which is
focused on Iran's long-range missiles.
"Turkey
is a NATO ally, a great friend and a partner on a whole host of
issues," Mr. Obama said prior to a meeting with Mr. Erdogan last month.
Still, the deepening dispute between Turkey and Cyprus over energy exploration has placed Washington squarely in the middle.
Tensions
flared last month when the Cypriot government announced that Noble
Energy would begin drilling for gas in its Exclusive Economic Zone.
Ankara doesn't recognize Cyprus's government and said the energy
exploration undercuts prospects for a United Nations-backed process
aimed at reunifying the island. Cyprus was divided into ethnic-Greek and
Turkish enclaves in 1974, after Turkey invaded the island following a
Greece-inspired coup.
In
recent weeks, Turkey has dispatched naval vessels into this economic
zone, including frigates and gunboats, according to senior Cypriot
officials. They said these moves are a violation of international law
and aimed at intimidating Cyprus and preventing Noble from moving ahead
with developing the gas fields. Cyprus's government is calling on the
U.N, U.S. and European Union to increase pressure on Ankara to pull out
of Cypriot waters.
"The
gravity of the problem stems from the threats that are being voiced,
nearly daily, by the Turkish leadership," said Cypriot Foreign Minister
Erato Kozakou-Marcoullis, in an interview.
Turkish
officials said the international community should be focused on the
Cypriot actions, which they believe are aimed at undermining the U.N.
talks.
More
recently, Turkey also began exploring for energy deposits in Cypriot
waters. "We just need to make a point... to show the Greek Cypriots that
they don't own the whole island," said the Turkish official.
Continuing
tensions between Turkey and Israel are also undercutting U.S. efforts
to stabilize the Middle East. Once close allies, Turkey and Israel have
been locked in a growing war of words in the wake of Israel's military
action last year against an international aid flotilla headed for the
Gaza Strip. The operation killed eight Turkish nationals and one
Turkish-American.
For
months, the Obama administration has worked to ease tensions between
Israel and Turkey. But the process broke down after Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu's government refused to apologize to Ankara for the
flotilla deaths. Turkey cut military ties with Israel and downgraded
diplomatic relations, saying it would use its navy to protect future aid
flotillas headed toward Gaza.
On
Friday, Foreign Minister Ahmet Davatoglu reiterated that threat, but
specified that it applied to Turkish vessels in international waters.
Some
Turkey analysts believe Mr. Erdogan is bluffing. But there are
increasing fears that the Turkish leader, now among the most popular in
the Muslim world, could have staked a position that will be hard to back
away from. And they note that Washington would be likely be dragged
into any conflict.
"At
some point, the U.S. is going to have to say: This rhetoric is too
much," said Henri Barkey, a Turkey scholar at Lehigh University.
Write to Jay Solomon at jay.solomon@wsj.com and Marc Champion atmarc.champion@wsj.com
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