Turkey must stop all threats and actions that harm good neighbourly relations and must respect the sovereignty of all EU member-states in their territorial waters and airspace, Peter Stano, European Commission spokesperson for external affairs, said on Thursday in reply to a question raised by the Athens-Macedonian News Agency (ANA).
Stano noted that any open issue should be dealt with peacefully, through dialogue, good faith, with full respect for international law and in accordance with the principle of good neighbourly relations.
The Commissioner also added that in terms of the relations between the EU and the EU member-states with Turkey, the EU was and is very clear: We expect Turkey to be constructive, to refrain from escalating steps, rhetoric or actions and to commit to building good neighbourly relations and not the other way around.
Otherwise, the EU and its member states would have to consider an appropriate response, he added. “This was clearly stated twice last year by European leaders and that remains our position to this day.”
In addition, Peter Stano stressed that the EU has been very clear in many cases that it is willing and ready to commit to Turkey – gradually, proportionately and reversibly to strengthen cooperation in various areas of common interest, under certain conditions, adding that Ankara should “commit to de-escalation and de-escalation must be maintained”.
SOURCE; ANA-MPA