Pompeo: Bullying is not a means of resolving disputes in East Med

·

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has sent an indirect but clear message to Turkey about the way it operates in the Eastern Mediterranean.

In a televised interview, he expressed hope that the parties involved would realise that there issues would be best solved with dialogue and return to the negotiating table.

“There are mechanisms, legal mechanisms, international law that can resolve [a maritime dispute],” Pompeo said.

“Coercion, bullying, military activity is not the way to resolve it.”

“I hope that every party that is engaged there will come to see that, and they’ll get back to the negotiating table and resolve their maritime conflicts.”

Fears were raised over Turkey’s alleged plan to purchase a new S-400 missile system, sparking concern for their European neighbours.

Screenshot of video reportedly showing S-400 being transported to Sinop for tests next week (via social media)

“It is a pity that they chose to buy the S-400 weapon system. We call on them to review and back down,” he said.

The U.S. relationship with Turkey has become increasingly strained over the past two years. Although the standoff over the S-400 has been the central issue, Erdogan’s October 2019 incursion into Syria also created a major rift between the two NATO allies.

“This is a far cry from maximum pressure, and from getting allies to do the right thing,” Thomas Karako, a missile defense expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank in Washington said.

“The price of the administration’s failure to impose sanctions has now become increasingly more apparent.”

Advertisement

Share:

KEEP UP TO DATE WITH TGH

By subscribing you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

Advertisement

Latest News

From crisis to compassion: Timos Roussos and his family’s mercy mission in war-torn Cyprus

When Turkish troops landed on Cyprus on 20 July 1974, six-year-old Timos Roussos was sitting on the floor of his family’s home in Lemesos.

A granddaughter returns: Georgia Georgiou retraces her yiayia’s occupied village in Cyprus

When Georgia Georgiou handed over her Cypriot ID at the border checkpoint to cross into occupied northern Cyprus, she felt an ache.

‘You never get over it’: A childhood shattered by the Turkish invasion of Cyprus

On a warm July morning in 1974, 10-year-old Anastasia Di Loreto (née Karatzia) was jolted awake by the sound of bombs falling on Kyrenia.

Cyprus: The paradox of tolerance and impunity for Turkey

The lack of a unified, systematic and practical strategy on the part of Greece has led the Cyprus crisis into national disarray.

Lost homes and lingering hope: Greek-Cypriots reflect on Turkish invasion and its aftermath

From hidden stories to haunting memories, two Greek-Cypriot men share what it means to carry the burden of Cyprus’ past.

You May Also Like

Fronditha Care reports record growth and historic achievements at AGM

Fronditha Care hosted its Annual General Meeting on Tuesday, November 26, with over 50 people in attendance. 

Sydney’s Canterbury-Bankstown Children’s Festival postponed

The planned Canterbury-Bankstown Children’s Festival due to be held this weekend in Sydney has been postponed.

Vasili’s Taxidi: Sentas Bros Fruit Shop – the larger-than-life character of Tony Sentas

One of those shops was the famous ‘Sentas Bros Fruit Shop’ which was run by Andonis and Yiannis Sentas for forty five years