Turkey criticizes EU 'Strategic Compass' plan

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Turkey criticized Tuesday the EU's recent defense and security action plan on the Eastern Mediterranean named the "Strategic Compass" plan and considered it unstrategic and unlawful.

The Turkish foreign ministry said in a statement that "Notably the chapter in the (Strategic Compass plan) on the Eastern Mediterranean where our country is referred to seems to have been dictated by the two members of the EU who have maximalist maritime boundary claims at the expense and persistent denial of the rights of Turkiye and the Turkish Cypriots."

According to the Anadolu Agency, "The statement was apparently referring to Greece and the Greek Cypriots, who Turkey says have blocked Turkiye’s EU membership bid for political rather than substantive reasons."

The Turkish ministry considered that the Easter Mediterranean chapter "fully contradicts international law, practice and even the EU’s own acquis; as such it is disconnected from reality."

"As the document fails to show the right direction, it cannot function as a 'compass' nor can it be dubbed 'strategic'," it added.

The statement warned that the plan will "undoubtedly make the EU part of the problem rather than the solution in the Eastern Mediterranean," stressing that Turkey will "not steer the Union to the correct strategies."

On Monday, EU foreign ministers approved the Strategic Compass, describing it as “an ambitious plan of action for strengthening the EU's security and defense policy by 2030.”