Turkey-Spain cooperation vital for peace, welfare in region: Envoy

Bilateral cooperation between Turkey and Spain is critical for peace, tranquility and welfare in the entire region, the Turkish Ambassador to Madrid Burak Akçapar said Tuesday, as Turkey opened an honorary consulate in the city of Cordoba in the southern Spanish region of Andalusia.

The opening ceremony for Turkey’s seventh honorary consulate in Spain was attended by Ambassador Akçapar, Cordoba Mayor Jose Maria Bellido Roche and appointed Honorary Consul Juan Pablo Cortes, as well as business representatives and academics.

Akçapar noted that the leaders of the two countries had described their relations as a “comprehensive partnership,” as they attended the 7th Turkey-Spain Intergovernmental Summit held in Ankara on Nov. 17.

The efforts of the two countries to advance bilateral cooperation in the economic realm, as well as trade, defense and all other fields, is a state policy, Akçapar added.

Underlining the fact that Turkey and Spain are both strategically located NATO allies relevant to Europe’s security, stability and prosperity, he said bilateral cooperation was critical for peace, tranquility and welfare in the entire region.

For his part, Cortes expressed pride at his appointment as the honorary consul of Turkey to Cordoba, while Bellido Roche voiced satisfaction at the level of relations between Turkey and Spain.

“I believe that this initiative will contribute to the development of social, cultural and economic relations between Cordoba and Turkey,” said the mayor.

East Med tensions

Meanwhile, Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares said Tuesday that his country is in favor of establishing a constructive dialogue between Turkey and Greece and solving the problems between them on the basis of European law.

Albares spoke at the joint press conference held after their meeting with Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias in Athens.

Emphasizing that Greece and Spain are two allied countries that are members of the European Union and NATO, Albares said, “Like all other EU countries, Greece can be sure that Spain will always act within the framework of Europe and in accordance with common European decisions.”

During the meeting, Dendias said Greece is concerned following statements by Turkey on its will to boost military cooperation with Spain.

Last month, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said his country hopes to increase defense cooperation with Spain – also a NATO member – through the purchase of a second aircraft carrier and possibly a submarine.

“I expressed concern over Spain’s possible intention to strengthen its military cooperation with Turkey,” Dendias said Tuesday. He said European Union members have agreed not to export military technology that could be used “for aggressive acts or regional destabilization.”

Greece itself has embarked on a project to modernize its air force and navy, with major purchases from France, citing concerns over Turkish activities. Greece has often been embroiled in tensions with neighboring Turkey over a range of issues, from competing claims over hydrocarbon resources in the Aegean Sea to the demilitarization of islands. Moreover, Greece’s burgeoning arms program is designed to counter the protection of Turkish interests in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Tensions are once again rising between Turkey and the Greek and Greek Cypriot administrations over maritime borders and drilling rights in the Eastern Mediterranean after several months of relative calm. Turkey, which has the longest continental coastline in the Eastern Mediterranean, has rejected maritime boundary claims made by European Union members Greece and the Greek Cypriot administration, stressing that these excessive claims violate the sovereign rights of both Turkey and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. Both sides cite a range of decades-old treaties and international agreements to support their conflicting territorial claims.

Turkish leaders have repeatedly stressed that Ankara is in favor of resolving outstanding problems in the region through international law, good neighborly relations, dialogue and negotiations. Instead of opting to solve problems with Ankara through dialogue, Athens has, on several occasions, refused to sit at the negotiation table and has opted to rally Brussels to take a tougher stance against Turkey.