Wary EU eyes improved Turkey ties

The EU was on Thursday expected to press Turkey to make good on recent gestures from President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to calm tensions, as Ankara's foreign minister visits Brussels.

Mevlut Cavusoglu was expected to meet EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell and then council president Charles Michel on Friday in a push to mend ties between the 27-­nation bloc and its hulking southeastern neighbor.

Tensions between Brussels and Ankara reached new levels in 2020 after Turkey repeatedly sent a ship to search for gas deposits in disputed waters, angering the EU and its member states Greece and Cyprus.

But, in the weeks after ­Turkey withdrew the vessel Oruc Reis in November and Brussels announced plans to expand sanctions in December, both sides have softened their rhetoric.

In an important move, ­Turkey and Greece agreed to hold exploratory talks on their maritime dispute in ­Istanbul on Monday, resuming ­consultations suspended in 2016.

Erdogan insisted he wants to "turn a new page" in Ankara's relations with Brussels in a phone call with EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

"What is very important for us, the EU and its member states, is to see the ­implementation of these intentions and declarations in ­practice," said EU spokesperson Peter Stano. 

"The declarations are good but what is be better is concrete facts and actions."

The EU has a raft of major issues with Turkey, ­including ­Ankara's role in Syria, Libya and Nagorny Karabakh ­conflicts.

But it was spiraling tensions in the eastern Mediterranean, during which gunboats from NATO allies Turkey and Greece collided, that threatened to strain ties to the breaking point. 

Greece and Cyprus, backed up by France, pressed for broad punitive measures against ­Turkey.

EU leaders in December settled on expanding a sanctions blacklist of individuals involved in drilling in Cypriot waters that currently contains two Turkish energy company bosses.

It remains unclear when new names will be formally be added, but an EU diplomat said there could be a provisional agreement on them at a meeting of the bloc's foreign ministers next week.

More ominous for Ankara is that EU leaders also tasked Borrell to come up with options for tougher punishment before their next summit in March in case Ankara resumes what Brussels called its "unilateral actions and provocations."

While France, Greece and Cyprus pushed hardest for a tough line on Turkey, others led by economic powerhouse Germany have been far keener for a more diplomatic approach.