By Antonis Anzoletou

Are the Aegean and the Eastern Mediterranean among Trump’s priorities? The role of peacemaker is something he invests in. And he didn’t hide it in Egypt in the Gaza deal or in the turn he appears to be making in Ukrainian.

What is certain is that now his appetite has been whetted. If his agenda includes arrangements for the very difficult cases of Libya and Syria, it will be seen in the next period. His warm words about Tayyip Erdogan did not go unnoticed recently, however on the Greek side they know that they have a strong card in their hands in relation to Washington.

The participation of American companies in the wider region in the following period for hydrocarbon research caused the irritation of Turkey. Trump and Erdogan talked it out at the White House, but no one can know how far that conversation went. With these facts, a US mediation relatively soon and in Greek-Turkish cannot be ruled out.

The conference on the Eastern Mediterranean that Kyriakos Mitsotakis brought back to the table last week in the Parliament shows the effort of Athens to put things in order. It’s not something simple. On the contrary, it is particularly difficult to operate, since Turkey insists on the presence of the pseudo-state as soon as Cyprus is included in the discussions.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will investigate the margins that exist, but they are small. Perhaps the most realistic scenario, according to many analysts, would be to set up a framework or a joint body through which the five countries (Greece, Turkey, Egypt, Libya, Cyprus) could have a continuous open channel of communication and information. What separates them, however, is much more than what they have to gain. And if a dialogue begins about which issues will be prioritized on the agenda, it is difficult to find an edge.

A similar proposal, after all, has been put on the table by Tayyip Erdoğan, as well as by Charles Michel from the side of the European Union about five years ago. And nothing progressed.

What is certain is that Ankara is still moving under the radar. She exploited as much as she could the “Declaration of Athens” to be able to mislead and implement her strategy. The most characteristic example is its attempt to conclude defense agreements with Europe.

Kyriakos Mitsotakis reacted from the first moment, knowing that any participation of Turkey in SAFE would cost Greece significantly, as well as his own political capital. Now the neighbors go on the counter-attack and yesterday’s attack by Hakan Fidan was no accident.

Developments are continuous at all levels. Gaza – although the hostilities continue – could be a good base on which Nicosia could step for the Cyprus problem in conjunction with the effort made by the UN. Highlighting the need for stability and common European interests is a good start.

The facts in Greek-Turkish are constantly changing anyway. From the Supreme Cooperation Council that finally never took place to the postponement of the Mitsotakis-Erdogan meeting in New York, Tufan Erhiurman’s dominance in the occupied territories changes the landscape to a certain extent. It was not a good development for Erdogan to see his chosen one, Ersin Tatar, lose.

Annita Dimitriou, president of the Cypriot Parliament, stated that “the Turkish Cypriots, with their vote, turned their backs on the two-state solution. Congratulations to Tufan Erhiurman for his victory. We hope that his emergence as the leader of the Turkish Cypriot community will pave the way for meaningful negotiations for a solution to the Cyprus problem within the agreed framework.” And the “poker” in the wider area continues…