Security, New Geopolitical Environment and EU Energy Supply
create a so-called zone of security; however, in reality, this was to control the Kurds who seek, with the solution of the Syrian problem, or even before that, to unify the three cantons that they possess, in Efrîn, in Kobanê and in Jazira, according status to “the state of Rojava”, with the prospect of having direct access to the Mediterranean sea. The identity of the leader of the coup has not been confirmed yet. Some however, consider the self-exiled in Pennsylvania Fethullah Gülen to be the mastermind of the whole stratagem, whereas others believe that the coup was orchestrated by Erdogan, as a means to further consolidate himself within the country. It was clearly an operetta-coup, which proved however that the entirely amateur move of the insurrectionists leads to the following conclusions: 1.
The Turkish army is not immune and is not as organised as some would like to believe.
2.
It has lost the consistency it used to have in the past and most of its important adherents, primarily Kemalists, with it. Today key positions are held by Erdogan supporters, Gullen supporters and Alevites.
Turkey has been found in a position of turmoil and rearrangements but is also under the eye of the democratic powers of Europe. A recently circulated document of the European Commission speaks about a proposal for the interruption of the accession talks. The army, being an extremely powerful weapon of Turkey, is now converted into a factor of instability. The question of the reinstatement of death penalty remains open, a fact that rouses protestations by the Europeans and the Americans. The Secretary of State John Kerry, declared that if Turkey reinstates the death penalty, then it will have to face even its expulsion from NATO. The Council of Europe has already bluntly raised the issue of the immediate expulsion of Turkey, in the event of a reinstatement of the death penalty. The tense atmosphere prevailing in Ankara is expected to influence its relationships with NATO, since the military base at Incirlik has been closed, whereas the authoritarian and psychologically unstable actions of Erdogan are infuriating Europe.
Geopolitical Environment After the coup of the 15th of July, Erdogan turned himself towards Moscow and this was welcomed with satisfaction by the latter, due to its big interests in Turkey. After the meeting of Putin with Erdogan on the 9th of August 2016, the 14
ELENI THEOCHAROUS