Turkey initiates criminal case after EU force stops vessel for inspection in Mediterranean

Turkey has initiated a criminal case over inspection of its cargo ship in Mediterranean by UN-backed European Union naval mission Irini, which conducts monitoring operations to enforce an arms embargo on Libya. According to reports, Turkey launched a protest with German and Italian ambassors in Ankara hours after its cargo ship Roseline-A was stopped and searched by Germany's Hamburg warship commanded by Italian Navy. complaint was initiated by Turkey's prosecutor's office in Ankara. 

cargo ship was on its way to Libya on Monday when it was stopped in Mediterranean. Turkey dismissed that vessel was carrying any sanctioned material and described search as "unauthorised" and "illegal". According to reports, German and Italian ambassors were summoned by Turkish foreign ministry hours after search and were handed a te of protest. 

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European Union in March this year launched Operation Irini with an aim to enforce UN arms embargo on war-torn Libya. mission has been described as a "joke" by many, including UN deputy special envoy for Libya Stephanie Williams, as critics argue operation has failed to do its job because arms and weapons are still reaching African country. 

EU-Turkey relations

This comes amid rising tensions between European Union and Turkey concerning latter's actions in Mediterranean. Until recently, Turkey and Greece, which is a member of EU, were at loggerhes in Mediterranean over mining rights and Cyprus issue, an island nation divided into two parts after Ankara's invasion in 1970s created a Turkish Cypriot state in rth and a Greek Cypriot state in south. 

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Turkey's relations with France have also soured in recent past after Ankara accused Paris of favouring Greece in Mediterranean. relations took a drastic hit after France recalled its ambassor from Ankara over Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's derogatory remarks against his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron following latter's justification of Prophet Mohammed cartoons as freedom of speech and expression.  

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This followed by European Union members, including Greece and France calling for sanctions against Turkey over Erdogan's visit to Turkish Cypriot this month. EU has also threatened sanctions against Turkey over what it calls "illegal" gas exploration in Mediterranean. 

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(Im Credit: AP)