The European Union has frozen plans to blacklist more senior executives at Turkey's state-owned Turkish Petroleum Corporation (TPAO), four diplomats said, in the clearest sign that a diplomatic offensive by Ankara this year is bearing fruit.
EU leaders in December had proposed asset freezes and travel bans over Turkey's "unauthorized drilling activities" for natural gas in "disputed waters" (sic) in the eastern Mediterranean, although they did not specify individuals.
But a more constructive tone from Erdoğan this year, German Chancellor Angela Merkel's support for a more conciliatory approach and the first direct talks between old foes Turkey and Greece in five years have all helped to change the mood.
The new administration of U.S. President Joe Biden has also urged Brussels not to impose sanctions at a time when Turkey, a NATO ally and EU candidate country, appears more willing to compromise, European and U.S. diplomats said.
"Work has stopped on additional blacklistings of Turkish individuals, and we are not talking of economic sanctions
anymore," one EU diplomat said.
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