3 yıl önce

President Erdogan, Greek PM Mitsotakis to meet amid Ukraine conflict

The meeting is expected to focus on coordination between the two NATO members as the Russian military operation in Ukraine continues.

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Mitsotakis has said he was heading to Türkiye in a "productive mood".

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis are set to hold talks in Istanbul.

The two leader will focus on bilateral ties, current geopolitical developments, and the reflections of Russia's military operation in Ukraine, according to a statement issued on Sunday by Türkiye's Directorate of Communications.

Mitsotakis has said he was heading to Türkiye in a "productive mood" and with "measured" expectations for the meeting that will take place later on Sunday.

"As partners in NATO, we are called upon ...to try to keep our region away from any additional geopolitical crisis," he told a cabinet meeting on Wednesday.

Mitsotakis will also attend a religious ceremony at the Istanbul-based Greek Orthodox Patriarchate, Greek government spokesman Ioannis Oikonomou said at a weekly press briefing.

Underlining the challenges stemming from the ongoing conflict between Russian and Ukraine, Oikonomou noted that the two neighbouring countries, despite their differences, face many common challenges.

“These challenges need to be addressed with in a logic of solving problems and not of adding new ones," he said.

Setting differences aside

Steps towards developing Turkish-Greek economic relations, especially in the field of energy, will also be evaluated at the meeting.

With its new economic strategy, Türkiye has recently opened the door to foreign trade cooperation with the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Israel, Saudi Arabia, and Armenia, marking a new era expected to have a positive impact on bilateral trade with these countries.

Levent Sadik Ahmet, the head of the Foreign Economic Relations Board's (DEIK) Türkiye-Greece Business Council said the meeting between Erdogan and Mitsotakis would be "very valuable" at this "critical time."

"Diplomatic relations between the two (countries) will increase both the courage and motivation of the business world," he said, adding that they wanted the bilateral trade volume - currently around $5 billion dollars - to rise to $6-7 billion.

Disagreements between the two countries include drilling rights in the Mediterranean and Aegean Seas. Türkiye calls unilateral drilling attempts by the Greek Cypriot administration a violation of its continental shelf.

Another point of contention is the island of Cyprus. Türkiye and Turkish Cypriots are calling for a two-state solution, with each side granted equal status and sovereignty. But Greece says this will never occur.

Ankara has also called out Athens for arming Greek islands that are close to the Turkish coast. Another major issue between the two nations is Greece’s illegal pushbacks of migrants into Türkiye, by land and by sea. Ankara has repeatedly condemned Greece for what it calls an inhumane treatment of migrants.