Amid thaw in ties, Türkiye ready to resume high-level dialogue with Greece

Ankara and Athens will resume high-level diplomatic contact starting with a bilateral meeting at the Greek city of Thessaloniki soon, Türkiye’s ruling AK Party spokesperson Omer Celik has said.

Celik, who was spoke to Turkish-language TV channel Haberturk on Friday, was asked about the future of Turkish-Greek relations following a thaw in relations between the two neighbours.

Celik said that it has been decided to resume the High-Level Strategic Council meeting with Greece and that the next council meeting will take place in Thessaloniki.

Celik also thanked the Greek government and its citizens for the solidarity they showed in the aftermath of the February 6 twin earthquakes in Türkiye, that killed more than 50,000 people and left many more injured.

Celik’s comments came in the wake of a rare meeting between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis met during the NATO Summit in Vilnius.

According to Türkiye’s Communications Directorate, the meeting took place in a positive atmosphere, with President Erdogan and Mitsotakis agreeing to continue dialogue that benefits both countries.

They emphasised the importance of more frequent communication at all levels, aiming to build trust and create conditions for improving Türkiye-Greece relations.

Celik highlighted the importance of both neighbours refraining from actions that could harm the improving environment in bilateral relations.

He stated that militarisation of the Aegean islands could raise tensions and impede progress on other issues.

“We are continuously discussing the protection of the rights and interests of the Turkish minority in Western Thrace and the importance of respecting their laws,” Celik said.

The status of the Eastern Aegean Islands has been a long-standing friction point between Türkiye and Greece.

Ankara says the islands were given to Greece under international treaties signed in 1923 and 1947 on the condition that Athens does not militarise them.

Besides the Lausanne Treaty of 1923, several other international agreements – like the 1913 Treaty of London and the 1914 Decision of Six Powers – explicitly prohibit Greece from setting up military bases in the islands.

However, despite numerous appeals from Türkiye, Greece has continuously militarised the Eastern Aegean Islands in contravention of its obligations.

Sweden’s NATO bid

Regarding Türkiye’s approval of Sweden's NATO membership, Celik drew attention to the trilateral agreement between Türkiye, Sweden and NATO.

He stated that if the provisions of the agreement – including taking steps to curb activities of the PKK members and sympathisers on Swedish soil – are implemented, the Turkish Grand National Assembly will vote in favour of the Nordic nation’s entry into NATO.

Asked when the Sweden issue will be placed in Parliament, Celik responded, “It will be left to the new term. It will be evaluated at that time.”

The Turkish national assembly will reconvene in October after the summer break.

Rapprochement with EU

On Türkiye’s proposed entry into the EU, Celik said both sides would have to tackle the issues of updating the Customs Union and visa liberalisation.

“The visa liberalisation issue is the one that can be resolved more easily,” Celik added.

Celik also said that recent developments in the relations between Türkiye and the European Union would not affect Ankara’s relations with Moscow or the fate of the Türkiye-brokered grain corridor deal that allows Ukrainian grains to be exported through the Black Sea.

“I do not think a negative situation will arise in Türkiye-Russia relations. The grain corridor agreement got into some slight turbulence a few times. But in the end, it got back on track with the will of the leaders (Erdogan and Putin). I see that our President's sensitivity is also shared by Putin,” he said.