Turkish and Greek leaders affirm 'positive climate' in bilateral relations

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis have affirmed the "positive climate" in bilateral relations during a meeting in New York, Türkiye’s Communications Directorate said.

The meeting was held Wednesday at the Turkish House on the sidelines of the 78th UN General Assembly and was attended by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and his Greek counterpart Giorgos Gerapetritis.

"The leaders also confirmed the roadmap and timeline of contacts between the two countries, as agreed at the meeting of the Foreign Ministers in Ankara on September 5, which include: The meetings in mid-October of the Deputy Ministers for Foreign Affairs responsible for the political dialogue and the positive agenda; the meetings in November for the Confidence Building Measures; and the meeting of the Türkiye-Greece High-Level Cooperation Council on December 7 in Thessaloniki," it said.

The two leaders also exchanged views on regional and international issues.

"They discussed the phenomena of natural disasters and the climate crisis, particularly in the Mediterranean region, which have greatly affected both countries in the recent past," the directorate said.

In addition, the Turkish and Greek presidents agreed to strengthen bilateral cooperation in civil protection as a matter of top priority.

"They also agreed to work together to address the issue of migration, recognising that this is a common challenge for both countries. The Foreign Ministers were tasked to continue work and coordination in order to take forward the agreed roadmap," it added.