Türkiye, Greece announce Athens Declaration to improve friendly relations

Türkiye and Greece have announced the “Athens Declaration on Friendly Relations and Good-Neighbourliness” during Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s official visit to the Greek capital.

“Recognising the renewed will for cooperation between the Governments of the two countries and underlining that the bonds between the two neighbouring nations harbour the potential to markedly increase the region’s prosperity and dynamism,” the declaration emphasised the need to continue jointly working for the benefit of both societies in an atmosphere of friendship and mutual trust.

According to the declaration, the two countries stressed that they are committed to fostering friendly relations, mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and understanding and seeking resolution to any dispute between them in line with international law.

Turkish President Erdogan has met with Greek PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis during his one-day visit to Greece.

"There is no issue between Türkiye and Greece that cannot be resolved," Erdogan said on Thursday.

"It is our hope to resolve our issues via constructive dialogue, good neighborly relations within the framework of international law," Erdogan said at a joint news conference with Mitsotakis in Athens.

"It will be in the interest of the entire region to reach a just, lasting and sustainable solution to Cyprus issue based on realities on the island," he added.

"We want to turn the Aegean into a sea of peace and cooperation. We aspire to set an example to the world with the joint steps we will take as Türkiye and Greece," the president said.

About the meeting, Erdogan said both sides exchanged views on their positions regarding the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean.

"We have asked our foreign ministers to discuss the related matters," he added.

“We must live in peace”

Türkiye and Greece should work together for a better future, the Greek prime minister said.

He also revealed a scheme that would allow Turkish citizens to easily get visas to visit Greek islands in the Eastern Aegean.

Türkiye and Greece have experienced a tumultuous relationship over the years. Although 2021 saw some improvements, several issues remain unresolved between the two neighboring countries.

Türkiye, a NATO member for over 70 years, has protested repeated provocative actions and rhetoric by Greece in the region in recent years, including arming islands near Turkish shores that are demilitarised under longstanding treaties, saying that such moves frustrate its good faith efforts toward peace.

"Genuine willingness" of the two countries

As the Greek foreign minister voices optimism on Thursday over the settlement of any future tensions between Greece, he made an interwiew with Greek public broadcaster ERT following Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's visit to Athens.

"There is a genuine willingness of the two countries to move forward in our relationship," he said.

"The time has come for us to have another understanding. We are neighbouring countries united by geography," he said, adding that the two countries should put aside the differences that exist and focus on factors uniting them.

"Today is a historical day, as manifested by the declaration on friendly relations and good neighbourliness which highlights what unites us."

He added that he is optimistic that the two countries can better handle any possible tension in the future.

"There can be tensions but they should not stop the course of productive relations," Gerapetritis said.

He also said that the only major dispute between the two NATO allies is the delimitation of the economic exclusive zone and the maritime boundaries of the continental shelf.

"We all understand that our big difference, the only difference, which can be brought before international justice, is the delimitation of the exclusive economic zone and the continental shelf. It's a difference that goes back decades. I feel that when the conditions are ripe, we can come to grips with this difference as well," he said.