Türkiye, Greece bolstering cooperation to fight terrorism — Erdogan

Türkiye and Greece are strengthening their mutual understanding on fighting terrorism, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said.

"We agree there is no place for terrorist groups in our region's future," Erdogan said in a news conference in the Turkish capital Ankara with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Monday.

Erdogan also said that Ankara and Athens are committed to resolving issues between them via "cordial dialogue, good neighborly ties, and international law" as outlined in last year's Athens Declaration on Friendly Relations and Good-Neighborliness.

"We are working to push our bilateral trade with Greece to $10 billion, which was $6 billion last year," Erdogan added.

He also underlined that Türkiye expects the "positive atmosphere in our relations" to contribute to fulfilling the rights of the Turkish minority in Greece.

Erdogan highlighted the importance of finding a fair, permanent, and fact-based solution to the Cyprus issue, adding that this would strengthen regional stability and peace.

"I would like to thank Prime Minister Mitsotakis for his efforts to improve our bilateral relations," he added.

Political dialogue, positive agenda

Improvement of bilateral relations with Türkiye is yielding concrete and positive results, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said at the joint press conference.

"I can only begin by thanking you for the warm hospitality today in Ankara, it was a fourth meeting in the last 10 months, which I believe proves that the two neighbors can now establish this approach of mutual understanding, no longer as some exception, but as a productive normality that is not negated by the known differences in our positions.”

He said bilateral relations have been progressing, as agreed by the parties, on three levels: political dialogue, positive agenda and confidence building measures. “I believe that it is a positive development in a difficult time for international peace, but also for the broader stability in our region,” the Greek premier said.

On cooperation in dealing with irregular migration, Mitsotakis said Athens supports more EU aid to Türkiye, which has also been suffering from the issue.