Will do our best for eternal peace in Turkish-Greek relations: Erdogan

We will do our best for eternal peace and stability to prevail in Turkish-Greek relations, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said.

“It is up to us (Türkiye-Greece) to thaw bilateral relations, attempted to be squeezed between walls (of prejudice) which we should tear down," President Erdogan told Greek daily Kathimerini in an exclusive interview on Sunday.

Praising the ongoing process of improvement in bilateral relations and stressing that Türkiye is sincerely committed to betterment in ties, Erdogan said: "Of course, there are issues on which we disagree. But there are also many issues on which we agree. Postponing to discuss to our dispute will not resolve them. We should be brave enough to address the sources of disagreements and move to resolve them."

Türkiye aims to strengthen its friendship with Greece "by resolving issues and elevating the level of bilateral relations to an unprecedented level," Erdogan said.

Stating that Türkiye and Greece have recently achieved a "climate of reconciliation," Erdogan expressed satisfaction with the hospitality in Athens and said that when they host Greek prime minster in Ankara, they will exhibit one of the finest examples of Turkish hospitality.

"The climate I mentioned has begun to yield concrete fruits. The Athens Declaration, the agreements we have signed, the protocols, are just a few of them."

Avoiding fait accompli

Emphasising that steps can be taken if disputes are addressed openly through dialogue, Erdogan noted that Türkiye and Greece have shaped their relations in this understanding in recent times, stressing that the only need is for solution-focused and sincere historical steps.

On a question about Greece's plan for establishing two maritime parks, one in the Ionian Sea and the other in the Aegean Sea, Erdogan underlined the importance of avoiding the fait accompli.

"We can talk about these issues by adopting an approach based on sincere commitment to resolution. However, the 'I did it and that's it' mentality would undermine this ground. Everyone knows how sensitive Türkiye is about environment protection.

"But it would not be right to see this as a useful cover and try to somehow hide other controversial situations behind it," he said.

Fair sharing of hydrocarbon resources

On the possibility of cooperation in the exploitation of hydrocarbon reserves in the region, Erdogan noted that Türkiye always advocated the fair and inclusive sharing of resources in the region.

Greece does not recognize the maritime border agreement between Türkiye and Libya. Ankara rejects similar agreements between Athens and Cairo.

“Everyone should know that the success of an energy platform in the region, especially in the Eastern Mediterranean, without Türkiye's involvement, is difficult. By convening the Eastern Mediterranean conference, which we have been advocating for years, it is possible to create a solution ground with a "win-win" approach.”

Expressing that Türkiye’s calls in this regard have remained unanswered until today, Erdogan said “Ankara’s proposal, which has significant potential to ensure a healthy dialogue in the region, should also be embraced by other actors.”

“Steps that disregard the rights of Türkiye and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus have unfortunately poisoned the atmosphere regarding this issue so far. If the desired dialogue ground is formed by abandoning this, we are ready to put our hands under the stone for a permanent solution,” Erdogan added.

Demarcation of maritime borders

Asked about the demarcation of maritime borders between Greece and Türkiye, which is one of the main sources of disputes between the two NATO allies, Erdogan said Türkiye does not exclude the option of taking the matter to international courts.

The Turkish president, however, stressed that the two countries should be committed to developing a holistic approach to resolve their disputes, instead of prioritizing one issue over others.

Commenting on visa facilitation by Greece towards Turkish citizens, which allows them to enter some Greek islands in the Aegean Sea under a simplified and fast procedure, Erdogan said: “This should not be even necessary and the EU should grant visa liberalization to Türkiye.”