Greece and Turkey Break the Ice: Reviving Relations and Paving the Way for Diplomatic Solutions
Greece and Turkey have agreed to revive high-level contacts and explore new approaches to resolving long-standing disputes, signaling a potential turning point in their strained relations. The positive development comes amidst a renewed effort by Turkey to reset its relationship with Western nations. Both countries emphasized the importance of neighborly and allied relations, expressing a belief that problems can be resolved through constructive dialogue. The meeting follows a rare encounter between the leaders of both nations during a NATO summit in July, with plans for further meetings and discussions in the future. The long-standing disputes between Greece and Turkey include territorial claims, energy exploration rights, and the unresolved issue of ethnically split Cyprus. The cordial atmosphere of the meeting suggests a willingness on both sides to invest in candor and mutual understanding, offering hope for a more constructive dialogue and potential resolutions for the conflicts.
In a significant development aimed at improving relations between two NATO allies, Greece and Turkey have agreed to revive high-level contacts and explore new approaches to resolving long-standing disputes. The meeting between Greece's Giorgos Gerapetritis and Turkey's Hakan Fidan took place in a positive atmosphere, which was facilitated by Greece's assistance to Turkey after a devastating earthquake and Turkey's condolences following a fatal train accident in Greece earlier this year.
Both foreign ministers expressed their belief that problems can be resolved through constructive dialogue and emphasized the importance of their countries' neighborly and allied relations. This positive development comes at a time when Ankara is seeking to reset its relationship with Western nations amidst an economic downturn. It follows a rare meeting between President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis during a NATO summit in Lithuania in July. As part of a roadmap unveiled during the meeting, Mitsotakis and Erdogan are scheduled to meet again on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York later this month.
Additionally, high-level officials from both countries will convene in October to further discuss confidence-building measures and revive a stalled high-level cooperation council meeting. The longstanding disputes between Greece and Turkey include territorial claims in the Aegean Sea, disputes over energy exploration rights in the eastern Mediterranean, and the unresolved issue of ethnically split Cyprus, among others. Tensions between the two nations escalated in 2020 due to conflicts over exploratory drilling rights in the Mediterranean Sea. However, during their meeting, the foreign ministers evaluated these problems comprehensively and agreed to explore new approaches for their resolution.
The cordial atmosphere of Tuesday's meeting was quite different from a previous encounter two years ago when the former Greek and Turkish foreign ministers engaged in a heated exchange of accusations during a joint news conference in Ankara. In recent years, Turkey has accused Greece of deploying troops on Aegean islands close to the Turkish coast, while Greece asserts that it needs to defend these islands against potential aggression, citing Turkey's substantial military force on its western coast.
Nevertheless, both sides expressed a willingness to invest in candor and mutual understanding to seek common ground and prevent disagreements from escalating into crises. The positive momentum generated by this meeting signals a potential turning point in the strained relations between Greece and Turkey. It offers hope for a more constructive dialogue and a greater willingness to find mutually acceptable solutions to the long-standing disputes.
