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Following its publication in the Turkish media, official Athens, through a government spokesman, confirmed the news that on Sunday, March 13, the so-called Orthodox Sunday, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis will meet with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Istanbul.
The meeting takes on special significance after Erdogan two years ago, during the refugee crisis in Evros, had stated that he did not want to sit at the same table with the Greek prime minister. The invitation to a friendly lunch at his house is considered a move of great importance.
Greece and Turkey, NATO allies, disagree on a range of crucial issues from airspace, maritime borders in the eastern Mediterranean, immigration and the Cypriot issue, as they increase their military budgets and arsenal each year.
While the Turkish media reported that the two leaders would talk about all these issues, including the demilitarization of some Aegean islands or even the so-called “Blue Homeland” (maritime borders claimed by Ankara), the Greek side has hastened to announce that it will talk mainly about the Russian occupation of Ukraine, as in terms of bilateral issues, Greece’s positions remain unchanged.
“In these difficult global circumstances, the two countries, despite their differences, face common challenges on a range of issues,” government spokesman Gannis Oikonomou told reporters at noon today. “These challenges need to be addressed in a logic of problem solving and not of adding new challenges.”
He added that “the Russian occupation of Ukraine has changed the reality regarding security in Europe.”
After a five-year hiatus, Greece and Turkey agreed last year to resume exploratory talks on issues on which they have differing positions, but have made almost no progress.
It is worth mentioning that the meeting of the two leaders comes a few days before the trip of Mr. Mitsotakis in the US and serves as a message to Washington and Ankara that dialogue can gain ground against aggression and violations of International Law.
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