Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan met in Sofia on Wednesday, June 10, their first talks since reports emerged that Ankara plans to legislate its disputed “Blue Homeland” maritime doctrine.
The meeting took place on the sidelines of the South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP) summit in the Bulgarian capital and marked the first face-to-face discussions between the pair since Gerapetritis visited Ankara in February for the Greece-Turkey High-Level Cooperation Council.
According to diplomatic sources, the ministers discussed transatlantic relations ahead of July’s NATO summit in Ankara, as well as developments in the Middle East and Eastern Mediterranean.
Gerapetritis reiterated Greece’s position on the proposed legislation, telling Fidan that unilateral actions have no legal effect and do not contribute to maintaining calm.
He also repeated Athens’ longstanding view that the only dispute between Greece and Turkey concerns the delimitation of the exclusive economic zone and continental shelf.
The two ministers also exchanged views on recent developments regarding Cyprus, including an upcoming meeting with the UN Secretary-General’s personal envoy and plans for an informal expanded meeting on the issue.
Despite ongoing tensions, the talks were seen as a signal that communication channels between Athens and Ankara remain open. Before concluding the meeting, both sides agreed to maintain dialogue.
Source: Tovima.
