‘Gradual normalisation’: Greece and Turkey aim to smooth differences, leaders to meet

·

The leaders of Greece and Turkey will meet next month on the sidelines of a NATO summit, the two countries’ foreign ministers agreed on Monday, as they seek to mend frayed ties that led to a sharp escalation in tension last year.

In brief statements in Athens, the ministers said their talks were an opportunity to agree on a meeting between Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Greek Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, at the NATO summit in Brussels on June 14.

“We are fully aware of the different, and in quite a few particularly serious issues, of the diametrically opposed positions that we espouse, I mean we and Turkey,” Greece’s Nikos Dendias said, noting he and his Turkish counterpart, Mevlut Cavusoglu, had discussed the full range of Greek-Turkish and Turkish-European Union relations.

READ MORE: Greek PM calls for improved ties with Turkey.

Greek Foreign Minister, Nikos Dendias, right, and his Turkish counterpart, Mevlut Cavusoglu, talk to the media during a press conference after their meeting in Athens, Monday, May 31, 2021. Photo: AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris.

“The aim of our meeting today was to attempt a process of initial consultation and if this proves possible, a gradual normalisation of the situation over time,” Dendias said.

They said they had agreed their countries would recognise each other’s vaccination certificates for COVID-19, so that their citizens will be able to visit with either a vaccination certificate or proof of a negative PCR test, boosting their respective tourist industries.

The ministers’ joint appearance had none of the tension of their previous meeting in April, when Dendias visited Ankara and a press conference there featured a trading of barbs as each listed his country’s grievances with the other.

READ MORE: Turkish, Greek Foreign Ministers trade severe accusations at news conference.

Greek Foreign Minister, Nikos Dendias, right, and his Turkish counterpart, Mevlut Cavusoglu, leave the podium after a press conference after their meeting in Athens, Monday, May 31, 2021. Photo: AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris.

“We have issues that have been awaiting resolution for a long time. We have differences of opinion,” Cavusoglu said. “We want all of these issues and differences of opinion to be resolved with a foundation of neighbourliness, international law and a respect for mutual rights and interests. And for this reason, our dialogue must continue uninterrupted. On this subject both sides are willing, we’ve reestablished that today.”

Cavusoglu said the two sides were working “on concrete projects focused on action and cooperation,” and that they had agreed on 25 items and were working on a broad area of cooperation ”from transportation to energy, from tourism to environment to commerce.”

READ MORE: Greek Foreign Minister: Solution with Turkey ‘difficult but not impossible’.

Dendias said a “limited list of economic cooperation programs” was agreed upon, but provided no details.

The statements were carried live by state television, and there were no questions as reporters were not allowed to attend, with the Foreign Ministry citing COVID-19 concerns.

Greek Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, right, speaks with his Turkish counterpart, Mevlut Cavusoglu, before their meeting at Maximos Mansion in Athens, Monday, May 31, 2021. Photo: AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris.

Greece and Turkey have been divided for decades over a series of disputes, including territorial rights in the Aegean. Last summer, tension rose dramatically, with disagreements over maritime boundaries and energy exploration rights in the eastern Mediterranean leading to a face-off between warships from the two countries.

Cavusoglu preceded his official trip to Athens with a private visit on Sunday to Thrace in northeastern Greece, home to the country’s Muslim minority.

He raised hackles in Athens by tweeting that he was there “to meet members of the Turkish Minority,” and that Turkey would “always stand resolutely with the Turkish Minority in their struggle for their rights.”

Referring to the minority as Turkish is diplomatically sensitive and highly contentious in Greece, which recognises the minority only as a Muslim one and notes it includes Roma and Pomak communities.

Turkish Foreign Minister, Mevlut Cavusoglu, center, prays over the grave of Ahmet Sadik, who was an MP at the Greek parliament, at a muslim cemetery at Komotini town, in northeastern Greece, Sunday, May 30, 2021. Photo: AP Photo/Giannis Papanikos.

Greek Foreign Ministry spokesman, Alexandros Papaioannou, responded on Sunday that Greece “steadily adheres to international law and the protection of human rights. It fully implements the obligations stemming from the Treaty of Lausanne, which explicitly and clearly refers to a Muslim minority in Thrace.”

READ MORE: Outrage in Greece as Turkey’s Foreign Minister claims he met with ‘Turkish minority’ in Thrace.

He said that “Turkey’s constant attempts to distort this reality, as well as the allegations of supposed non-protection of the rights of these citizens, or of alleged discrimination, are unfounded and are rejected in their entirety.”

The 1923 Lausanne treaty handled the exchange of populations between Greece and Turkey in the aftermath of war, uprooting around 2 million people: approximately 1.5 million Orthodox Christians living in Turkey and half a million Muslims living in Greece.

The Muslim community in Thrace and the Greek community of Istanbul were exempt. However, the Greek minority in Istanbul has dwindled to a fraction of the estimated 200,000 people, with many fleeing persecution in the 1950s.

Source: AP News.

Advertisement

Share:

KEEP UP TO DATE WITH TGH

By subscribing you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

Advertisement

Latest News

Leonidas Vlahakis’ Antipodes: Confessions of a festival fan

Melbourne's most loved Antipodes Festival is just around the corner, and anticipation is building for a celebration of all things Greek.

Mia Tzannes explores identity and twinship in ARTEXPRESS 2025 exhibition

ARTEXPRESS 2025 is a vibrant exhibition celebrating the outstanding artworks of Year 12 visual arts students from across NSW.

Greek Aussie George Moulos breaks record with 1,200km charity walk across Greece

Greek Australian entrepreneur George Moulos has successfully completed his “March Across Greece,” setting a Guinness World Record.

Greek Community of Melbourne Schools honour International Greek Language Day

In celebration of International Greek Language Day, the Greek Community of Melbourne Schools organised a series of activities last week.

Oakleigh Grammar cancels duck hunting event over raffle firearm prize

A duck hunting event at Oakleigh Grammar has been cancelled after it was revealed organisers planned to raffle off a firearm.

You May Also Like

Mytilenian Brotherhood of Sydney & NSW marks 110 years since the liberation of Lesvos

The Mytilenian Brotherhood of Sydney and NSW hosted their annual dance to celebrate 110 years since the Liberation of Lesvos.

Stefanos Tsitsipas storms into Monte Carlo round of 16

On Wednesday, April 10, the Greek tennis star Stefanos Tsitsipas defeated Tomas Martin Etcheverry in the  Monte Carlo Masters 1000 event.

Greek Health Minister, Vassilis Kikilias: There’s light at the end of the tunnel for Greek diaspora

Greek Health Minister, Vassilis Kikilias, speaks exclusively to The Greek Herald about the light at the end of the tunnel for Greek diaspora.