Athens hopes Greek PM's Türkiye visit to foster 'calmness'

ATHENS

Greece is gearing up for the forthcoming visit of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis to Türkiye on May 13, with hopes high in Athens for a "period of calmness" in often tense relations between the neighbors.

"I think what we should expect is a frank meeting," Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis told radio Skai on May 9.

The minister conveyed Athens' hopes that the meeting would not only facilitate constructive dialogue but also chart a roadmap for future talks, encompassing a positive agenda, political discourse and confidence-building measures.

"Our expectation from the Turkish-Greek rapprochement is a period of calmness," he stated.

The neighbors have been at odds for decades over a series of issues, including territorial claims in the Aegean and drilling rights in the Mediterranean.

Athens does not anticipate fundamental shifts in either country's core positions but instead emphasizes the need for open communication channels to avert potential crises, Gerapetritis said.

The visit will follow a landmark meeting held last December between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and the Greek premier, where both leaders expressed their commitment to open a "new page" in diplomatic relations.

The five-hour discussion, held on the sidelines of the first high cooperation council gathering between the two nations in seven years, marked a potential turning point in their historically strained relations.

During the meeting, Erdoğan and Mitsotakis signed a non-binding declaration of friendship and good neighborly relations.

The agreement underscored the mutual intention to cultivate "a spirit of solidarity" amid shared challenges, while also reaffirming respect for each other's legal positions and endorsing the U.N. Charter as a cornerstone for maintaining peace and fostering friendly cooperation.

Looking ahead, Gerapetritis identified the anticipated meeting between the two leaders in Washington in July, scheduled as part of a NATO summit, as the next significant step in the ongoing efforts to foster constructive dialogue and cooperation between the nations.