Greece to continue to seek better ties with Türkiye: Mitsotakis

NEW YORK

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has reaffirmed Athens' commitment to exploring new avenues for improving bilateral relations with Türkiye, urging for greater collaboration on shared challenges between the two nations.

Reflecting on the unresolved continental shelf and exclusive economic zone disputes, which have persisted for over four decades, Mitsotakis remarked, "Yet, this does not mean that they will remain unresolved.”

During his speech at the U.N. General Assembly, the Greek premier recalled that he has engaged in six meetings with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan over the past year.

"We will continue to explore how to improve bilateral relations with Türkiye. There is potential for increased cooperation to tackle common challenges, such as climate change and migration. We continue to keep channels of communication open to diffuse any tension that may arise.”

Expressing approval of Erdoğan’s comments regarding the delineation of maritime jurisdictions in compliance with international law, Mitsotakis noted, “I strongly believe we have a window of opportunity today, and we should be bold and wise enough to seize this chance,” he remarked.

On the Cyprus issue, Mitsotakis reiterated that a two-state solution is not acceptable.

"We extend an invitation to Turkish and the Turkish Cypriot community to return to the negotiating table, at the very least, to build mutual trust and pursue a just, equitable, and sustainable solution that can be acceptable to both sides," Mitsotakis asserted.

Türkiye backs the two-state solution, with Erdoğan told U.N. General Assembly that the federation model "has now completely lost its validity.”

Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when Türkiye, as a guarantor power, prompted by a coup aimed at Greece's annexation of the island, launched a military intervention dubbed the Cyprus Peace Operation to protect Turkish Cypriots from persecution and violence.