Türkiye, Greece strengthen ties through positive dialogue

ANKARA

Turkish and Greek diplomats convened in Athens on Dec. 3 for the third round of political dialogue meetings, aiming to bolster bilateral ties and address regional challenges.

Türkiye's Deputy Foreign Minister Mehmet Kemal Bozay and his Greek counterpart, Alexandra Papadopoulou, led the discussions, which touched on various aspects of relations between the neighbors.

The meeting also served as preparation for the sixth high-level cooperation council session, scheduled to be held in Türkiye next year, according to a statement from Türkiye's Foreign Ministry.

Officials reviewed expectations and current developments, emphasizing a shared commitment to enhancing cooperation on both bilateral and international fronts.

The talks also addressed Türkiye-EU relations and regional issues, with Ankara highlighting the "positive atmosphere" of the discussions.

Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan met with his Greek counterpart, Giorgos Gerapetritis, on the sidelines of NATO talks in Brussels.

The exchanges marked the latest step in a diplomatic thaw between the neighbors. The rapprochement began with a NATO summit meeting between Turkish and Greek leaders, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Kyriakos Mitsotakis in July last year.

The leaders agreed to "open a new page" in bilateral relations, resulting in reciprocal visits and several cooperation agreements.