Defense minister says he urged Greek counterpart for dialogue

BRUSSELS

Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said he urged Greek Defense Minister Nikolaos Panagiotopoulos for dialogue to address the disagreements in the Aegean.

“We tell that problems can be resolved through international law, good neighborly relations, peaceful ways, methods, and dialogue. I emphasized the importance of increasing the dialogue within the framework of the relations,” he told reporters on Oct. 13 referring to the meeting with his Greek counterpart.

The two ministers met on the sidelines of a NATO meeting in Brussels on Oct. 13 at a time when tensions have escalated in the Aegean.

It is essential to resolve problems, without the intervention of third parties, he emphasized.

Referring to the existing mechanisms for mutual dialogue, Akar noted that Ankara hoped to host a Greek delegation in Ankara for the fourth round of meetings on confidence-building measures.

Türkiye wants a peaceful, stable and prosperous region, and to see the sources of the Aegean and the Eastern Mediterranean be fairly shared by the countries concerned, the minister stated.

Akar stressed that the third parties, including the EU, must develop an unbiased perspective on Turkish-Greek ties for contributing to the solution of problems.

Meanwhile, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said he would discuss the outcomes of a NATO defense ministers meeting with Defense Minister Hulusi Akar, particularly on the issue of Greece.

“Of course, we see what was done in Dedeağaç (Alexandroupolis) or on various islands. After we put on our armor and take precautions, they would not fear us. We have precautions, everything is ready. We’re taking our steps accordingly. Let them think about it,” he told journalists on his return from Kazakhstan on Oct 14.