Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan are set to hold their sixth meeting in a year in New York, aiming to maintain the recent thaw in relations despite ongoing challenges.
The meeting, scheduled for 18:40 Cyprus local time, comes as both nations navigate a complex international environment.
Despite optimistic rhetoric from Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis about a “historic opportunity”, conditions appear unripe for discussions on the critical issue of continental shelf and Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) delimitation.
Mitsotakis, speaking at the Thessaloniki International Fair, acknowledged the persistent difficulties in rapprochement, citing Turkey’s “Blue Homeland” doctrine as a continuing challenge to Greek sovereign rights.
The Athens Declaration, signed in December 2023, has yielded some positive outcomes, including visa agreements for Greek island visits and partial migration control.
However, Turkey’s revisionist foreign policy and territorial claims continue to strain relations.
Recent tensions have arisen over “grey zones”, marine park creation, demilitarisation of Greek islands, and Turkey’s claims of a “Turkish minority” in Greece. Athens views premature delimitation talks as potentially detrimental to the rapprochement process.
The New York meeting occurs against a backdrop of regional conflicts and Turkey’s aspirations for greater regional influence.
Ankara’s exclusion from the F-35 programme and Greece’s strengthened military cooperation with the US have further complicated bilateral relations.
The leaders are expected to discuss a roadmap leading to the Supreme Cooperation Council meeting, likely to be held in Turkey in December.
Military confidence-building measures and political dialogue, including migration issues, are on the agenda.
The Greece-Cyprus electrical interconnection project remains a point of contention, with potential Turkish opposition to research activities in disputed waters.
A trilateral meeting between Mitsotakis, French President Emmanuel Macron, and Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides is also scheduled, focusing on Eastern Mediterranean energy projects.
Mitsotakis’s visit includes his address to the UN General Assembly and meetings with various world leaders, highlighting Greece’s upcoming role as a non-permanent UN Security Council member and its stance on regional conflicts, including the Gaza situation.
(information from protothema.gr)
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