The major dispute over the delimitation of maritime zones is not expected to be on the agenda of the talks, and with the European elections in Greece less than a month away, the focus has shifted away from the substance of the talks and toward Mitsotakis’ and Erdogan’s public statements that will follow – particularly those of the Turkish president.
Greek and Turkish officials are trying to finalize the details of the visit by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis to Ankara on May 13, when he will meet with the president of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Mitsotakis stressed that the meeting strengthened the already inseparable bonds between the two countries, enhancing the roles of both Greece and Cyprus as pillars of security in the turbulent eastern Mediterranean region.
Talks were held in a positive atmosphere, noted the Greek Ministry of Migration & Asylum in its announcement.
In his message, Gerapetritis notes that the two countries that clashed almost 100 years ago ended immediately after in reconciliation and ways of cooperation. Something that "can be repeated under better conditions today", as he says, stressing that "an endless discussion cannot be an option".
The minister's visit to Turkey follows the meeting of the two leaders at the NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, and as Gerapetritis explained in his article, it is a decision by the two leaders to "intensify efforts to consolidate a climate of mutual respect and trust between countries."
