Turkish, Greek coast guard heads talk bilateral ties

ATHENS – Anadolu Agency

The head of the Turkish Coast Guard met with his Greek counterpart in the Greek port city of Piraeus for talks on Nov. 23.

The meeting between Turkey's Ahmet Kendir and Greece's Stamatis Raptis took place at the Hellenic Coast Guard headquarters in Piraeus, said a statement by the Turkish Coast Guard Command.

Ways to tackle the migration flows in the Aegean Sea as well as further strengthening bilateral cooperation in various areas were discussed during the gathering, the statement said.

“Both sides confirmed that very constructive and fruitful results were reached,” it added.

The two also exchanged views on research and rescue operations, Greek national news agency AMNA reported. The two also agreed to strengthen bilateral cooperation, the agency wrote.

Turkey has been the main route for irregular migrants trying to cross into Europe, especially since 2011, when the Syrian civil war began, with many trying to reach Greek islands through Turkey's Aegean.