Greek top diplomat 'optimist' over ties with Türkiye

ANKARA

Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis has said he remains optimistic about bilateral relations with Türkiye, citing improved and structured communication between the two NATO allies.

“For the first time, I feel like we have a very well-structured dialogue. Both sides are working organized to create a positive agenda,” he told daily Milliyet in an interview published on May 3.

His comments come as Türkiye and Greece continue efforts to de-escalate tensions following the signing of the Athens Declaration in 2023. The agreement launched a process to ease longstanding disputes between the neighbors.

"The stronger communication structure that was created compared to the past makes me more optimistic about the future," he said. "We have established mutual, direct and multi-layered communication."

The Greek top diplomat said he maintains regular contact with his Turkish counterpart, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, and noted that other ministers from both sides are also engaged in direct talks.

"What we have achieved in the last two years is very important. I value it very much. It is important to be able to communicate on a level of mutual trust," he said.

"I think we have made good progress in a difficult period due to conflicts in the international arena and on the European continent."

Gerapetritis said that, however, no dialogue has yet been established on the contentious issue of maritime jurisdiction delimitation — a key point of friction.

"This is definitely a sensitive issue for achieving long-term peace and prosperity in our region," he said.

Tensions have flared over recent maritime boundary claims in the Aegean and eastern Mediterranean. Türkiye has rejected recent Greek maritime initiatives, arguing they violate its sovereign rights and are legally baseless.

Turkish officials have announced plans to submit their own proposals and maps to UNESCO and other relevant U.N. bodies. Despite the disputes, Ankara reiterated its commitment to dialogue-based solutions.

Gerapetritis said he plans to meet Fidan again on the sidelines of a NATO summit in the southern Turkish city of Antalya on May 14-15. He added that efforts are underway to coordinate a new meeting between President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

Military delegations from Türkiye and Greece held a new round of technical talks on April 28-29 in Thessaloniki, focusing on confidence-building measures.

The Greek minister had earlier said that further engagements between the two countries are also planned, with a Greek business delegation set to visit Istanbul on May 8-9 as part of the "positive agenda."