The heads of Turkish and Greek intelligence organizations had a secret meeting in Athens last week to discuss the ongoing tension over the Aegean Sea and other security problems, the Turkish security sources have informed.
According to sources, National Intelligence Organization (MİT) President Ibrahim Kalın traveled to Athens to hold talks with Greek National Intelligence Service (EYP) Director General Themistoklis Demiris.
The meeting addressed bilateral relations, regional developments and ways to resolve existing problems between the two neighboring countries, sources said.
They also noted that the two officials underscored the importance of the Turkish-Greek relations for the security of the Aegean, the western Mediterranean and NATO, and that intelligence cooperation between the two countries has vital importance in the fight against terror, organized crime, irregular migration and human trafficking.
Sources stressed that Kalın and Demiris reviewed regional developments, including the ongoing war between Iran and the United States, the new era in Syria, the political unity of Libya, Israel’s continued violations of ceasefire and attacks on Syria and Lebanon.
The two officials agreed on the need “to maintain and further accelerate the momentum gained in the fight against terrorism and organized crime groups and to elevate this cooperation to a strategic dimension,” sources informed.
Kalın and Demiris also reached an agreement on strengthening cooperation between the two countries’ intelligence services on bilateral and regional matters.
The rare meeting of the spy chiefs of the two countries followed the strong signs of renewed tension between Türkiye and Greece over unresolved Aegean problems.
Türkiye has long been urging Greece not to arm the Aegean islands which have non-military status while Athens criticized Ankara for violating Greek sovereignty through recently declared marine park in the southern Aegean.
“Greece must reverse the change and course and stop arming islands that have demilitarized status. History is a very good guide for those who learn from it. We will continue to work for peace, security and stability in our region,” President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan told reporters earlier this week.
Türkiye has always been acting in a constructive way, but it did not receive the same from Greece, Erdoğan said. “Whoever interprets Türkiye’s calm and responsible approach as weakness is making a serious mistake.”
