Gerapetritis-Fidan Meeting: What’s on the Agenda?

Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis is scheduled to meet with his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan at the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs at 10:30 AM on Friday.

The two foreign ministers are expected to discuss a possible framework and path towards solving the main disputes between the two countries, the delimitation of the continental shelf and the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in the Aegean Sea. However, no agreements are expected to be struck.

Following their discussion, the two ministers are expected to address the press at 12:30 PM.

Strong effort to keep any dispute between the two sides off the table was made as evident by recent statements by both Gerapetritis and Fidan ahead of Friday’s meeting.

The Turkish FM, speaking to a Turkish newspaper, conveyed a “message” advocating for a win-win approach or “kazan-kazan” in Turkish, regarding issues in the Aegean Sea that concern both countries. “Our goal is to transform the Aegean into a sea of peace,” he said.

Fidan reiterated Turkey’s view that these unresolved matters could be brought before an international jurisdiction if a consensus cannot be achieved through dialogue. He advocated a “holistic approach,” asserting that Turkey would only consider international arbitration if Greece lifted its reservations on issues involving sovereignty and national security that Greece has placed before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague.

Gerapetritis speaking to TA NEA in response, reaffirmed Greece’s longstanding position that the delimitation of the continental shelf and the EEZ represents the only real point of dispute between the two nations that warrants international adjudication. He emphasized that should the two countries fail to reach an agreement within a reasonable timeframe, they should be able to take their case to the ICJ under a joint statement of claim.

The meeting comes at a time of international uncertainty, shaped in part by former U.S. President Trump’s re-election, which has cast a shadow over diplomatic strategies and alliances in the region.

While substantial progress remains unlikely in the short term, further discussions are anticipated as the ministers prepare for the High-Level Cooperation Council between Greece and Turkey, set to convene in Turkey in early 2025.