A 3rd round of political dialogue between Greek and Turkish diplomatic delegations took place in Athens on Tuesday in preparation for the 6th High-Level Cooperation Council scheduled to take place in early 2025, as the two countries continue to press ahead to normalize Greek-Turkish relations.
The Greek team led by Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Ambassador Alexandra Papadopoulou received the Turkish entourage headed by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Mehmet Kemal Bozay.
According to a joint statement, the diplomats touched on aspects of bilateral relations while taking stock of recent developments and prospects in the wake of the upcoming 6th High-Level Cooperation Council.
The discussions were held in a “positive atmosphere” and covered European Union-Turkey relations and regional issues in light of recent developments, such as advancing Greek-Turkish relations on low-intensity matters.
According to the joint statement, both sides reaffirmed their commitment to further exploring areas of bilateral and international cooperation.
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis announced negotiations on the continental shelf and Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) have not begun.
In a recent interview with Greek TV station Alpha, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis appeared guarded when asked about further progress in talks between Athens and Ankara, part of an ongoing Greek-Turkish dialogue commenced by the two neighboring states mostly over a so-called “positive agenda.”
The meeting comes in the wake of Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan’s visit to Athens on November 8, where he met with his Greek counterpart George Gerapetritis. During that meeting, it was acknowledged that the conditions for initiating discussions on the continental shelf and EEZ are not currently favorable, as the two countries—both NATO allies—are attempting to reach a rapprochement.
