On the sidelines of the NATO Summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, a meeting took place between Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Mitsotakis expressed hope that this meeting would mark the beginning of improved Greek-Turkish relations and emphasized that the two countries do not need to live in a climate of tension.
Government sources reported that Erdogan acknowledged the presence of new cabinets in both countries, while Mitsotakis highlighted the “good contact and cooperation” between Greek and Turkish foreign ministers. Ibrahim Kalin, the head of Turkish secret services, was also present and congratulated Mitsotakis on his re-election, to which Mitsotakis responded by congratulating Kalin on assuming his new duties.
Analysts view the meeting between Mitsotakis and Erdogan as an attempt to revive bilateral relations, with the United States playing a crucial role as a catalyst. The goal is to establish favorable conditions for a high-level political settlement between Greece and Turkey within a new framework. This framework includes creating new arms balances in the Aegean, engaging in negotiations to address disputes, and fostering a stable atmosphere in the eastern Mediterranean region, which is crucial for NATO.
There is cautious optimism in Athens that the current opportunity can be utilized to initially consolidate a positive atmosphere in Greek-Turkish relations and subsequently begin discussions on resolving existing issues. However, Greece is not willing to entertain Ankara’s proposals that undermine Greek sovereign rights.
During the NATO summit, Erdogan also met with US President Joe Biden. The discussions covered bilateral relations, defense, security, and the US decision to allow the sale of F-16 fighter jets to Turkey after months of diplomatic negotiations.
While details of the meetings have not been extensively publicized due to the sensitive nature of defense and security issues discussed, Erdogan later mentioned on Twitter that: “In our meeting, we discussed our bilateral relations and cooperation opportunities in the field of security. I wish our contacts to be beneficial for our country.”
NATO Zirvesi marjında Yunanistan Başbakanı Kiriakos Miçotakis ile bir görüşme gerçekleştirdik. Toplantımız ülkelerimiz için hayırlara vesile olsun. 🇹🇷🇬🇷 pic.twitter.com/lbIX20Oks9
— Recep Tayyip Erdoğan (@RTErdogan) July 12, 2023
