Athens seeking to strike balance with Ankara

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan listens his Greek counterpart George Gerapetritis, during a articulation quality league and aft their meeting, successful Athens, Nov 8. [AP]

Greece is treading a good enactment successful its relations with Turkey, seeking to support channels for dialog while actively participating successful determination alliances aimed astatine countering Ankara’s increasing influence, peculiarly done Syria.

With Ankara shifting its absorption toward establishing dominance successful Syria and anticipating the geopolitical shifts tied to Donald Trump’s instrumentality to the US presidency, Athens sees its bilateral ties with Turkey taking a backmost seat. Nonetheless, Turkish officials person been sending signals of constructive engagement.

In a property league addressing planetary and Turkish media, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan emphasized Ankara’s involvement successful a “positive relationship” with Athens. “There is simply a affirmative narration betwixt Turkey and Greece, particularly 1 that started astatine the enactment level,” Fidan remarked. He credited the narration betwixt Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis for creating a conducive situation to resolving long-standing disputes.

However, Fidan besides acknowledged the interior pressures affecting Greece’s decision-making. “We understand the interior governmental pressures our Greek counterparts face, particularly the premier curate and overseas minister. If interior unit reflected solely connected the existent interests of Greece, arsenic successful Turkey, a much rational model mightiness emerge,” helium noted.

Fidan expressed optimism astir 2025, highlighting it arsenic a window of accidental for advancing diplomatic efforts earlier the adjacent electoral cycles successful some nations. “Our president has consistently shown his readiness connected galore issues, and we spot Mr Mitsotakis shares a akin determination. I anticipation this determination leads to important steps,” helium said.

The Turkish overseas curate refrained from answering questions connected Turkey’s imaginable statement connected an exclusive economical zone (EEZ) with Syria oregon the aboriginal of Cyprus. However, helium stressed the request for a shared vision of bid successful the region. “I envision a world where Greece, Turkey, and some Cypriot communities resoluteness their issues together, transforming the Aegean and Mediterranean into areas of bid and prosperity,” helium added.