ATHENS (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 16th July, 2023) Greek Foreign Minister Georgios Gerapetritis on Sunday confirmed that the next meeting between Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan could take place on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York in September as part of efforts to normalize relations between the two countries.
Earlier in the week, Turkish daily Hurriyet reported that Mitsotakis and Erdogan might hold a meeting in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in September.
The resumption of contacts between Greece and Turkey would have three dimensions, including a political dialogue, a positive agenda for cooperation in different areas and measures to build trust, the minister said.
"Key stages of this 'roadmap' will be the fourth meeting of the High Level Cooperation Council between Turkey and Greece that will be held in Thessaloniki late this year and my occasional contacts with my Turkish counterpart. In this context, the two leaders could meet on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session in September in New York," Gerapetritis told Greek newspaper Ekathimerini.
The minister also noted that the recent active contacts between officials of the two countries inspire confidence in the efforts to resume the dialogue between Ankara and Athens.
"I would not want to prematurely assess the result of efforts to restart Greek-Turkish talks. However, it is worth focusing on a positive climate of recent months and a joint statement by the leaders of the two countries following their recent meeting. In other words, we have to promote the process of the resumption of relations in a more political way under control and responsibility of the foreign ministers of the two countries," Gerapetritis added.
The Greek prime minister met with the Turkish president earlier in the week on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Vilnius. The Athens-Macedonian news Agency reported, citing sources in the government, that the leaders agreed on a framework for further communication.
NATO allies Greece and Turkey have repeatedly found themselves on the brink of armed conflict due to territorial disputes, primarily in the Aegean. Erdogan refused to communicate with Mitsotakis in May 2022, accusing him of violating agreements. However, immediately after the devastating earthquake that occurred in Turkey on February 6, Mitsotakis called Erdogan and vowed assistance in overcoming its consequences. In turn, Turkey expressed condolences after a deadly railroad accident in Greece.
