Greek Defense Minister to visit Turkey amid signs of reconciliation

Greek Defense Minister Nikolaos Panagiotopoulos will visit Turkey on April 4, at the invitation of Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar, with the two officials scheduled to visit the earthquake-stricken city of Hatay, Turkey’s state-run news agency Anadolu said on Thursday, citing sources from the Turkish Ministry of Defense.

This visit comes after Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu sent a congratulatory letter to his Greek counterpart Nikos Dendias on the anniversary of Greek Independence Day, which was seen as a positive step towards improving bilateral relations between the two countries.

The two defense ministers will also hold a private meeting during the visit, Anadolu said.

During a phone call between the two ministers on March 9, the two ministers had agreed to develop an agenda based on good neighborly relations between the two countries.

The visit is seen as a significant step towards further improving relations between Turkey and Greece, which have been strained in recent years due to a number of issues, including disputes over energy exploration rights in the Eastern Mediterranean and the long-standing Cyprus issue.