Mitsotakis: Communication between Turkish and Greek defense ministers may continue

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said that he considers the meetings of Turkish and Greek Defense Ministers positive. Mitsotakis added that under certain conditions this communication can continue, the Turkish state-run Anadolu news agency reported.

Speaking at a press conference after the end of the European Council summit in Brussels, Mitsotakis said: “I will say once more that our peoples do not harbor hostile feelings towards each other. And this is a very important legacy that I believe we should preserve. A few days ago a commercial (ferry) line was launched from Thessaloniki to Izmir, and I hope it will be successful. Because this way the communication between the two peoples and the bilateral trade will be further strengthened.” 

About the meeting between Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar and his Greek counterpart Nikolaos Panagiotopoulos, Mitsotakis said: “I consider it positive that there was a communication between the two Ministers of Defense, and under certain conditions, this communication can continue.”

The Meeting Between Akar and Panagiotopoulos

On October 14, Akar met with Panagiotopoulos as part of a NATO defense ministers meeting in Brussels, amid increasing tension between the neighboring countries over disputes on the Aegean Sea.

 After the meeting, the Greek Ministry of Defense said: “The importance was underlined of maintaining open channels of communication, meetings between the two sides, and the need to create a climate of stability in the region on the basis of international law and good neighborly conduct.”