Turkey and Greece set new course

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met Wednesday in New York, sparking hope for renewed momentum in dialogue between the two neighboring nations. Both leaders are currently in the city for the United Nations General Assembly, seizing this juncture to establish a rejuvenated direction for bilateral ties.

At the "House of Turkey", the critical meeting venue adjacent to the UN, the dialogue included the presence of Foreign Ministers George Gerapetritis and Hakan Fidan and diplomatic advisers Anna-Maria Bura and Cagatay Akif Kilic, reported the Greek daily Kathimerini.

During a NATO summit this past July, the leaders hadn't sat face-to-face since their meeting in Vilnius, Lithuania.

After their conversation, Prime Minister Mitsotakis expressed his optimism, "Our discussions today with President Erdogan were forward-looking and constructive. We have come to a shared vision to bolster the positive trajectory of Greek-Turkish relations. Our conversation spanned various topics, from enhancing political dialogue and mutual trust to addressing immediate challenges like illegal migration and the urgent climate crisis. In this area, both our nations have recently faced the dire consequences of global warming."

Echoing this sentiment, President Erdogan posted on the X network, stating his hope that the meeting with Mitsotakis would usher in beneficial outcomes for both nations and the broader region.

The overarching sentiment from the Greek and Turkish camps was optimism and a commitment to sustaining the positive atmosphere established during this crucial meeting.

Their future collaboration includes:

- An upcoming dialogue scheduled for mid-October between Deputy Foreign Ministers Alexandra Papadopoulou and Burak Aksapar.
- Initiatives for building confidence set for November.
- A significant convening of the High Cooperation Council is slated for December 7th in Thessaloniki.

The dialogue didn't limit itself to bilateral issues but ventured into regional and global challenges. A shared emphasis was laid on the recent natural disasters spurred by the climate crisis, in the Mediterranean region. Both leaders recognized the pressing need for cooperative action in Civil Protection. Migration, another shared concern, saw both sides agreeing on a united strategy.

In the coming months, the Foreign Ministers of Greece and Turkey are set to play pivotal roles in ensuring the execution of the newly agreed roadmap.

* Photo: Kathimerini