An opportunity to consolidate the rules of good neighborliness, to create conditions of peace, security and stability in the region – as Greece always wishes – but always with respect for International Law and without any hint of deduction from the country’s sovereign rights, characterized the Minister of National Affairs Defense Nikos Panagiotopoulos the extremely positive climate in Greek-Turkish relations, speaking to local media of Kavala.

These remarks by Mr. Panagiotopoulos were made in the aftermath of the visit he made on Tuesday to Turkey, where he and his counterpart Hulusi Akar went to the earthquake-affected areas in Hatay. In the context of this contact, in fact, Mr. Akar repeated the sincere condolences of the Turkish side for the train accident in Tempi.

For four days, both the Greek and Turkish press hosted reports on this meeting of defense ministers that had been held on Turkish soil since 2002.

The Minister of National Defense, speaking to the newspaper “Ta Nea”, pointed out that the possibility of limiting the military high schools by the two countries and extending the Papoulia-Yilmaz moratorium was examined in order to maintain low tones.

At the same time, the Turkish minister gave an interview to Anadolu Agency, confirming that the extension of the period of abstinence from military exercises by one month, from July 15 to September 15, was discussed, reiterating the maintenance of open channels of communication and the maintenance of the positive atmosphere between of the two neighboring countries.

The steps of re-approach

After the deterioration that had been observed in Athens-Ankara relations in the previous period, the strong earthquake that hit Turkey on February 6 was the event that restored communication between the two sides and confirmed the feelings of solidarity between the Greek and Turkish people.

The reaction of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis was immediate, requesting the dispatch of humanitarian aid and an EMAK echelon to the area of ​​Hatay with Air Force transport aircraft. Also sent loads of basic necessities collected by Local Government Organizations, the Church and other organizations.

Condolences were expressed to the President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, both by the President of the Republic, Katerina Sakellaropoulou, and by Kyriakos Mitsotakis himself, while the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Nikos Dendias and Mevlut Cavusoglu, made a joint statement in which they emphasized that the two do not need to wait sides an earthquake or disaster to improve their relations.

The third step of the rapprochement took place after the train accident in Tempe. In addition to the condolence reciprocated, Turkey’s Minister of Justice approved the transfer of a relative of the victim, who was being held in Takirdag Prison, to attend the funeral procession of his child. This decision was taken pursuant to a bilateral agreement on the transfer of convicts from Turkey to Greece and vice versa, depending on the case.

This was followed by the decision to mutually support, on the one hand, Turkey’s candidacy for the position of Temporary Member of the United Nations Security Council in the period 2025-2026, and on the other hand, from the Greek side, Turkey’s candidacy for the position of Secretary General in International Maritime Organization IMO.

At the same time, the contacts that Deputy Foreign Minister Konstantinos Fragogiannis had with his ambassador counterpart Burak Aktsapar in Ankara, in the context of the “Positive Agenda”, created a field of progress for the Greek-Turkish approach in 25 areas of “low politics” (business, energy, shipping, tourism, transport and telecommunications, IT and communications, education and culture, social security, health, environment and archaeology).

Following these steps, the meeting of the Ministers of Defense was prepared and held. Panagiotopoulou and Akar, who kept the channel of communication open between them even in the most difficult moments of the last four years.

A government source noted that “communication is the first but decisive step of a friendship, which is confirmed throughout its duration by mutual respect for rules, i.e. International Law, but also for objective values, such as the rules of good neighborliness. Without forgetting our positions and our duty”.

It is no coincidence that Mr. Panagiotopoulos speaking to “Nea” also spoke of impeccable hospitality, a familiar atmosphere and a sense of sincere positive mood and wished that, despite the reservations, the opportunities for dialogue and maintaining the good atmosphere should not be left unexploited .