A countdown has begun for the meeting of Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis with his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan tomorrow morning in Ankara.

Now that the channel of communication between the two countries has been upgraded, it seems that the era of tensions has been overcome and the need for direct talks to explore ways of solving the issues that were thorn in the side is being promoted.

Before the difficult discussion that will concern the settlement of the Greek-Turkish disputes, the first goal of the two sides will be to set the framework in which a discussion will be held that will promote a positive agenda in the field of cooperation. The economy, trade and the climate crisis will form the basis of the agenda that will be put in focus during the meeting of the Supreme Cooperation Council, which will meet in November in Thessaloniki.

The second goal and the crucial issue is the settlement of the bilateral Greek-Turkish disputes concerning the delimitation of the continental shelf and the EEZ and the framework both temporal and legal for the settlement of the issue.

The discussions are expected to move around the upcoming appointment of the two leaders, Mitsotakis – Erdogan, and the arrangement of the details of the meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.

The program:

Tuesday, September 5, 2023

10:00 – Arrival at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Reception by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Photo
10:05 – Meeting of Foreign Ministers
12:30 – Statements to the press
13:15 – 15:00 – Working lunch
16:45 – Departure from Ankara
18:45 – Arrival in Athens / “Eleftherios Venizelos” Airport