The meeting of the Minister of Immigration and Asylum, Dimitris Kairides, with the Minister of the Interior of Turkey, Ali Gerlikaya in Ankara, led to a joint announcement that mentions, among other things, the agreement between Greece and Turkey to work together in the fight against migrant trafficking. In the joint announcement it is also stated that the two sides “agreed to strengthen their cooperation against illegal immigration as a whole”.

According to a statement from the Ministry of Immigration and Asylum, the talks were held in a positive atmosphere. Mr. Gerlikaya presented the progress Turkey has made in combating illegal trafficking and expressed his government’s determination to deal with irregular immigration. Mr Kairides welcomed the progress made on the Evros, but drew attention to the number of illegal departures from the Asia Minor coast to the Greek islands of the eastern Aegean.

Both agreed that they remain absolutely committed to solving the problem of illegal trafficking and proceeded to explore additional forms of cooperation between the two countries, in view of the convocation of the Supreme Cooperation Council that will be held in Thessaloniki next December. Mr. Kairides invited his Turkish counterpart to Athens and Mr. Gerlikaya gladly accepted the invitation.

The Joint Communiqué

“The Minister of Immigration and Asylum, Mr. Dimitris Kairides, met with the Minister of Interior of Turkey, Mr. Ali Yerlikaya, today, October 23, in Ankara.

Both agreed to work together in the fight against migrant smuggling. In addition, they agreed to strengthen their overall cooperation against irregular immigration.”

Reception with an honorable mention to the Greek minister

The Greek minister was received with an honor roll in the forecourt of the Ministry of the Interior. This was followed by a private meeting between the two ministers and an exchange of souvenirs. Afterwards, the official talks between the two delegations began.

On the Greek side, apart from the minister, the ambassador of Greece to Turkey, Christodoulos Lazaris, the general secretary of Immigration Policy, Patroklos Georgiadis, the second deputy chief of the Coast Guard – Hellenic Coast Guard, vice admiral L.S. Aristidis Pantazoglou, the head of the Foreigners and Border Protection/A.E.A branch, Police Lieutenant General Dimitris Mallios, the PYB’, deputy head of Authority of the Embassy of Greece in ‘Ankara, Ilias Kremmidas, the PYB’, counselor of the embassy of of Greece in Ankara, Michael Stamatis, the General Counsel, diplomatic advisor to the Minister of Immigration and Asylum, Sofocles Mandalidis and the police liaison of the Embassy of Greece in Ankara, Giorgos Giapalis.

On the Turkish side, apart from the minister, the deputy minister of the interior, Münir Karaloğlu, the general commander of the Turkish Gendarmerie, Gen. Arif Çetin, the director general of the Turkish National Police, Erol Ayyıldız, the head of Migration Management, Atilla Toros, the deputy commander of the Turkish Coast Guard, Rear Admiral Cengiz Fitöz, the head of the European Affairs and External Relations Department, Sezer Işıktaş and its special expert of Turkey, İbrahim Aydın. After the talks, the Turkish minister hosted a lunch for his Greek counterpart and the Greek delegation.