The meeting lasted about 30 minutes of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis with the President of Turkey, Tayyip Erdogan on the sidelines of the work of the General Assembly of the United Nations Organization and as stated by government sources it took place in a “very good atmosphere”.

The meeting started with smiles, with the two leaders exchanging handshakes at the beginning of the discussion in which there were “thorns”, with the Cypriot one being the biggest, especially after Erdoğan’s reference from the UN forum for the partition of Cyprus. Specifically, shortly before the meeting, from the floor of the UN General Assembly, the president of Turkey requested the recognition of the pseudo-state, insisting on the “two-state solution”. In particular, he referred to “the need for the international community to stop the persecution of the Turkish Cypriots, who are trying to isolate themselves from the world through an embargo, contrary to the principles of the United Nations” and asked the United Nations to officially recognize the pseudo-state as soon as possible possible.

Commenting on the Turkish president’s speech, sources from the Greek side pointed to the fact that with regard to the continental shelf and the EEZ, Erdogan also referred to international law in his speech, which is Greece’s permanent position. In this context, they also expressed the hope for a resolution of the issue – when the time comes – based on international law.

The first dialogue

The dialogue in front of the cameras:

Erdogan: What are you doing?

Mitsotakis: Good… Nice to see you

Erdogan: How are you?

Mitsotakis: I am very well

Mitsotakis to Fidan: I like your blue tie. She is beautiful

The meeting

Government sources report that the Greek prime minister raised the issue of the Cypriot issue at the meeting. At the same time, according to the same sources, the two leaders reviewed the progress in political dialogue and the positive agenda. They agreed to intensify cooperation in Immigration next time to dismantle the traffickers’ networks that put human lives at risk. In this context it was agreed to take place soon meeting between the Ministers of Immigration so that further details can be discussed.

They also instructed the Foreign Ministers of the two countries, George Gerapetritis and Hakan Fidan, to begin preparations for the convening of the next Greece-Turkey Cooperation Council to be held in Ankara in January 2025, based on the Athens Declaration.

In the announcement that issued by the Turkish presidency for its part it states: “President Recep Tayyip Erdogan welcomed Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis to the United Nations building in New York, where he went for the 79th United Nations General Assembly. During the meeting, bilateral relations between Turkey and Greece, regional and global issues were discussed. President Erdogan stated that Turkey and Greece can take steady steps towards the future in the axis of good neighborliness and that strengthening the dialogue between the two countries and acting in accordance with the letter and spirit of the Athens Declaration will benefit both the two countries.

President Erdogan stated that Israel’s attacks in various areas, especially in Gaza, are targeting innocent civilians as well as the peace of the region, that there is a risk of the crisis spreading in the region and that it is important to put pressure on Israel for the unimpeded handover humanitarian aid to Gaza”.

At the meeting of the two leaders participated in foreign ministers of the two countries, Giorgos Gerapetritis and Hakan Fidan and the heads of their diplomatic offices, Anna Maria Bura and Akif Tsagatai Kilic.

It is recalled that it was the sixth meeting between the two leaders within a year.