Erdogan, Greek PM hold a joint meeting in Ankara

Erdogan emphasizes the need for collaboration in counterterrorism as Mitsotakis underlines the continuous improvement in the understanding and relationship between the two neighbors

At the Presidential Complex in Ankara on Monday, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis held a pivotal meeting that ended with a joint news conference in which both leaders underlined the need for collaboration on several fronts.

In the Presidential Complex, President Erdogan greeted Prime Minister Mitsotakis warmly and posed for the press, a significant act against the backdrop of the Greek and Turkish flags. Promptly starting at 3:50 p.m. local time, the summit covered a wide spectrum of bilateral and regional concerns.

After their behind-closed-doors conversation, Erdogan and Mitsotakis spoke to the media, emphasizing the main ideas they had discussed.

Speaking on the prospects for Turkish-Greek ties, Erdogan said, “We had a very genuine and fruitful meeting with Prime Minister Mitsotakis. We plan our bilateral trade to reach $10 billion. The good climate in our relationship is expected to help the rights of the Turkish minority and relatives in Greece be fulfilled.”

The need for collaboration in counterterrorism was again emphasized by him, who said, “Our understanding with Greece on counterterrorism is improving. We concur that terrorist groups have no place in our area’s future.”

“It is essential to achieve a fair and permanent solution to the Cyprus issue based on the realities on the island,” Erdogan reaffirmed in reference to the Cyprus issue. Such action will increase the peace and stability in our area.”

He urged action on Palestine as well, saying, “Türkiye will continue its diplomatic efforts to pressure Israel for a ceasefire and to increase recognition of the Palestinian State.”

Echoing Erdogan,  Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis stated that the “understanding and relationship environment between Türkiye and Greece is constantly evolving in a more positive manner.”

Speaking at the joint press conference after the meeting, Mitsotakis noted that this was the fourth meeting within 10 months, indicating the continuous improvement in the understanding and relationship environment between the two neighbors.

“These meetings also indicate that the understanding and relationship environment between us as neighbors is constantly evolving in a more positive manner. These positive relationships help us achieve a very positive daily life,” he remarked.

Mitsotakis expressed their determination to continue these positive developments following the 5th High-Level Cooperation Council (HLCC) meeting held in Athens and the signing of the memorandum of understanding.

Highlighting the importance of confidence-building measures and other positive cooperation agendas in ensuring stability, Mitsotakis emphasized that this approach has yielded tangible results.

He underscored that these results were achieved on a “win-win” basis, noting an increase in investments and the growing cooperation in the fields of economy and investment.

Mitsotakis also mentioned the significant meeting of Turkish-Greek businessmen in March, emphasizing the determination of council members to achieve the set goals through their efforts.

Source: Newsroom