Turkish, Greek officials affirm commitment to positive relations and cooperation

Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister Burak Akcapar and Greek counterpart Alexandra Papadopoulou discuss bilateral and international relations, keeping commitment to a positive atmosphere established by the Athens Declaration

Deputy Foreign Minister Burak Akcapar and Greek counterpart Alexandra Papadopoulou reaffirmed their dedication to building upon the positive atmosphere established through the Athens Declaration.

The two officials met in Ankara for a political dialogue focused on bilateral and international cooperation, as the Foreign Ministry stated.

“Their discussions included preparations for the upcoming visit of Greek Prime Minister Mitsotakis to Türkiye in May, and they took note of the progress made thus far through existing dialogue channels, covering various aspects of the bilateral relationship,” the ministry’s statement mentioned.

Athens Declaration was signed

On Dec. 7, 2023, Türkiye and Greece announced the Athens Declaration on Friendly Relations and Good-Neighbourliness during President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s official visit to the Greek capital.

According to the declaration, both sides would encourage the exchange of visits at every level with a result-oriented approach to promote a positive atmosphere and agenda.

As per the declaration, both countries emphasized their commitment to nurturing friendly relations, mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and understanding, while seeking resolutions to any disputes in accordance with international law.

In this context, they agreed to continue meaningful consultations based on political dialogue, a positive agenda, and confidence-building measures while refraining from actions or statements that could undermine the spirit of the declaration.

Furthermore, the parties signed one agreement, seven memoranda of understanding (MoUs) and seven joint declarations encompassing various fields of cooperation.

Source: Newsroom