Greece and Turkey have so far disagreed on the extent of matters to be resolved in connection with the delimitation of maritime borders. However, negotiations will continue, the ministers of foreign affairs of both countries announced after Friday’s meeting in Athens. TASR informs about it based on a Reuters report.
Neighboring countries Greece and Turkey have long argued over energy resources, migration, flights over the Aegean Sea, the ethnically divided island of Cyprus, and where their continental shelf begins and ends. After years of tension, the two countries therefore agreed to restore relations last December.
Different attitudes
Greek Foreign Minister Jorgos Gerapetritis and his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan sought on Friday to see if the countries could find a way to hold talks on the delimitation of maritime borders and how to approach this “difficult and crucial issue”. But the ministers’ positions remain divergent. , and therefore they will continue the discussion on the topic at the next meeting, Gerapetritis said at a joint press conference with Fidan.
Greece claims that the two countries only need to negotiate on the issue of defining the exclusive economic zone and the borders of the continental shelf. Turkey appreciates the positive change in relations, but at the same time says that several issues need to be addressed.
“The Aegean Sea is affected by many interconnected problems, which we must work on and find solutions for. We cannot group them all under (the area of) maritime delimitation or the exclusive economic zone,” Fidan emphasized.
They are planning closer cooperation
Athens and Ankara say they want to keep communication channels open, increase trade and work on issues that divide the countries, particularly the Aegean issue. At the same time, they are planning closer cooperation in the field of security and migration, Reuters reminds.
According to the Greek minister, the next round of negotiations will take place in Athens on December 2-3. An international high-level meeting will then be held in Turkey at the beginning of the year.
Both ministers expressed hope that Ankara and Athens could resolve the issues through dialogue, and there was even a rare hug on stage at the end of the press conference.
