Greece expects to discuss vital issues with Türkiye after elections in May

ATHENS

Greece expects to discuss important issues with Türkiye following elections in both countries in May, Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias said late Wednesday.

Emphasizing that the current calm atmosphere in Turkish-Greek relations will not have an “expiration date,” Dendias told public broadcaster ERT that “after the elections, we will return to a serious discussion to resolve our differences.”

He warned that the discussions should start as soon as new governments are formed in both countries after the polls to take advantage of the current momentum.

Asked whether the discussions with Türkiye would be in the form of exploratory talks, Dendias said the previous 63 rounds of such talks did not yield the desired results, adding “if there is no convergence on the major matters, the solution cannot be provided by a different process in minor matters.”

On the possibility of seeking solutions to disputes between the two NATO allies through a multilateral conference, he stressed that it is very unlikely.

Dendias also said that a pro-Western oriented Türkiye is in the interest of every concerned side, including Greece.

In reference to the matter of the demarcation of the continental shelf and exclusive economic zones (EEZs) between Greece and Albania, he expressed hope for significant developments within this year.

Dendias said the Albanian government is preparing to sign the deal and submit it to the president for approval.

Greece was among the first countries to convey its condolences and offer aid on Feb. 6, when twin earthquakes struck 11 southern Turkish provinces.

Likewise, Türkiye was the first country to offer its condolences and aid following a Feb. 28 train accident in northern Greece that left at least 57 people dead.

After the accident, Türkiye allowed the transfer of a Greek prisoner to Greece to attend his son's funeral.

On March 20, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu and Dendias met in Brussels and agreed that Türkiye would support Greece’s campaign for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council in 2025-2026 and Athens would support Ankara’s candidacy for secretary general of the International Maritime Organization (IMO).

Last week, Greek Defense Minister Nikolaos Panagiotopoulos visited Türkiye and met with his Turkish counterpart Hulusi Akar.