Erdoğan sends peace message ahead of talks
Hours before meeting Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan delivered a message of peace. “Today we host the Prime Minister of Greece, Mr Mitsotakis,” Erdoğan said. He added that Turkey seeks peace, security, stability, and prosperity not only for itself but also for its neighbours.
Mitsotakis arrives in Ankara
Mitsotakis landed at Ankara airport at around 14:20 local time, an hour before his scheduled meeting with Erdoğan. He was welcomed by the Turkish Minister of Culture and Tourism, with the official reception set at the Presidential Palace.
The Greek delegation, comprising ten ministers, arrived slightly earlier on a separate flight and will return to Athens later, while Mitsotakis will continue to Belgium for the informal Competitiveness Summit.
Agreements and joint declarations
After discussions and joint statements, several ministers will sign agreements with their Turkish counterparts:
- Giannis Kefalogiannis will sign a declaration of intent on cooperation for natural disaster response, focusing on earthquakes.
- Takis Theodorikakos will sign a joint declaration on technology, innovation, and research, covering biotechnology, agrotechnology, and around 110 research projects.
- Deputy Foreign Minister Charis Theocharis will sign two agreements, including one related to Enterprise Greece.
- Kyriakos Pierrakakis will discuss boosting bilateral trade, which currently stands at €5 billion, with potential to reach €10 billion.
- Lina Mendoni will sign an agreement with the Turkish Minister for Culture and Tourism.
Program of Mitsotakis’ visit
Mitsotakis will be formally received by Erdoğan at 15:15 Greek time. The leaders will meet privately, alongside parallel meetings of the two delegations’ ministers.
A session of the Supreme Cooperation Council will follow, with joint statements scheduled after 17:00. Erdoğan will host a dinner for the Greek delegation, attended by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew.
Midnight Turkish cabinet shake-up
Shortly before the Supreme Cooperation Council session, Erdoğan surprised the Greek delegation with a minor cabinet reshuffle, replacing the Justice and Interior Ministers. This may result in new counterparts for Greek ministers handling migration and public order issues.
Turkish media perspective
Turkish outlets report the meeting as significant but moderate expectations remain regarding the resolution of Greek-Turkish disputes. The Miliyet newspaper noted that the best outcome would be preserving calm in bilateral relations and confirming open communication channels.
Featured photos: CNN Greece
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