Erdogan and Mitsotakis met over lunch in Istanbul behind closed doorways, Turkey’s presidential workplace mentioned in a press release, including the primary agenda of the 2 leaders was bilateral and worldwide relations, together with the Russia-Ukraine battle.
Erdogan and Mitsotakis agreed to maintain communication channels open and enhance bilateral relations regardless of some disagreements between the 2 nations, mentioned the assertion.
The Turkish chief informed the Greek prime minister that he maintains his perception in taking relations to a excessive degree and making progress in points that strained their relations.
The relations between the 2 NATO allies have lengthy been at odds over a sequence of points, together with maritime and vitality points within the Aegean Sea and the Mediterranean Sea.
Greece mentioned that either side careworn constructing a constructive agenda primarily within the space of the economic system, the place they hope to make progress within the coming months.
“We’ve massive variations which can’t be overcome identical to that,” Mitsotakis informed Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew after assembly Erdogan.
“I consider we set the foundations to enhance our relationships,” he mentioned, including that if there was good progress, Greece would possibly organise in autumn a Excessive-Stage Cooperation Council assembly, a mechanism the 2 nations arrange in 2010 for his or her rapprochement.
The nations got here near confrontation in 2020 when Turkey despatched a drilling ship to contested Mediterranean waters. The state of affairs eased after Ankara withdrew the vessel, and the neighbours resumed bilateral talks in January 2021.
They made little progress in 60 rounds of talks from 2002 to 2016.
