Greek premier reiterates importance of re-opening communication channels with Türkiye

By Ahmet Gencturk

ATHENS (AA) – Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Sunday reiterated the importance of re-opening communication channels and the promotion of a positive agenda with Türkiye.

"Greece has not changed its strategy towards Türkiye, but my desire was to be able to talk with Türkiye for our issues to be resolved on the basis of international law, and for things to not be taken to extremes when we disagree," Mitsotakis said during a press conference he held in the northern port city of Thessaloniki on the sidelines of the 87th Thessaloniki International Fair.

He added, however, that the only problem Greece is willing to discuss with Türkiye is the delimitation of maritime borders.

Issues of sovereignty will not be topics of negotiation as well as issues concerning the islands of the eastern Aegean, Mitsotakis noted.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Mitsotakis met in July during a NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, and the meeting was hailed as a positive milestone by both countries.

The leaders will again meet on Sept. 20 in New York City on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.

A fresh round of talks of the Türkiye-Greece High-Level Cooperation Council is expected to be held in Thessaloniki in December.