Turkish foreign minister to visit Greece on Friday

By Muhammet Tarhan and Esra Tekin

ISTANBUL (AA) – Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will visit Greece on Friday to discuss bilateral relations between Ankara and Athens, Turkish diplomatic sources said on Wednesday.

Fidan's tour follows his Greek counterpart George Gerapetritis' working visit to Ankara in September of last year.

The two ministers are expected to discuss preparations for the 6th High Level Cooperation Council (HLCC) meeting, which is scheduled to take place in Ankara next year.

In bilateral relations, there has been a positive momentum between neighboring countries over the last two years.

The HLCC's previous meeting was held in Athens last December, co-chaired by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

During the meeting, the Athens Declaration on Friendly Relations and Good Neighborliness was adopted, and 15 agreements, protocols, memoranda of understanding, statements of intent, and joint declarations were signed in different fields.

On May 13, Mitsotakis paid a working visit to the Turkish capital of Ankara at the invitation of the Turkish president.

Additionally, Fidan has established a close working relationship with his Greek counterpart. The two ministers have met multiple times at various international forums.

- Trade volume hits record

Last year’s trade volume between Türkiye and Greece set a new record of $5.8 billion, with expectations that it will rise to $6 billion by the end of this year.

Efforts are ongoing to meet the target of boosting trade volume to $10 billion set by the leaders of both countries.

While relations in the fields of transportation and tourism are improving, the relevant ministers will meet in Istanbul and Athens in November and December to discuss cooperation in maritime and tourism.

The implementation of a border visa system for Greek islands close to Türkiye, launched earlier this year, serves as a good example of a win-win approach.

Ankara reiterated that the Aegean issues, which remain a significant part of the bilateral agenda, are interconnected and should be addressed as a whole.

Türkiye consistently reminds Greece of its readiness to engage in discussions on these issues.

Ankara also expects both sides to refrain from provocative rhetoric and practice, by the letter and spirit of the Athens Declaration.

The positive momentum in relations is also reflected in the situation of the Turkish minority in Western Thrace in Greece, as well as the Turkish communities in Thessaloniki, Rhodes, and Kos.

Ankara expects Greece to end human rights violations against the Turkish minority and diaspora in these regions.