UPDATE - Türkiye, Greece strengthening mutual understanding on fighting terrorism: President Erdogan

UPDATES WITH MORE REMARKS BY TURKISH PRESIDENT

By Emre Basaran and Esra Tekin

ISTANBUL (AA) - Türkiye and Greece are strengthening their mutual understanding on fighting terrorism, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday.

"We agree there is no place for terrorist groups in our region's future," Erdogan said in a news conference in the Turkish capital Ankara with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

Expressing satisfaction on hosting Mitsotakis and his delegation in Ankara, he thanked the Greek premier for his "sincerity in advancing the bilateral relations."

He underlined that Ankara and Athens are committed to resolving issues between them via "cordial dialogue, good neighborly ties, and international law" as outlined in last year's Athens Declaration on Friendly Relations and Good-Neighborliness.

Erdogan said his meeting with Mitsotakis was of "narrow scope, extremely fruitful, sincere and constructive," adding that an agreement signed between Türkiye's Foreign Economic Relations Board and the Union of Greek Chambers of Commerce on the establishment of a Joint Business Council would "greatly contribute to our efforts.”

"We are working to push our bilateral trade with Greece to $10 billion, which was $6 billion last year," he added.

Erdogan also underlined that Türkiye expects the "positive atmosphere in our relations" to contribute to fulfilling the rights of the Turkish minority in Greece.

"I once again shared our expectations with the prime minister today, emphasizing that we see the minority issue as a bridge of human friendship between the two countries. Taking such a step would strengthen the stability and peace of our entire region," he said, noting that their meeting addressed issues related to interconnected in Türkiye-Greece relations.

He also pointed to a memorandum of understanding signed during Mitsotakis' visit on disaster and emergency management, saying it "strengthened our contractual groundwork in this field."

"Our countries, located in earthquake zones, have always fulfilled the requirements of neighborly relations in the face of natural disasters and have been among the first to come to each other's aid," Erdogan said.

Pointing to another agreement on cooperation in the fields of health and medical sciences, he said the two sides strengthened their collaboration in these fields as well.

Erdogan expressed hope that consultations and agreements between Türkiye and Greece would benefit both countries, as well as the rest of humanity. He invited Mitsotakis to pay another visit to Ankara to hold the next meeting of their High-Level Cooperation Council.

He also highlighted the importance of finding a fair, permanent, and fact-based solution to the Cyprus issue, adding that this would strengthen regional stability and peace.

- Türkiye to keep working to force Israel to Gaza cease-fire

Erdogan said that during their meeting, he and Mitsotakis exchanged views on regional developments, particularly concerning Israel's ongoing offensive on the Gaza Strip.

"The Israeli government not only turns a deaf ear to cease-fire calls, but also challenges its supporters. Despite calls from all conscientious groups, they continue to mercilessly target Rafah, the last refuge for innocent civilians," he said.

"From east to west, we once again salute with respect all conscientious people who fill the squares every week with the call 'let us not be complicit in this oppression'," Erdogan added.

He stressed that overwhelming support in a UN General Assembly vote last week for the reconsideration of Palestine's full membership in the United Nations demonstrated that "the key to a permanent solution lies in the establishment of an independent, sovereign, and territorially contiguous State of Palestine, with its capital in East Jerusalem within the 1967 borders."

Erdogan said Türkiye welcomed Greece being among 143 member countries that supported the decision, adding: "We expect our neighbor Greece to support international efforts aimed at stopping the massacres in Gaza as well."

Erdogan also said Ankara was determined to continue its diplomatic contacts to force Israel to reach a cease-fire in Gaza and secure international recognition of a Palestinian state.

He reaffirmed Türkiye's stance that Palestinian group Hamas is a "resistance organization."

"Hamas is a resistance organization whose lands have been occupied since 1947, and which has protected its lands after the occupation of these lands," he said.

Stating that it would be "merciless" to label Hamas as a terrorist organization, considering the death toll in the Gaza Strip, Erdogan said that more than 1,000 Palestinians were receiving treatment at Turkish hospitals.

He also urged the global community, especially Western countries, to "raise their voice louder" against the killing of more than 35,000 Palestinian civilians, including 15,000 children, in Israel's ongoing offensive on the Gaza Strip.