The background of the two-hour meeting Mitsotaki-Erdogan in Istanbul

Of Dimitris Gatsiou

The messages sent by Athens and Ankara, with the curtain falling on Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ two-hour lunch meeting with Recep Tayyip Erdogan, were positive.

The fourth in three years, four quarters of the Greek Prime Minister with the President of Turkey and the first against the backdrop of the Bosphorus and the European side of Istanbul, took place at a time of tectonic change for Europe.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is expected to change the challenges of the new security architecture, the two leaders have spoken for some time, “as allies”, according to government sources, and what remains to be seen in the coming months is whether ” very good atmosphere of the meeting “will correspond to the reality of the times to come.

In an atmosphere of understanding, then, that the tones between Greece and Turkey must fall, the “meeting” of the prime minister and the president’s neighbor was completed, with the relaxed mood of the two leaders becoming apparent from the first minutes of the meeting.

“With all that is happening, we have a lot to discuss about our region …”, noted Kyriakos Mitsotakis. “We will discuss all this now …”, Recep Tayyip Erdoγan replied, with the conversation… passing into a costume pattern, as the Prime Minister and President of Turkey chose to part with their ties at this dinner.

“Loose clothing is suitable for more meaningful discussions …”, said Kyriakos Mitsotakis. “I also prefer casual attire on the weekends …,” Recep Tayyip Erdogan replied, before the TV cameras went off and the two leaders were left alone with their translators, with the meal menu consisting mainly of seafood.

“The meeting went well and the atmosphere was good,” was the first reaction of a government official, at the end of the two-hour meal. Athens is obviously positive about yesterday’s summit.

“The meeting can be seen as a foundation for a substantial improvement in the climate on both sides,” was the message from government sources. Significant milestones are also recorded on the Athens and Ankara skyline:

– Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Recep Tayyip Erdogan agreed to hold a meeting of the two sides in Ankara next month on the Confidence Building Measures.

– If things develop in the spirit of yesterday’s meeting, it was agreed to hold the 5th Supreme Cooperation Council in Thessaloniki in the autumn months, in the presence of the Prime Minister and the President of Turkey.

The two-hour summit in Istanbul began, as expected, with developments on the Ukrainian front and extended to bilateral issues.

According to information, the two sides reiterated their firm positions, “without the sharpness and intensity that the Turkish side has become accustomed to lately …”, as commented by sources. “There is a mutual benefit for the tones to fall.

“Because of the great problems posed by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, it is in the interest of all of us in the Southeastern Mediterranean to have stability,” government sources said.

“I hope we have agreed that we face so many challenges as humanity but also as two NATO allies at this time, which is more important to focus on what unites us and less on what divides us.

Obviously, we reiterated our firm national positions, but we emphasized building a positive agenda, especially in the field of economics, where I think we can make significant progress in the coming months … It was an opportunity for a very open, very honest discussion. and I think we laid the foundation. I am careful in my formulations because as you understand we have big differences, which are not bridged from one moment to the next.

I believe that we have laid the foundations for the improvement of our relations and mainly to cooperate in the big issues, which at the moment we are facing huge challenges “, stressed Kyriakos Mitsotakis, in the dialogue he had with the Ecumenical Patriarch, Bartholomew, at Sismanogleio Megaron.

As executives said before, but also after the meeting of the two leaders, the disagreements with Turkey are not expected to be overcome… as if by magic. Ankara’s objections to a number of issues are well known anyway, which Athens rejects and refutes at all levels and at every opportunity.

Greek positions are also known. The channels of communication, however, especially in critical geopolitical and diplomatic circumstances such as the one we have been going through for a few weeks now, must remain open at all levels.

“The interest is not to have tensions and to use this to our advantage … We know our differences, but everyone seems to understand that the acidity has nothing to add …”, said sources, at the end of the meeting Mitsotaki-Erdogan, during which the refugee-immigration issue was discussed, while it was agreed to cooperate in the creation of humanitarian corridors in Ukraine.