Turkey expects to see positive developments in its relations with its western neighbor Greece, Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said Monday, as he highlighted Turkey’s commitment to regional peace.
Speaking in an interview with CNN Türk in Qatar, Akar said Turkey has always been in favor of discussions, dialogue and international law and prefers living in peace with Greece as neighbors. He noted that officials should refrain from making statements through the media and should instead opt for one-on-one talks, adding that the recent meeting between President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has proved successful.
"We’ve seen how effective and successful the meeting was, and we expect the continuation of this. As always, we want peace, serenity and stability and we continue to hold discussions with our counterparts in this regard," Akar said.
The defense chief said he will be holding a meeting with his Greek counterpart that he expects to be constructive and positive.
Referring to the earlier meetings between defense ministers aimed at boosting confidence between the two countries, Akar said a group of 10-15 experts from both sides carried out work in both countries and is expected to hold the fourth round of talks in Turkey soon.
Akar also touched upon the fact that both Turkey and Greece are NATO member states and that they can come up with a framework based on the allies' structure.
NATO allies and neighbors Turkey and Greece are at odds over a number of issues, including competing claims over jurisdiction in the Eastern Mediterranean, air space, energy, the ethnically split island of Cyprus and the status of the islands in the Aegean Sea.
A dispute over drilling rights for potential oil and gas deposits in the Eastern Mediterranean led to a tense naval standoff in the summer of 2020. Greece has since embarked on a major military modernization program.
But the two countries also cooperate on energy projects, including a newly built pipeline that transports natural gas from Azerbaijan to Western Europe. The pipeline, which crosses Turkey and Greece, is part of Europe's effort to reduce dependence on Russian energy.
Turkey, which has the longest continental coastline in the Eastern Mediterranean, has rejected maritime boundary claims by Greece and the Greek Cypriot administration, stressing that their excessive claims violate the sovereign rights of Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots.
Turkish leaders have repeatedly stressed that Ankara is in favor of resolving outstanding problems in the region through international law, good neighborly relations, dialogue and negotiations.
Senior Turkish officials continue to question Greek sovereignty over parts of the Aegean Sea but, last year, Ankara resumed bilateral talks with Athens.
Mitsotakis’ visit to Turkey earlier this month sent positive messages, as both leaders underlined the importance of dialogue between the two countries.
The two leaders also highlighted the idea that Turkey and Greece have a special responsibility in building Europe’s security in the face of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. They also agreed on keeping communication channels open and improving bilateral relations despite disagreements between Turkey and Greece.