The forthcoming meeting between Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan marks the start of negotiations between the two countries at a time of relative calm in the Eastern Mediterranean.
The main agenda includes the delimitation of Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) and continental shelves, but diplomatic sources have not yet reported any concrete progress on this issue.
The talks are expected to start with a process that will set the framework for the discussions, including key principles, timelines and participants.
The Greek side insists on the need for mutual understanding and trust, as well as the implementation of existing agreements, in particular on migration and civil protection.
The foreign ministers of the two countries, George Gerapetritis and Hakan Fidan, have been mandated to prepare the ground for the upcoming meeting between the leaders, knowing that the process will require time and continuous assessment.
For Greece, it is essential to maintain stability in the region, despite the outstanding issues and disagreements with Turkey.
The dialogue between Greece and Turkey is progressing gradually, with the next meeting on the agenda of the National Foreign Policy Council.
Timeline of Greek-Turkish meetings
Discussions on confidence-building measures will take place on 22 April in Athens as well as positive agenda discussions on 26 April 2024.
The negotiations are expected to be indicative of the forthcoming meeting between the two leaders, as they will set the scope and agenda for the meeting in Ankara.
