Greek DM: No issue of ‘co-exploiting’ Aegean resources discussed with Turkish counterpart

Greek Defense Minister Nikos Panagiotopoulos, in response to a question by a Parliament deputy on Tuesday evening during debate over a draft bill in the country’s Parliament, flatly denied that he discussed any issue of Aegean resources’ “co-exploitation” during a recent meeting with his Turkish counterpart.

“I neither had such an authorization, nor do I have the responsibility of discussing with my counterpart, the Turkish defense minister, the issue of co-exploitation in the Aegean, as regards natural resources,” Panagiotopoulos said.

Instead, he said de-escalating tensions between the two countries, amid the major geopolitical disturbance in the region, i.e. the Russian invasion of Ukraine, dominated talks with Turkish DM Hulusi Akar.

He added that the goal was a “quiet summer, one that will benefit the tourism economy in both countries.”