Mitsotakis cites meeting with Erdogan in Thessaloniki this autumn

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Wednesday confirmed that he and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan would meet at a bilateral high-level cooperation council in Thessaloniki in the autumn, speaking after the conclusion of a NATO summit in Vilnius and a meeting with the Turkish leader on the sidelines.

“We confirmed our joint volition for a restart of our bilateral relations, for a cautious new beginning,” Mitsotakis told reporters.

Pressed for details, Mitsotakis outlined three primary aspects for dialogue, namely, political dialogue between the countries’ foreign ministries focusing on resolution of a single difference acknowledged by Athens: delimitation of maritime zones.

He also cited possible confidence-building measures and a so-called “positive agenda” involving economic and energy issues.

“All standing issues have not been resolved, obviously, but there’s an intention to revisit the framework of relations from a positive angle,” he added.

Earlier, Mitsotakis and Erdogan met for a one-hour meeting.

In reply to press questions, he said he brought up Athens’ reservations over alleged mingling in the election process by the Turkish consulate in the northeast city of Komotini, while adding that he won’t discuss details over “what was said behind closed doors.”

Asked about the apparent lifting of US administration concerns over the sale of F-16 fighter planes to Turkey and upgrades of the latter’s fleet, Mitsotakis replied that his “concerns Greece only indirectly,” with the matter now pending a tabling of the relevant request in Congress for approval.