Nikos Dendias’ statements in Katimerini on Sunday quoted by Reuters, referring to the Greek-Turkish statements after the meeting of the Greek Foreign Minister with his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Tsavusoglu in Ankara.
“Greece argues that resolving disputes with Turkey may be difficult, but not impossible,” reports Reuters, noting that Greece cannot ignore differences with Turkey in the Mediterranean and other issues. But while they are difficult to resolve, they are possible.
The agency recalls that the two countries are NATO members, but have different points of view on a number of issues. “It is impossible to hide under the carpet issues on which we have a different perception,” Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias said in his first interview after the confrontation in Ankara with his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Tsavusoglu.
The report of the international agency mentions stormy a press conference by Dendias – Tsavusoglu, where it is emphasized that “the meeting began with hopes for improving relations, but ended with an exchange of accusations between the two sides.”
He notes that this was “the first visit of a Greek Foreign Minister to Turkey since 2015, in order to find a common basis for a positive agenda for negotiations with Ankara.”
Mr. Dendias stressed that his visit was aimed at improving relations with Turkey, and that the resolution of disputes in the Aegean Sea is difficult and has a condition – Ankara will begin to respect international law.
“I see the consolidation of positions that go beyond the framework of international law. Something that makes them difficult to solve. “But this is not impossible,” he stressed.
In fact, he added that he and Mr Tsavusoglu would seek to meet again in Athens to try to create conditions for a meeting between Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
When asked whether “the public conflict with Mevlut Cavusoululu reflects the content of the private negotiations,” he replied: “There really were disagreements with the Turkish Foreign Minister, despite the very good atmosphere created during the negotiations. Each side expressed its opinion – both during the discussions and publicly. In this context, I have developed the fixed positions of Greece, which are also known. It was clear that there was no consensus on a number of issues. ”
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