Ankara – Athens, a long way to end the differences

According to the report of the International Group Tasnim news, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s visit to Athens and his separate meetings with Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Greek President Katrina Salclaropoulou, received extensive coverage in the Ankara media. And he had Athens.

Erdogan, who in order to participate in the fifth The meeting of the Turkish-Greece High Cooperation Council went to Athens, in a joint press conference with the Greek Prime Minister, he announced that these two neighboring countries intend to turn the Aegean Sea into a “sea of ​​peace and cooperation”.

Turkish President added: “We hope Let’s resolve the issues between the two countries based on constructive dialogue, good neighborliness, international law and joint efforts”.

Many newspapers close to the ruling party of Turkey, such as Sabah, Hurriyet and Aksham, with headlines such as “Peace Spring in the Aegean”, saw Erdogan’s visit to Greece as a considered a turning point. But some newspapers, such as Aydinlik, the media organ of the Watan Communist Party, criticized Erdogan’s words and announced that until Greece withdraws from its claims on the islands, goodwill should not be shown.

Department of Communications of the Turkish Presidency, with publication A statement announced that the signing of the memorandum of understanding to adhere to good neighborliness and develop friendly relations between Ankara and Athens is of great importance.

This statement refers to these points “Turkey and Greece have decided, in order to develop relations, to have continuous and constructive consultations about political negotiations and positive and confidence-building measures.” The parties also emphasized the importance of encouraging a positive economic and trade agenda between Turkey and Greece and decided to refrain from issuing any statement, initiative or action that would endanger peace in the region.

Greek media Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s visit to Athens and meeting with officials They considered the Greek high-ranking as a new turning point and a new page in the relations between the two countries. Under the heading of agreement for sustainable peace, Erdoğan’s visit to Athens and the joint statement of the two countries are a way for constructive negotiations and solving difficult issues. Also, Ta Nea newspaper, another famous newspaper in Athens, devoted its entire front page to Erdogan’s visit to Greece and included the words “peace, Aegean, minority, Lorion, Cyprus and Lausanne” in Turkish and used them as key words. He was named as the shaper of the new chapter of relations between the two countries.

Erdogan’s hope and some geopolitical realities

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced in a joint press conference with the Prime Minister of Greece: “We intend to be an example to the world by taking joint actions. We will exchange views on the Aegean Sea and the Eastern Mediterranean.” We did and asked our foreign ministers to discuss these issues. There are no insoluble problems between Turkey and Greece. We just need to focus on the big picture, we should not be one of those who can cross the sea but drown in the pond.

Erdogan also about Cyprus He said: “Achieving a just, permanent and stable solution to the Cyprus problem based on the realities of the island will benefit the entire region”. alt=”Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, ” src=”https://newsmedia.tasnimnews.com/Tasnim/Uploaded/Image/1402/09/17/1402091713494846528940784.jpg”/>

Erdogan’s brief review shows the fact that he has a special emphasis on the Cyprus issue. By the way, this is the same issue that is in complete contradiction with Erdogan’s claim, that is, “There are no insoluble problems between Turkey and Greece”. Why?

For these reasons:

a) Turkey’s firm belief about the island of Cyprus It is necessary to recognize the government of “Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus”. In this regard, Turkey is the sponsor and supporter of the Turkish-inhabited part of the island of Cyprus and has spent billions of dollars for such a purpose in the last 5 decades. But Greece is on the opposite side and supports the Roman part of the island, the Greek part of Cyprus. Therefore, Greece and Turkey have a deep and stable conflict of interest in this matter.

b) The Romanian or southern part of the island of Cyprus is a member of the European Union and is fully recognized as an official government by the United Nations and the countries of the world. But the Turkish Cypriot government is recognized only by Ankara. This means that Greece can recognize the Turkish part only when it wants to stand united against the whole European Union and ignore its national interests!

» There are other differences on the way of Ankara-Athens relations, some of the most important of which are:

1. The activity of many members of the PKK is rooted in Greek soil due to old relations with Greek left parties.

2. The secret presence of some fugitive members of the Fethullah Gulen network in Greece.

3. Maritime border disputes over islands which has complex technical and legal dimensions.

4. Greece’s secret cooperation with the Zionist regime in order to control the power of Turkey in the Mediterranean.

5. The serious activity of the Greek lobby in the US Congress and Senate in order to continue the arms embargo on Turkey and not to sell F-16 fighter jets to Ankara.

Now here is the question: whether despite the long list of differences Tensions, is Erdogan really looking for problems to be put aside? The answer is negative.

Undoubtedly, Tim Erdogan, understand There are clear and deep differences between Turkey and Greece. But he hopes that with a tactical and pragmatic attitude, at least temporarily, he will find a way to gradually reduce the differences with the European Union by reducing the amount of differences and tensions with Greece, and the way for Turkey to use concessions. The customs union should be smoothed and the Turks should not be strict about issuing visas.

It is clear that such a thing means It is not the end of disputes and hoping to be a member of the union, and it only brings some temporary and relative privileges.

In the end, it should be said, the deep and historical differences between Greece and Turkey are part of the important problems in Turkey’s foreign policy, and the evidence shows that even If the Justice and Development Party leaves power, there will still be complex border disputes between Ankara and Athens, which will be difficult and time-consuming to resolve.

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