The Reuters reports on Monday that Turkey is moving to a new a formal proposal to Greece for resumption of exploratory talks in relation to the claims in the maritime space of the eastern Mediterranean and other issues, with the relevant statements being made by the Minister of Foreign Affairs Mevlut Cavusoglu.
In yet another attempt to legitimize the status of the occupied Cyprus, Cavusoglu made statements to this effect during a joint press conference with his Turkish Cypriot «counterpart», who is visiting Ankara. He argued that Athens would be «unjustified» if it did not accept the Ankara proposal.
Η Sabah writes that Turkey is intensifying its efforts to re-emerge as «cooperative» with the European Union and Cavusoglu is scheduled to meet tomorrow with Ambassadors of the 27 EU member states in Ankara (then they will also meet with President Erdogan). This has been preceded at the end of the past year by a series of relevant statements by Erdogan on Turkey's «priority» and «European future», as well as wishes for a «new beginning» in Euro-Turkish relations, after the «artificial problems» caused by «certain EU members».
However, it is not only the Eastern Mediterranean and the Turkish proposal for a Summit on the Eastern Mediterranean that is on the agenda of the contacts with the EU ambassadors. Sabah underlines the importance of reviewing the Turkey-EU agreement on refugees, the visa for Turkish citizens and the revision of the customs union. Turkey is hosting 3.5 million Syrian refugees on its territory and under the agreement with the EU was to receive €6 billion in financial assistance in two tranches in exchange for visas and the renewal of the customs union, but what followed, both in the Eastern Mediterranean and on other issues, has frozen the full implementation of the above.
MFA: «Greece is willing to respond on the basis of international law»
«No invitation has so far been received by the Greek Foreign Ministry from the Turkish Foreign Ministry regarding the setting of a date for the 61st round of the Exploratory Contacts,» said Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexandros Papaioannou in response to a journalist's question.
«Greece, as we know, has expressed its willingness to respond, in case of a relevant invitation from the Turkish side, on the basis of international law on the delimitation of the EEZ and continental shelf,» he stressed.
Mr Mitsotakis: Greece will join the exploratory contacts when the date is finalized
Kyriakos Mitsotakis said during a joint press conference with his Portuguese counterpart Antonio Costa in Lisbon that Greece will join the exploratory contacts with Turkey when the date is finalised, following the guidelines given by the European Council itself.
«They are none other than to start where we left off in March 2016 and make progress on the issue of defining maritime zones in the Aegean and the eastern Mediterranean,» the Prime Minister said.
Mitsotakis said that the procedure is simple once there is a willingness, adding that the Secretaries General of the two Foreign Ministries agree, set the date and then the date.
«That hasn't happened. But I consider it positive that Turkey expresses the will to start the process,» Kyriakos Mitsotakis said:
«It's time to stop playing bridesmaids, find a date and start making contacts. It will be a positive first step. The European Council stressed that consistency and continuity is needed in this policy, and I think this is what will be judged by Mr. Borel's report that will be presented to us in March.».
SYRIZA supports the restart of the exploratory talks on continental shelf / EEZ
«Mr Mitsotakis must completely exclude any Turkish attempt to broaden the agenda, for example with references to alleged issues of “grey zones” or “demilitarized islands”», SYRIZA - Progressive Alliance comments.
«Once again, and although we have requested information about the visit of the Albanian Prime Minister, we hear from the Turkish Foreign Minister about a possible meeting with the Greek Foreign Minister in Tirana. What is the government's position with regard to such a meeting and why should it take place in Tirana instead of, say, Brussels?» asks SYRIZA - Progressive Alliance.
