Turkish-Greek Forum on exploring opportunities for economic, tourism cooperation
The Turkiye Research Foundation (TAV) and the Institute of Global Affairs (IGA) organised a forum on Saturday in Istanbul on “ Exploring Shared Interests and Opportunities for Cooperation” in the fields of the economy and tourism.
Deputy Foreign Minister Kostas Fragogiannis addressed the forum in a videotaped message, stressing that there is willingness on both sides to strengthen their cooperation. "There is willingness in both countries to strengthen bonds for sustainable future," he said.
"On Monday, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan will meet in Ankara. This will be the fourth meeting between the two leaders in 10 months. The two leaders had previously met in Vilnius in July, in New York in September and in Athens in December and agreed to assess the possibilities of cooperation."
"As part of this agreement, the foreign ministers of the two countries approved a road map with three aspects: political dialogue, positive agenda and confidence-building measures."
"The positive agenda focuses on areas of economic interest where enhanced cooperation between Greece and Turkiye can be mutually beneficial. It is an ongoing and dynamic process. We will continue to look for opportunities for friendship and cooperation in more and more areas," the Greek deputy foreign minister stated.
Dr. Fahrettin Altun, Head of Communications of the Republic of Turkiye, underlined that the Mitsotakis' visit to Ankara on Monday is extremely important and a crucial opportunity for strengthening bilateral relations.
"Turkiye and Greece must solve their problems bilaterally, without the involvement of third parties," he said and added:
"Regional actors such as Turkiye and Greece must solve their problems within the framework of mutual understanding and national interests, without the need for guidance from third parties."
Altun also stressed that the two countries are first and foremost neighbours whose ties are shaped by geographical proximity. "We are living in a period where strong, stable and prosperous regional actors must be effective," he underlined.
The forum was consisted of two panels. The first panel was entitled “ Areas of Economic Cooperation between Turkiye and Greece” and explored the current state of trade, investment opportunities, and collaborative initiatives that can benefit both countries. Among the panelists were Adnan Polat, Chairman of the Turkish-Greek Business Council, Byron Nikolaides, Chairman and CEO of PeopleCERT, Dr. Nikolaos Vettas, Professor at Athens University of Economics and Business and General Director of the Foundation for Economic and Industrial Research - IOBE and Dr. Zuhal Mert Uzuner from Marmara University. The panel was moderated by Associate Professor Dr. Enes Bayraklı, Deputy Chair of TAV.
The second panel “ Potential for Partnership in Tourism” focused on how both countries can enhance their tourism sectors and adopt sustainable tourism practices. Among the panelists were Panagiotis Christofas, Mayor of Mytilene, Maria Sarafoglou, Director of Aegean Airlines Turkiye, Dr. Volkan Altıntaş from İzmir Katip Celebi University and Board Member, Ioanna Dretta, President of Marketing Greece and CEO of REDS S.A, Ellaktor group and Alen Lepan, Economy News Editor at Daily Sabah. This session provided strategies on how geography, shared values, and socio-cultural heritage can be more effectively utilised to expand areas of cooperation in the tourism sectors of both countries. The panel was moderated by Dr. Constantinos Filis, International Relations Professor in the American College of Greece and Director of the Institute of Global Affairs (IGA).
The forum was organised to enhance economic and tourism collaboration and understanding between the two countries and to build a sustainable bridge of cooperation between Turkiye and Greece.
AMNA
