Mitsotakis: I am optimistic in moderation
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis spoke to the Greek press about his meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in New York.
The positive atmosphere created by the recent high-level meetings between Greece and Turkey continues. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan received Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in New York, USA, where he was in New York for the United Nations (UN) General Assembly in September. During the meeting, a road map for the future of relations between Ankara and Athens was determined.
MITSOTAKIS: WE MUST LEAVE THE PAST BEHIND
While speaking to Greek Alfa TV about his impressions of the meeting with President Erdoğan on 20 September, Mitsotakis stated that he and Erdoğan had chemistry.
"We both recognise that we have an opportunity to put aside past tensions and extremist rhetoric and determine how we can move forward together," the Prime Minister said.
Continuing his statements on the future of relations between Türkiye and Greece, Mitsotakis said: "I am optimistic in moderation. Türkiye has realised that it is in its interest not to burn bridges with Europe and to some extent with the United States. Türkiye recognises that Greece has an important role in the formation of its relations with Europe and to some extent with the United States. There are geostrategic relations between Greece and the United States".
Describing the Turkish-Greek High Level Cooperation Council Meeting to be held in Thessaloniki on 7 December as "an important event", Mitsotakis said: "Both peoples want the current good atmosphere. It is in the interest of both countries to prepare for this meeting by preserving the good atmosphere."
"WE MUST AVOID HOT CONFRONTATION"
Referring to the existing problems between the countries, Mitsotakis said: "Even if we do not resolve the only major dispute between us, which is the delimitation of the continental shelf and the economic exclusive zone in the Aegean and the Eastern Mediterranean, we should not come to the brink of a hot incident."
