Özay Şendir writes for Kathimerini, Papahelas for Milliyet

Two of the most respected newspapers of Türkiye and Greece in diplomatic journalism have signed a historic cooperation. While İbrahim Özay Şendir, Editor-in-Chief of Milliyet Newspaper, wrote an article as a guest writer in Kathimerini Newspaper, on the same day, Alexis Papahelas, Editor-in-Chief of Kathimerini Newspaper, wrote an article as a guest writer in Milliyet.

The meetings of the Turkish-Greek Media and Academia Forum organised in Istanbul and Athens ended positively and the first step was taken.

While İbrahim Özay Şendir, Editor-in-Chief of Milliyet Newspaper, wrote an article as a guest writer in Kathimerini Newspaper, on the same day, Alexis Papahelas, Editor-in-Chief of Kathimerini Newspaper, wrote an article as a guest writer in Milliyet.

In his article titled 'One Turk, Two Athenians', Şendir drew attention to the similarities between Greece and Türkiye and said: "The places where our lives intersect are not only songs, not only tzatziki or baklava. Turkish and Greek people have suffered a lot from military coups and military-backed governments. They paid a high price for this cause."

Şendir wrote: "The hand behind the coups on our side and the hand behind the coups on your side have always been the same. Even this information should tell us a lot."

"The year 2024 begins with Greece and Türkiye entering a phase for the development of their relations. We have proved that we can be strong friends as well as 'strong rivals'," he said, adding that "since we are captives of geography and sometimes of history, our destinies are inevitably linked".

The co-operation will continue with a joint agenda meeting of the editorial offices of the two newspapers. Discussions will be held to organise a joint Peace Prize Ceremony and Kathimerini will publish a 200-page flavour supplement describing the culinary delights of a region of Türkiye.