Türkiye sends strategic dialogue message to Greece
Türkiye’s Director of Communications, Fahrettin Altun, called for dialogue, mutual understanding, and cooperation in Türkiye-Greece relations.
In a video message sent to the “Turkish-Greek Media and Academia Forum” held in Athens, Altun emphasized that Türkiye is ready to support all initiatives that strengthen the friendship between the two countries.
The forum, organized in collaboration with the Türkiye Research Foundation and the Greek Institute for Global Affairs, was held under the theme “Bilateral Relations from the Perspective of Culture and Sports.” It aims to deepen dialogue and enhance cooperation between Türkiye and Greece.
Altun recalled Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s visit to Athens last year and highlighted the “Athens Declaration of Friendly Relations and Good Neighborliness” signed with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis as a significant step toward strengthening bilateral cooperation.
He also noted that Mitsotakis’ reciprocal visit to Ankara last May further solidified relations, emphasizing that in addition to trade, energy, tourism, and transportation, culture and sports are also key elements that bring the two nations closer.
“We see sports and culture as soft power elements. These areas contribute not only to strengthening ties between Türkiye and Greece but also to fostering mutual understanding among societies worldwide,” Altun stated, underlining the potential for strong cooperation between the two countries in these fields.
“Constructive Dialogue Is Essential for Turkey-Greece Relations”
Altun stressed that both Turkey and Greece need to listen to and understand each other better. Given the increasing global risks in the region, he underscored that a positive and continuous dialogue is indispensable.
Highlighting the role of Turkish athletes in Greece and Greek cultural representatives in Turkey in fostering closer ties, he pointed to the multilingual performance of Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet” staged in Istanbul last April as a symbol of this cooperation.
“Sincerity Is Key”
Altun concluded his statement with the following remarks:
“If sincerity and mutual respect are the foundation of bilateral relations, both nations will benefit the most. As Türkiye, we are in favor of strengthening friendships, and we are determined to support any initiative that reinforces friendly ties with Greece.”
He emphasized that maintaining open dialogue channels is crucial for sustaining good neighborly relations and noted that culture and sports provide significant opportunities to strengthen these ties.
