Diplomatic sources: It is important to cultivate a climate of calm in relations with Turkiye

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A Turkish delegation for the next round of talks on Confidence Building Measures (CBM) is scheduled to arrive in Athens on April 22. This will be followed by a meeting on April 26 in Istanbul on the positive agenda, diplomatic sources said on Tuesday.

According to the same sources, there is no specific date as yet for Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ visit to Turkiye but it is expected to take place in mid May.

No discussion on the continental shelf or the Exclusive Economic Zone has taken place so far during the talks, as the conditions do not yet permit this, they added.

The diplomatic sources underlined that a climate of mutual trust and openness must be established, along with a mutual understanding regarding the principles on which the dialogue must be conducted.

“Whenever this dialogue takes place, it will not be a swift process,” they emphasised, adding that “it is extremely important to cultivate a climate of calm and avoid generating crises. There is no activity in the Aegean at this time,” the same sources underlined. The safest way to achieve this was “the settlement of the one and only difference,” they added.

Regarding the Cyprus issue, the sources said that this was “absolutely of major national importance and we will continue to handle it as such.” They said that there is continual cooperation between Greece and the Cyprus government, while stressing that the processes must be speeded up so that there can be substantive dialogue.

“The position expressed by the Turkish-Cypriot side is outside the frame of discussion. It is contrary to all logic. You cannot enter into a dialogue while making it a condition that the guarantee you want is accepted, this goes against all political and diplomatic logic,” they pointed out. The sources welcomed the fact that a UN special envoy has been appointed and said that every possibility provided by the UN, and within the EU, for a meaningful discussion should be exhausted.

Regarding EU-Turkish relations, the sources pointed out that there will be a reference to EU-Turkish relations in the European Council’s conclusions in April. “Greece’s belief is that there should be an explicit reference to the Cyprus problem,” they noted, pointing out that the European Council conclusions in June included an explicit reference that “the EU will be actively present at all stages of a solution of the Cyprus problem”.

On Kosovo, the sources underlined that Greece’s position on both Serbia and Kosovo remains entirely unchanged: “There has been no change of attitude, nor do we intend for there to be a change of attitude.”

Regarding the report of the Council of Europe, they clarified that “it has no influence on the Greek diplomatic position towards Serbia and Kosovo, it is an internal matter of the Council of Europe and in any case, it is non-binding”.

With reference to North Macedonia, the same sources pointed out that the Prespa Treaty must be strictly implemented and said that the memoranda would be ratified if the other side observes by all the steps. They said that Greece is closely monitoring political developments in the country ahead of its general elections in May.

Referring to a statement by main opposition SYRIZA-Progressive Alliance leader Stefanos Kasselakis that he will no longer refer to Greece’s northern neighbour as “North Macedonia”, they noted that “the logic of the Prespa Treaty is not only an obligation of the country but can’t be changed unilaterally and prevails over all other provisions”.

Source: ANA – MPA

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