Exploratory talks, support and objections

In his recent interview with Kathimerini, former prime minister Antonis Samaras put forward a number of arguments concerning the exploratory contacts between Greece and Turkey and shed light on an important aspect of the issue by expressing the belief - shared by a part of Greek society and certainly by a large part of the ruling center-right party - that it is not in Greece's interest to negotiate with Turkey, especially given the latter's current behavior.

This should be seen as another piece of the complex puzzle of Greek-Turkish relations that needs to be heeded by the international community, which encourages dialogue - as it ought to - but also tends to take Greece somewhat for granted.

That there are reactions to such overtures inside Greece is something that the European Union especially must bear in mind, given its particular role in Greek-Turkish relations -...