Erdoğan aims to forge new ties in upcoming meet with Greek PM

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has expressed hope that his upcoming meeting with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis will mark a significant turning point in the historically strained ties between the two nations.

The high-level cooperation council meeting scheduled for Dec. 7 in Thessaloniki will see Erdoğan and Mitsotakis leading discussions on various fronts, including trade, tourism, transportation, migration, security and energy.

The president emphasized his commitment to a policy of expanding friendships and resolving disagreements before they escalate into irreparable conflicts.

"It is natural to have disagreements between countries... The main thing is the will to solve them before they turn into a deadlock. This is our approach to our planned Dec. 7 visit to Greece," Erdoğan said during his ruling Justice and Development Party's (AKP) group meeting on Nov. 29.

Acknowledging existing disputes, Erdoğan highlighted the shared climate and sea between the two countries as grounds for finding common ground. "There are many topics where we can improve our cooperation. I hope that our trip will be instrumental in opening a new page for our countries," he added.

Recent positive gestures from both sides have paved the way for the upcoming discussions, signaling a departure from longstanding tensions rooted in territorial disputes, differences in maritime boundaries and divergent political ideologies.

The thaw in relations gained momentum following Greece's swift response to the devastating earthquakes in southeastern Türkiye in February, where they sent rescue teams and aid. The solidarity between the two nations deepened after a tragic train crash in northern Greece, with Ankara expressing condolences and providing...