Recently, Turkey and Greece agreed to revive their high-level contacts to discuss new approaches that might work for improving their bilateral ties and resolving their mutual differences over a wide range of issues between their countries.
Historically, both first-door neighbours, along-held adversaries and NATO allies had been at loggerheads over a string of centuries-old disputes. There had been little improvement in their relations triggered by Greece’s relief assistance to Turkey following a devastating earthquake earlier this year, and Turkey’s condolence messages after Greece witnessed a deadly train accident in recent months.
As ice melts, both nations hope for a breakthrough and prepare to initiate talks to resolve long-standing disputes between Athens and Ankara. Greece and Turkey are at odds over territorial claims in the Aegean Sea, energy exploration rights in the eastern Mediterranean and ethnically split Cyprus, among other issues relating to Turk monitory in Greece and Cyprus.
Tensions flared in 2020 over exploratory drilling rights in areas of the Mediterranean Sea where Greece and Cyprus claim their rights over Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ) which led to a naval standoff between Ankara and Athens. Presently both neighbours agreed on a roadmap which paves the way for high-level contacts including a meeting between Greek Prime Minister, Mitsotakis and President Erdogan, along with a series of confidence-building measures and re-operationalization of a light-level cooperation council between the two nations.
Historically, interstate rivalries, territorial disputes, religion, and ethnic and linguistic clashes have greatly reduced the pace of cooperation among nations, resulting in an overall depletion of mankind in this world. Only, those nations could realize their economic and social manifestos that believe in teamwork, joint endeavour and shared growth which not only guarantee their territorial sovereignty but also speed up their journey toward prosperity. After the Israel-Lebanon joint venture in the Medetarenian Sea a year ago, Turkey and Greece also prepared to settle their hostility and open a new chapter of dialogue and cooperation, that will surely have better prospects for them in the future.
