Greece and Turkey Have Signed a Historic Declaration to Normalize Relations

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan signed the so-called 'Athens Declaration,' marking a new phase of normalization between the two countries.

This was reported by Kathimerini. 

'The declaration we just signed, with full respect for the rights arising from the sovereignty of each country, confirms the friendly relations between us, defines the principles and milestones of our dialogue, and highlights the possibilities of our cooperation both at the regional and international levels.'- Mitsotakis emphasized. 

Mitsotakis also welcomed the reduction in migration flows, which, in his opinion, is the result of more qualitative cooperation between the police and coastal forces of Greece and Turkey.

At the same time, the Greek official noted that current trade between the countries has exceeded 5 billion euros, with the prospect of reaching 10 billion euros within the next five years.

'We have also agreed to facilitate meetings and the exchange of best practices in the agricultural sector, research, and innovation. They contribute to the collaboration of young scientists and strengthen the export and investment environment in both our countries,' Mitsotakis noted.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan stated that he is very pleased to return to Athens, which he last visited in 2017, and emphasized that during the negotiations, the parties agreed to 'continue developing the positive momentum that exists.'

'I welcome you with the warmest feelings. We had fruitful discussions with the President of the Republic and the Prime Minister of Greece. With the Athens Declaration that we signed, we confirmed our intention to develop our relations,' added the Turkish president.

It is worth noting that conflicts have repeatedly erupted between the two countries in recent years, particularly due to territorial disputes in the Mediterranean and the issue of Cyprus, which is partially under Turkish occupation.

Last September, Turkey claimed that its drone had detected the placement of Greek armored vehicles on the islands of the Aegean Sea with a non-military status. It was alleged that Greek ships transported US-supplied military equipment to the islands of Lesbos and Samos.

In 2023, the leaders of Turkey and Greece met on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Vilnius. Subsequently, Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced that the parties had agreed to 'reset Greek-Turkish relations.'