MORE PRODUCTIVE TIES SEEN BETWEEN ATHENS, ANKARA
Chris Loutradis
Hurriyet Daily News
Nov 6 2009
Turkey
Turkey and Greece have appeared to enter a new era of friendlier and
more productive bilateral relations after the Turkish prime minister’s
letter to his Greek counterpart and a senior Turkish official’s visit
to Athens was received warmly.
In his letter to Greece’s Prime Minister George Papandreou, Turkish
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed his will to solve all the
open disputes between the two nations. A few days after the letter,
Turkish State Minister and Chief Negotiator for EU talks, Egemen
BagıÅ~_, paid a visit to Athens. During his consultations, Papandreou
told BagıÅ~_ that his government welcomed Erdogan’s letter and said
he was ready to work together on the Aegean and Cyprus disputes.
In his letter, Erdogan expressed his belief that issues between Greece
and Turkey could be solved via an honest and in-depth dialogue between
the two parties, according to a Greek diplomatic source who asked to
remain anonymous. "Erdogan made some very progressive suggestions with
regard to the Cyprus issue and the Aegean disputes, which will cause
very interesting reactions from both sides if they are published,"
the source said. The Turkish prime minister went on to reaffirm his
stance that Turkey "wants zero-problems with neighbors."
According to the same source, Papandreou has already planned the basic
guidelines of his reply, and because he is solely engaged in writing
the response, evidences his interest in the progress of Greece-Turkey
relations. The Greek prime minister was also expected to voice his
support for Erdogan’s efforts to comply with EU directives and to
accept Erdogan’s suggestion for a high-level council of cooperation
in which all major issues that arise between both nations will be
discussed.
Clear proof
According to Greek experts in Greece-Turkey relations, Prime Minister
Erdogan’s letter is clear proof that the Turkish prime minister wants
to send a strong, clear signal to the EU that he is willing to solve
all the open disputes with Greece.
"Turkey and Greece share a common fate and a common future," BagıÅ~_
said at an event organized by the International Center for Black
Sea Studies and attended by Greek Prime Minister Papandreou. The
Greek audience responded with satisfaction when BagıÅ~_ said,
"A new era has started in the relations of the two countries, with
the government of Papandreou willing to build a peaceful future
with Turkey." The minister added that during this period, Erdogan’s
government is demolishing taboos of Turkish society by solving the
Kurdish issue and by dealing with open disputes with Armenia. "It is
time to discuss Greece, too," BagıÅ~_ added.
On the thorny issue of Cyprus, BagıÅ~_ said Turkey would support any
solution agreed on by the leaders of the two sides of the island. He
praised the efforts of Turkish Cypriot President Mehmet Ali Talat
and Greek Cypriot President Dimitris Christofias, and stressed that
Greece and Turkey should support the two presidents as their "term
is limited and because we do not know who will govern next."
Perhaps more worryingly was a question raised by a participant
who asked about the presence of the Turkish Army on the war-divided
island. BagıÅ~_ said the Turkish Army protects the safety of Turkish
Cypriots and it will not withdraw unless other armies withdrew as well.