President Erdoğan spoke at a joint press conference with Greek Prime Minister Mitsotakis
Holding a joint press conference with Greek Prime Minister Mitsotakis, President Erdoğan said: “I hope the documents we have just signed will further strengthen the contractual basis of our relations. We are continuing our efforts to achieve our goal of raising our bilateral trade— which reached nearly 7 billion dollars last year — to 10 billion dollars.”
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis of Greece held a joint press conference following their tête-à-tête, the 6th Meeting of the Türkiye-Greece High-Level Cooperation Council and the signing ceremony of agreements at the Presidential Complex.
“WE NEED TO ACT WITH A SENSE OF HISTORICAL RESPONSIBILITY REGARDING MINORITIES”
“Today, we thoroughly discussed how we can advance our relations based on positive agenda items. It seems that high-level contacts offer us a favorable framework in this regard. I hope the documents we have just signed will further strengthen the contractual basis of our relations. We are continuing our efforts to achieve our goal of raising our bilateral trade— which reached nearly 7 billion dollars last year — to 10 billion dollars,” President Erdoğan said. “During our meeting with Mr. Prime Minister, we reviewed our positions on the Aegean and the Eastern Mediterranean in an open and sincere manner. Regarding this matter, we have been advocating since the past that the current issues are complex, yet not irresolvable on the basis of international law, through good faith, constructive dialogue and the will for solution. I am pleased to witness that my dear friend Kyriakos and we are on the same page on this matter. Just like the momentum we have accomplished in all the other aspects of our relations since 2023, I am confident that we can make progress in the settlement of the interconnected problems in the Aegean as well.”
President Erdoğan went on: “Today, I also once again shared with Mr. Prime Minister our expectations concerning the fight against terrorism and organized crime. With Greece, we need to act with a sense of historical responsibility regarding minorities, which constitute the human dimension of our relations. I conveyed to Mr. Prime Minister our expectations that the Turkish minority in the Western Thrace must be allowed to enjoy religious freedoms and educational opportunities to the fullest extent.”
“TÜRKİYE’S INVOLVEMENT IN EUROPE’S RECENT DEFENSE INITIATIVES WILL BE TO OUR COMMON BENEFIT”
President Erdoğan continued his remarks as follows: “As NATO allies, Türkiye and Greece are confronted with many developments that threaten security and stability. We believe that Türkiye’s participation in Europe’s recent defense initiatives will be to our common benefit. With Mr. Prime Minister, we also assessed regional developments, particularly the ceasefire process in Gaza and the peace plan. We reject Israel’s latest decisions to expand its control over the West Bank and weaken the Palestinian administration. Like the prominent countries in the world, our stance as well as the stance of the brotherly countries is evident regarding this matter. I would like to emphasize that resolving the Palestinian issue on a fair and two-state foundation is the key to lasting peace and stability in the Middle East. We will continue to uphold this position. I believe that Greece, a non-permanent UNSC member for the 2025-2026 term, will keep the two-state solution perspective on the Security Council’s agenda for the benefit of our region. We addressed what can be done to ensure stability in Syria and to help this brotherly country swiftly reach a position where it contributes to peace in the region. The constructive role we have undertaken in this regard is important not only for Syria itself, but also for the security of Greece and Europe. We hope that all the components of Syria can walk to the future with an inclusive approach, in line with the principles of territorial integrity and unity. I wholeheartedly believe that we, as two neighbors and allies, should keep the channels of dialogue open with an understanding based on cooperation.”
