Istanbul
Turkish spokesman Fahrettin Altun said on Saturday that Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ visit to Turkey was “highly important” for strengthening ties between the two neighbours.
Speaking at the Turkish-Greek Media Academy forum at an Istanbul hotel, Altun said the visit presented a “grave opportunity” to forge joint solutions to regional problems.
Altun said Turkish-Greek relations are first and foremost neighborly and shaped by geographical proximity, stressing that the two countries are located in one of the most geopolitically challenging regions in the world.
Altun noted that the geographical proximity that connects Turkey and Greece, as well as the geopolitical difficulties and challenges they face, are factors that are frequently mentioned when discussing relations between the two countries. He added that another very important issue that needs to be noted in Turkish-Greek relations is the historical, cultural and social ties.
Altun noted that ties between Turkish and Greek societies diversify culture and cultural assets and enrich everyday life, saying, “This situation is undoubtedly a great opportunity for both Turkey and Greece. We have seen together through recent difficult experiences how strong these ties are. The spirit of solidarity shown by our two countries during the February 6 earthquake in Turkey and the devastating forest fires in Greece was concrete proof of this closeness.”
The director also said that friendship and solidarity between Turkey and Greece “is undoubtedly an achievement that should be further developed and advanced through diplomatic efforts.”
“I am convinced that sincere mutual efforts between Turkey and Greece will not only benefit both countries, but also contribute to peace, stability and prosperity in the region, and therefore to world peace, stability and security,” Altun said.
He also said he believed Turkey “should maintain good neighbourly relations with Greece in light of these possibilities, and we attach great importance to this.”
“At the fifth High-level Cooperation Council meeting, held in Athens for the first time in seven years on December 7, 2023, the two countries demonstrated their willingness to benefit from these potentials at the leadership level. The 15 different cooperation agreements signed there and the Athens Declaration are the most important indicators of this fact,” he said.
“The willingness of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Greek Prime Minister Mitsotakis to resolve current issues within the framework of constructive dialogue, good neighborly relations and international law is also a very important factor,” Altun stressed.
“We also consider the visit of Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis to our country on Monday, May 13, to be of great importance and a golden opportunity to strengthen bilateral relations,” he said.
Visa on arrival for tourists
Altun also praised Greece’s recently introduced visa-on-arrival system for Turkish nationals, which allows Turks to obtain a visa upon entry, making it easier to visit certain Greek islands.
“We consider the introduction of travel facilities such as visa on arrival to be an important development in this sense. The compromise reached between the two countries has made it possible to further deepen friendship and exchanges between the Turkish and Greek peoples,” he said.
Altun also touched on trade between the two countries.
“In this regard, during the official visit on December 7, an agreement was reached to increase bilateral trade volume to $10 billion,” he said.
“Turkey and Greece are both among the world’s most attractive tourist destinations, and as the two major countries in the Mediterranean region, they are globally important in terms of trade and energy transport, as well as having geographical advantages in terms of mutual direct investments and joint investments in third countries, which are major economic opportunities for both countries,” Altun said.
“The removal of quotas on land transport and the liberalization of the transit regime will also boost trade between Turkey and Greece,” he added.
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