The much -awaited meeting of Kyriakou Mitsotakis with Recep Tayyip Erdogan On the sidelines of the 80th UN General Assembly in New York, it did not take place, causing a strong diplomatic backdrop and new questions about the future of Greek -Turkish relations.
The diplomatic backdrop of cancellation
Athens had pursued the tet-a-tete as an opportunity to keep open communication channels. However, Ankara requested a postponement, citing a program for the Turkish President’s participation at a meeting by US President Donald Trump with leaders of Arab and Muslim countries. The inability to find a common time led to the definitive cancellation of the meeting, leaving Athens with the feeling that the Turkish side had no real intent.
Mitsotakis message from UN step
Despite the cancellation, the Greek Prime Minister took advantage of his presence to the UN to send clear messages to Ankara and the international community:
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Removal of War Threat (Casus Belli): He called on Turkey to withdraw the threat of war, stressing that it is inconceivable for two NATO member states to operate under such a regime.
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Deal to International Law: He made it clear that the only basis for dialogue and resolution of disputes is international law and international treaties.
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Cyprus: He emphasized that Greece will never accept a change of borders by force, clearly supporting the Republic of Cyprus.
Erdogan’s attitude: two states in Cyprus and veto on energy
Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in his speech and statements, insisted on Turkey’s standing positions, re -creating a confrontation:
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Levant: He proclaimed that “no project can proceed without Turkey and Turkish Cypriots”, targeting plans such as the Greece -Cyprus -Israel electrical interconnection and gas pipelines.
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Solution of two states in Cyprus: He rejected every federal model, seeking recognition of the pseudo -state and stating that Turkish Cypriots “will never become a minority”.
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Co -exploitation of resources: He reiterated that Ankara “will take its share of it” from the natural resources of the Mediterranean.
Fragile balances
Failure to make the meeting highlights the fragile balances in Greek -Turkish and leaves the question open whether Ankara is really seeking to decline or if it continues to play the diplomatic game with the aim of gaining time and influence in the area.