The long -awaited meeting of the Greek Prime Minister Kyriakou Mitsotakis with the Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan On the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, it was not held at the request of the Turkish side. The reason was the unexpected decision of US President Donald Trump to convene a meeting of the leaders of Arab and Muslim countries on Gaza, in which Turkey had to participate.
Athens points out that it is a postponement and not a cancellation, as a new time is sought for the coming days in New York, before Mr Erdogan’s departure for Washington. However, the context, but also the fact that the meeting had cultivated expectations as a turning point in Greek -Turkish, are creating a new cycle of discussions about the real weight that Ankara gives to dialogue with Greece.
The diplomatic background
According to Greek diplomatic sources, the Turkish side informed in time of the involvement, stressing that the Gaza issue is a top priority for Ankara’s foreign policy. Tomorrow is alleged to remain “open” for a possible meeting, although the program of the Turkish president is considered highly loaded.
The postponement comes after months of delays in convening the Supreme Cooperation of Greece -Turkey, which has already called into question the dynamics of the so -called “positive agenda”.
“Do our positions bother us?”
Government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis, speaking on Tuesday afternoon at EMU, confirmed that there is still a new time of possible meeting tomorrow, while responding to the arrows already accepted by the opposition parties for postponement, he said:
“To get the possibility that the postponement of the eyes of the world is derogatory. That Turkey was looking for an excuse to accept it and it is not a postponement and it is a cancellation. I do not deny that there may be this possibility. What does that mean?he is that Opposition parties, in one move that will constitute unstoppable energy – another postponement anotherratification– preewauin to take a place against the country and attack before well Well They learn what happened? ”
Mr. Marinakis also wondered: “Suppose Turkey- hypothetically, not to be misinterpreted- cancel the meeting, what does it mean? Is it something that the government should apologize for? Can it mean that our positions, our positions, are bothering?”
What burns and what not him Erdogan
It seems, however Erdogan… Not burning in particular to meet the meeting with K. Mitsotakiswhich is recalled that it had been arranged and announced last Thursday. Much rather thatrotterafunerala of “Sultan” is the meeting he will have with Trump in The same tomorrow, in which it will seek Turkey’s reintegration into the F35 program. And the Erdogan He does not want to go to this meeting in a negative climate, but he wants to show that Turkey does not create problems in the Eastern Mediterranean but closes fronts.
Note In the meantime the Turkish president today spoke to the UN General Assembly and launched new indirect Threats to the Greece-Cyprus cable and energy surveys in the Eastern Mediterranean. Asked at the same time re -identifying the pseudo -state, Speaking of two states in Cyprus. If therefore eventually take place tomorrow meeting with K. Mitsotakisthe prime minister can only put the red lines of our country perpendicular to, the Turkish president will respond to Ankara’s review positions and will not come out a positive climate.
It is also recalled that Mr Mitsotakis has announced that he would put to the Mr Erdogan the lifting of accident belli As a prerequisite for Greece not to veto the official demand for Turkey as a third country in Safe’s defense programs.
Mitsotakis’ meeting- Erdogan It was also to take place In the wake of its official proposal Chevron For hydrocarbon surveys on marine plots south of the Peloponnese and mainly south of Crete. Which had caused an inconvenience to Ankara, which reacted threatening to make out for investigations in the Aegean Pierce Reisalthough it finally did not make this threat.
Her official proposal Chevron It seems that he also played a decisive role in the resumption of Greece-Libya’s technical talks to determine EEZ, which would be another argument of K. Mitsotakis At tonight’s meeting.
Greece has been calling on Turkey over the years to agree to an appeal to the International Court of Justice in The Hague for the determination of EEZ and continental shelf, the only difference that our country recognizes. However, Ankara seeks to raise other issues on the table, which of course cannot accept any Greek government.
Political reactions in Greece
The news of the postponement did not remain unanswered in the internal political scene, with opposition parties criticizing the government:
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PASOK – Dimitris Mantzos: He described the “institutional framework” meeting to raise critical issues, noting that a possible cancellation would constitute the country’s “degradation and depreciation”.
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SYRIZA – Rena Dourou: He spoke of “marginalization of Greece” and “adventurous foreign policy without a cohesive strategy”, accusing the government of acting as “given, predictable ally”.
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KKE: He saw in the postponement “Turkey’s diplomatic demonstration of power” and linked developments with “Trump -Erdogan Bazaar for the Middle East”, underlining the danger of “NATO arrangements”.
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Greek Solution – Kyriakos Velopoulos: He talked about “complete deceit” and accused the government of putting the country against the US president, leading Greece to diplomatic isolation.
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WIN: Denounced “bilingualism and dangerous frivolity” by the government, arguing that Greece is weakening its position by talking to “pro -Turkish agents” while Ankara is backing down.
Sudden postponement raises questions about whether Turkey gives a real weight to maintain an open dialogue with Greece or whether it chooses pressure and delays. At the same time, the fact that the meeting was postponed just a few hours before its realization gives the impression of a downgrading of its importance in Ankara’s eyes.
For Athens, the bet is to ensure that the meeting will take place before the Turkish president departs for Washington, so that it will not be recorded internationally as a cancellation. If this is not possible, the Greek -Turkish relationship will return to a phase of uncertainty, with the margins of convergence looking closely again.