Prime Minister Antonis Samaras and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan signed well over 25 bilateral agreements in Costantinopole on Monday, as the Greek premier said that the two sides aimed to put “economic growth at the service of peace.” In his first official visit to Turkey as premier, the talks even touched on various thorny bilateral issues including a long-standing dispute regarding territorial waters and the continental shelf, as Greece seeks to prospect for oil and natural gas in the Aegean, the Theological school in Halki and Erdogan’s objection to the Greek state’s appointment of muftis for the Muslim minority in Thrace, northern Greece, as well as stalled plans for the construction of a state mosque in Athens.
Apparently Samaras said that the continental shelf rights Greece has as a result of the Law of the Sea are “clear,” while Erdogan said the two sides would be in a win-win situation if they could come to an agreement on the issue.
Erdogan also more or less termed the Muslims Greeks in Western Thrace as "Turks" and/or "fellow" countrymen and left it to be understood that the area between Rhodes and Kastelorizo belongs to the Turkish continental. He also (coincidentally) sent the Turkish fleet to begin naval exercises in the Aegean today, and still had time to show off his diplomatic "savoir vivre" to the flash and the cameras.
Following the initial talks, and in a joint press conference with Erdogan, a Turkish reporter had the nerve to utter the words "terrorism" or specifically "terrorist camps" to Prime Minister Antonis Samaras. In a mud-slinging mode, and speaking to both premiers, the reporter said: "So you discussed the terrorist camps in Greece and the Theological school in Halki but what was decided about the EEZ?"
The question screamed the words SET UP and/or even TRAP, because before Samaras could utter a word, Erdogan quickly took the floor and playing the high and mighty diplomat said that: "terrorism is a common problem and Greece has experienced similar problems. Our Ministers will be in close contact on this issue. We will take common steps to combat terrorism."
Thankfully, Antonis Samaras responded. At first he spoke vaguely about the Theological school in Halki noting Greece's position on the issue. Then he decided that two can play the game and addressed the (provocateur) reporter who wanted to trap him with a statement about some bogus Turkish beliefs. Samaras simply played the same game and said: "Greece aims at reducing this phenomenon. Terrorism doesn't only have negative effects in Greece and Turkey, but also concerns the global community and we need to deal with that together."
Of course many more questions were asked, and this article will be updated as soon as we receive more information but in all, it was an interesting and predictable meeting.
At the same time reports are claiming that they also discussed the situation in Syria, which increases the migratory pressure on both Greece and Turkey, as well as Turkey's EU prospect, on which Greece's positive stance is a given fact, on condition that Turkey fulfills its relevant obligations, including the opening of its ports and airports to Cypriot ships and airplanes.
Ahead of Samaras' visit Erdogan also gave an interview to Greece's state television NET which is going to air later on Monday night. In the interview, Erdogan says that cooperation with Greece "is a strategic one" and that Turkey wants "to ascribe to it a different dimension" with our country.
"That is, Greece-Turkey bilateral relations from now on should not be based on gossip. (or I said you said basis)"Referring to the context of negotiations with the Greek premier, Erdogan noted: "In our negotiations with the Greek government we will assess at what point our bilateral relations are, and we will have the opportunity to discuss how to move forward in the future ... We have a loaded agenda and we will continue our work from 11.00 in the morning until the evening ... Of course, we will examine a number of issues, including tourism, energy, telecoms, the direction towards which we drive bilateral political relations as well as NATO issues, as we are two NATO member countries and we should discuss the steps to take in this capacity."
And what did the Greek PM reply? "Today is a good day for Turkish relations." Nothing else.
This is a little disturbing because by not responding, it is almost like Samaras accepted what Erdogan said. We agree that it would be suicide to slam Erdogan in his own country, and surely the foreign press would have a field day with that one, and we also agree that building trust and creating mutual interests with Turkey bring nations together, but for God's sake, if he does not reply -and soon- to what Erdogan said about the so called "win-win" situation (in regards to Greece's continental shelf) then he will only be following the footsteps of George Papandreou.
Earlier on Monday
Samaras arrived in Costantinopole for the 2nd Greek-Turkish High-Level Cooperation Business Council and a joint Business Forum, both to be held later in the day, while he also held meetings with Turkish President Abdullah Gul.
He is accompanied by a large contingent of Greek ministers as well as a large business delegation.
Samaras and Erdogan then co-chaired the inter ministerial meeting - the 2nd Greek-Turkish High-Level Cooperation Council -- at noon, which was followed by the signing of the agreements and MoUs, and joint statements by the two prime ministers at 1:00 p.m. The Council was inaugurated in 2010, with the inaugural session held in Athens. The Council, comprising some 25 ministers from both sides, focused on the sectors of tourism, shipping and security.
The agreements, protocols and Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) for cooperation in a wide range of sectors that were signed pertain to matters concerning the everyday life of the citizens of the two countries, including transports, health, tourism and clamping down on illegal migration. In that context, a MoU was signed in the shipping sector encouraging collaboration among shipping companies of both countries as well as collaboration in maritime education and sea-borne tourism. A MoU was also signed for furthering cooperation in the tourism sector, as arrivals from the other side of the Aegean have more than doubled following the simplification of the visa procedures.
Agreements were also signed for exchanges and cooperation in the sectors of health, sports and culture. Moreover, the public order ministers of both countries issued a joint statement on dealing with the problem of illegal migration, an issue of great importance for Greece given the large number of illegal migrants reaching Greece from the opposite Turkish coast an across the Greek-Turkish borders, while Turkey refuses to implement an earlier agreement between the two countries for the return of illegal migrants to the countries from which they originated.
Afterwards the two premiers attended the Greek-Turkish Business Forum being organised by the Federation of Greek Industries' (SEV) Greece-Turkey Business Council and Turkey's Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEIK) aiming at generating momentum in bilateral business relations, with a major participation of 100 Greek and 200 Turkish enterprises and themed "Growth passes through entrepreneurship and extroversion".
Samaras also visited with the Ecumenical Patriarchate at the Phanar, where he was received by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew in the early afternoon.
References in Greek
- defencenet - http://www.defencenet.gr/defence/item
- Kathimerini - http://www.kathimerini.gr/4dcgi
- ProtoThema - http://www.protothema.gr/politics/article/
- Imerisia - http://www.imerisia.gr/article.asp?catid=265
- To Vima - http://www.tovima.gr/politics/article/?aid=501212
- Newsit - http://www.newsit.gr/default.php?pname=Article&art_
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