Turkey and Greece Agree to Resume Relations

Greece and Turkey agreed on Thursday to resume their relations and create a roadmap for a new era of bilateral ties. Both NATO members, Greece and Turkey are also historical adversaries. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, during his visit to Greece, agreed with the country's leaders to focus on pursuing good neighborly relations, keeping communication channels open, increasing trade volume, and working on contentious issues, particularly disputes in the Aegean Sea. After meeting with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Erdogan stated, 'As long as we focus on the bigger picture... there is no unsolvable issue between us.' Erdogan proposed holding annual high-level meetings, suggesting both countries could benefit from such gatherings. Mitsotakis remarked, 'Geography and history dictate that we live in the same place... but I feel a historical responsibility to seize this opportunity to bring our two countries together just like our borders.' The previously cold relations between the two neighbors significantly warmed after Greece quickly sent aid to Turkey following the earthquake in February. Greece and Turkey have had decades of disputes over issues including continental shelf borders, energy resources, overflights in the Aegean Sea, and the divided island of Cyprus. They had come close to war in the late 1990s and have faced disagreements in recent years over energy resources in the Eastern Mediterranean, defense issues, migration, and fighter jet purchases, which halted cooperation talks.