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In the last 24 hours, feverish diplomatic processes are taking place in the foreground and in the background to further reduce tension between Greece and Turkey.
The objective of all initiatives is to lower the tone before the Summit on September 24 and for the two parties to sit at the dialogue table as soon as possible. It is estimated that the gradual restoration of communication channels between the two countries will play an important role in this.
What does Athens ask of Turkey?
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Athens asks Ankara for “continuity and coherence” in the de-escalation process that began with the withdrawal of Oruc Reis in order to create a conducive ground for dialogue to bear fruit, for which it says it is prepared. “We are ready to start – I insist – direct exploratory contacts with Turkey immediately”, was the message from Kyriakos Mitsotakis after yesterday’s meeting with the President of the European Council.
“Turkey still has time, before and after the Summit, to continue with the first encouraging step to get out of this crisis,” said Mitsotakis, expressing the condition established by the Greek side to be convinced and sit at his table. dialogue. Suspicion and skepticism stems from concerns that Turkey may reduce tonnage to avoid sanctions and then revert to the same aggressive behavior.
To lift this climate, pressure on Ankara from Germany and other countries, in which they argue that such a move will bring much more negative results for itself, plays an important role.
Efforts to restore the Athens-Ankara communication channel
Even more important, however, is the gradual restoration of communication channels between the two sides, which had been completely cut off since the end of July and remained closed until the tension in the Aegean turned red. According to some reports, efforts to rehabilitate these canals have already begun, which is particularly encouraging.
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The last close contact between the two countries was that of the director of the Prime Minister’s diplomatic office, Eleni Sorani, and Erdogan’s representative, Ibrahim Kalin, in Berlin, where they had agreed to keep an open line. If the specific terms and conditions are met, Greece is ready to sit at the dialogue table to initiate exploratory contacts.
“We are ready for dialogue since August, some others got up and left the table, choosing the crisis,” Athens would have told his interlocutors, a sign that the government and the negotiating team are ready to start talks. if Turkey continues to apply de-escalation policy in practice and stops challenges.
Efforts for a win-win situation
This pre-dialogue debate, where the two countries will put the issues on the table, is not an easy process since Turkey’s demands go beyond the only issue that Athens talks about and that is the delimitation of the EEZ. However, initiating exploratory contacts before the Summit creates a win-win situation for all parties.
The Union will avoid imposing severe sanctions on Turkey, on which not all Member States agree. Turkey, for its part, will avoid any sanctions, while Greece will have led the Turkish fleet back to the port of Antalya, winning the diplomatic game and will be at the table with the EU, shaping the agenda. Whenever the talks begin, it is estimated that, in a first phase, they will not be held at the level of foreign ministers, but with lower-ranking executives.
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