By Patrick Atack, CGTN
The foreign ministers of Greece and Turkey met in Ankara yesterday and held a combative press conference that spiraled from warm words to accusations and bad tempers.
The leaders had arranged to meet in the Turkish capital to discuss a dispute over rights to drill for oil in the Eastern Mediterranean. It’s a political fight, but at the end of 2020 the Greek and Turkish navies had come close to clashing.
Here’s what Greek minister Nikos Dendias and Turkish minister Mevlut Cavusoglu actually said:
Dendias: “First of all, we should avoid provocative remarks that stir tensions.”
Dendias: “Within this respect, the European Union adopted a stance with two options. The option to take measures is always on the table if Turkey continues to violate our sovereignty rights, of course these measures will be implemented. With all our heart, we hope that this will not happen.”
Context: Dendias accused Turkey of “violating” Greek sovereignty by ordering drilling ships and aircraft to explore disputed waters near Cyprus.
Dendias: “I would like to invite my friend Mevlut to Athens.”
Context: But this suggests the Greek government is open to moving past this dispute and towards better Greco-Turkish relations.
Cavusoglu: “I haven’t accused Greece but we hoped this first meeting would continue in a positive atmosphere. However, unfortunately, Nikos Dendias made completely unacceptable accusations against my country in his speech. First of all, he said Turkey violated Greece’s sovereignty. There is no way we can accept this.”
Context: The Turkish government recalled the vessels that were exploring disputed waters, but it has repeatedly denied it “violated Greece’s sovereignty.”
Cavusoglu: “Regarding the matter of immigration, we behaved justly and we complied by the migration deal but the European Union didn’t. We talked about this during our meeting. We explained how you pushed back 80,000 people in four years and even threw those who did not sail from Turkey into the sea but we didn’t speak about this in front of the media but you come here and dare to accuse Turkey in front of the media to give a message to your country. It is impossible for me to accept this.”
Context: Turkey and the EU (of which Greece is a member state) have had a long-running dispute over where migrants – largely refugees from Iraq and Syria – can settle. The parties came to an agreement, but both Turkey and Greece have accused the other of breaking it.
Dendias: “Regarding immigration, I would like to say that after what happened in February, Turkey should not have filed a complaint against Greece. We want to open a new chapter but this new chapter should begin by determining the rights and wrongdoing of both sides and I believe that behavior was wrong.”
Context: The Greek minister did not deny the claims, but tried to move the conversation on to a “new chapter.”
Cavusoglu: “Despite everything, as Turkey, we are ready to talk about all these as two countries instead of involving third parties and reduce our differences of opinion within the framework of international laws and a sincere dialogue and cement our cooperation.”
Context: Although Cavusoglu seemed to agree to a new chapter, his choice of opening words (“despite everything”) suggest it will be hard for both sides to start with a clean slate.
