An interview with the Turkish President is planned inside the "White Palace" - The official plan in detail - Who will accompany the Prime Minister on his visit to the Turkish capital
The Greek Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, arrived in Ankara after 3 PM as part of his official visit to Turkey. Mr. Mitsotakis is expected to convene with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan inside "White Palace" within the hour. The interview comes on the heels of prior meetings held in Vilnius, New York City, and Athens, and represents a response to Mr. Erdogan's first visit after years of heightened tensions with Greece.
One critical topic within the Ankara gathering targets defining a roadmap for future appointments. Mitsotakis and Erdogan intend to reconvene in New York City in September, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, and coincide once more during the NATO Summit in Washington, D.C. in July. Aside from these meetings, pacts also hang in the balance at lower levels.
They will likely enter a new decision cycle once Deputy Foreign Minister, Burak Aksapar, leaves his post to the United Nations in the coming months, and temporarily depriving Alexandra Papadopoulou and Kostas Fragogiannis of an interlocutor in both the political discourse and positive agendas.
The Program of Kyriakos Mitsotakis' Visit:
15:30 – The Prime Minister will be welcomed to the Presidential Palace by the Turkish President
15:45-16:30: A restricted session will occur between the Prime Minister and the Turkish President (1+2)
16:30-17:15: A larger group will join the dialogue (1+10)
17:15-17:45: Statements presented to the press
18:00-19:15: An official dinner
19:45 Departure from Ankara
Smiles and Tensions
"An unambiguously shared desire to retain a state of amiable relations in the greater Greek-Turkish grand scheme," underscores the meeting approach of both the Greek Prime Minister and the Turkish President. Athens, in fact, eagerly anticipates a prolonged hiatus concerning air and sea infractions, while its neighbor has dramatically curtailed all rhetoric regarding the sovereignty of Greek islands - now converted into Turkish transit gateways wielding a seven-day tourist visa, fiercely sought to grant passage to the 10 islands that comprise Greece's oriental Aegean.
Therefore, Mr. Mitsotakis' reception earlier today (15:30) is expected to transpire warmly. The Prime Minister and the Turkish leader will have a face-to-face conversation, joined by a team of four advisors. Alongside Mr. Mitsotakis will be George Gerapetritis and his diplomatic advisor, Mrs. Anna Maria Boura, while Tayyip Erdogan will confer with Hakan Fidan and Akif Çağatay Kılıç.
This private session is anticipated to extend approximately 1.5 hours before the two leaders engage in a broader discourse with their respective delegations in tow. Statements and a dinner will then ensue, and Mr. Mitsotakis will finally depart Turkish territory by 9 PM.
Newly emerged information also discloses the presence of the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew at this formal meal. He obliged President Erdogan's invitation with a view toward safeguarding religious freedoms. In all, from the Greek contingent, the following will attend the dinner:
Kyriakos Mitsotakis, George Yerapetritis, Alexandra Papadopoulou, Kostas Fragogiannis, Anna Maria Boura, Greek Ambassador Theodorus Bizakis, Themistocles Demiris, Thanos Dokos, Aristotle Peloni, Kyra Kapi, and Ambassador Myron Nikolaidis as chief interpreter.
However, challenges lurk beneath these amicable smiles, hidden within the mission of re-engagement. The conversion of the Chora Monastery into a mosque a few days ahead of Kyriakos Mitsotakis' arrival has caused significant unease, prompting some to question the rationale behind the Prime Minister's voyage to the Turkish presidential palace. Mr. Mitsotakis responded that, despite the obstacles and disagreements, ongoing dialogue prevails over silence.
On the Turkish flank, the matter of marine parks remains an "irritant," to which Athens responds that site selection occurs through ecological criteria, according to international and marine law principles.
Statements and the Continental Shelf
A central determinant of the upcoming meeting and overall tone of the Greek Prime Minister's entire adventure centers on mutual declarations, slated to occur around 18:00 PM. Inside Maximos Mansion, Mr. Mitsotakis customarily delivered the opening address, followed by Mr. Erdogan, who alluded to his "compatriots" in Thrace's Muslim community. As the address concluded, Mr. Mitsotakis defied protocol by directly addressing Mr. Erdogan's assertion. The gathering awaited the interpretation's completion in Turkish President's ear, after which he applauded and visibly relieved several attendees, who desired that the meeting dodge a potential crash.
Considering recent developments in the Chora Monastery and on marine parks, and with the ongoing impasse regarding the Thrace Muslim minority issue, all eyes fix upon the upcoming public presentations, where Mr. Erdogan addresses the audience before Mr. Mitsotakis. Will Mr. Erdogan offer some reply to the Prime Minister's intended incisive remarks? Only time will tell!
Nonetheless, universal agreement acknowledges a cordial atmosphere yet a long road ahead before any substantial negotiation on the continental shelf and Exclusive Economic Zone. Both sides dance around this issue while still hesitant to engage. It is not merely the absence of political directives that pose an obstacle but the overall immaturity of the arrangement. Even under substantial climate enhancements, mutual trust remains incomplete and the current milieu far from ideal.
Hellenic-Turkish Interdependence
Business executives, whose profitable partnerships within the past two years illustrate their keen intuition, comprise the definitive perceptive group. Turks have begun penetrating the Greek retail sector while rubbing their hands in the Aegean islands at the influx of Turkish tourists outside the regular season. The Greek-Turkish Business Council will now "institutionalize" this connection. Shipping magnate George Prokopiou and major Turkish contractor Adnan Polat will lead it. From the Greek side, Achilles Constacopoulos of the TEMES Group stands confirmed to join. The full roster reaches eight and fosters immediate contact opportunities across critical sectors for bilateral, economic, and commercial cohesion. It will also serve as a "venue" for fostering B2B alliances, particularly tantalizing on both sides of the Aegean.
