According to what was reported yesterday by Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias during the joint press conference with Armenian counterpart Edward Nalbandian, visiting Athens, the recent visit of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had a positive outcome with a view to "thawing" relations between the two countries.
Erdogan's visit was a success as the talks took place in an atmosphere of clarity and listening. Kotzias, referring to the meetings between Erdogan and Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos and Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, reported that both Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos and Prime Minister Tsipras spoke openly and Erdogan understood the Greek positions better.
Kotzias, during the meeting, resumed the discussions open in the country both after Erdogan's request to redefine the 1923 Lausanne treaty that establishes the maritime borders between the two countries in the Aegean Sea and in reference to the criticisms, leveled by the head of Turkish state, on the alleged discrimination against the Muslim minority of Turkish origin, unable to elect their own muftis in the territories where they reside and other issues related to relations between the two countries.
As part of yesterday's meeting between the foreign ministers of Greece and Armenia, Nikos Kotzias and Edward Nalbandian, a memorandum of understanding was also signed on the establishment of a mechanism for bilateral political consultations. The signing took place as part of the meeting between the two ministers today in the Greek capital. After the bilateral meeting, the meeting was extended to the ministerial delegations of Athens and Yerevan.
Kotzias and Nalbandian spoke about the secular relations between Armenia and Greece, and the results achieved in the cooperation started after 25 years ago regular bilateral diplomatic relations have been established.