Panel II: Visions and Means to Manage the Political Incompatibilities of Türkiye and Greece

New Era in Turkish-Greek Relations? | Pathways for a More Constructive Agenda

Türkiye will preserve its “strategic autonomy” and redouble its efforts to promote normalization and stronger relations based on “mutual interests.”

Western countries have always supported the oppressors instead of the innocent and unsurprisingly, it is no different when it comes to the Greek violence against Turkish Cypriots

Ankara should also continue its call for Athens to return to constructive neighborly relations and pave the path toward that direction.

The EU and the U.S., who continue to be pillars of the existing stalemate, should instead put more pressure on Athens and the Greek Cypriots.

The first step to solve the problems in Cyprus will be the recognition of the existence of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus in the international arena

Turkey and Greece are discussing maritime tensions in the Aegean, Eastern Mediterranean, and also the Cyprus issue after 5-year hiatus

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s emphasis on “a fresh mobilization for the economy, the law and democracy” energized the country. The scope, nature and sustainability of “the new chapter” and “reform” remain unclear. For now, there are a number of reform packages on the table that are intended to restore faith in Turkey’s justice system and to attract foreign investors.

Turkey has been upgrading its status in international politics and has recently achieved a higher degree of autonomy in its foreign policy. The stronger Turkey gets, the more threats it faces from friendly countries as well as adversarial actors, and the more it is otherized by foreign governments.

Since the emergence of the Eastern Mediterranean crisis, there have been a lot of debates and questions regarding the role of the major powers in the potential resolution of this dispute. After Turkey’s calls for dialogue and diplomacy fell on deaf ears in the early days of the crisis, many assumed that one of the major powers would play the role of mediator for this problem.

The dangerous escalation in the Eastern Mediterranean has given way to dialogue and negotiations.

Recent tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean have multiple drivers including the race for exploitation of energy resources, long-standing maritime disputes, and the broader geopolitical competition between regional powers. While Turkey’s recent assertiveness of her rights in the Eastern Mediterranean drew renewed attention to the region, this round of confrontation has been long in the making.

The Eastern Mediterranean question, like a ghost train, shuttles around and around, plunging the global agenda into fright with each passing day.

Tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean seem incapable of de-escalating. Although the situation on the Sirte-Jufra line in Libya remains under control thanks to Turkey’s diplomatic talks with the U.S. and Russia, last week’s explosion in Lebanon and the Greco-Egyptian maritime deal fueled tensions anew. Athens and Cairo recently announced that they had concluded an exclusive economic zone (EEZ) agreement, directly challenging Turkey’s November 2019 deal with Libya. As a matter of fact, Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias did not hesitate to describe that agreement as “the opposite” of the Turkish-Libyan treaty.

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