The priorities of the Greek Chairmanship of the Council of Europe (May-November 2020) were the focus of Alternate Minister of Foreign Affairs Miltiadis Varvitsiotis’ videoconference today with Turkish Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Faruk Kaymakci.
The Alternate Minister of Foreign Affairs briefed the Deputy Minister on the central theme and key priorities of the Greek Chairmanship, as well as on the actions scheduled to take place during the semester, extending a relevant invitation to the Turkish side.
Mr. Kaymakci congratulated Mr. Varvitsiotis on Greece’s assumption of the Chairmanship and expressed the Turkish side’s will to contribute to the success of the Greek Chairmanship. He observed that the choice of ‘protection of human rights during a pandemic’ as the central theme of the Greek Chairmanship creates potential for cooperation in the context of the Council of Europe.
The discussion touched upon all the issues in Greek-Turkish bilateral relations, as well as on EU-Turkish relations.
The Alternate Minister of Foreign Affairs noted Greece’s firm support for Turkey’s accession perspective, calling the European Union a common frame of reference. He also stressed to his interlocutor the need for open channels of communication that help to shape the conditions for a sincere dialogue between the two countries. Only in this way, he added, will we be able to respond successfully to issues that concern both countries.
Special reference was made to the refugee/migration issue and the importance of the EU-Turkey Joint Statement of March 2016. The Greek Alternate Minister asked Mr. Kaymakci for better control, on the part of Turkey, of flows on the Aegean maritime route during the summer of 2020, as flows usually increase during the summer months. The Turkish Deputy Minister asked that the EU fulfil the remaining provisions of the EU-Turkey Joint Statement.
Mr. Varvitsiotis also emphasized to the Turkish Deputy Minister that as long as the Turkish side chooses to resort to actions and provocations that challenge Greece’s sovereign rights, there will be less potential for the sincere and productive bilateral dialogue that Greece looks forward to for improving bilateral relations. In the same spirit, he noted that extreme statements that stoke tensions must be avoided.
Today’s videoconference was part of a series of meetings that the Alternate Minister of Foreign Affairs is holding with all of the members states of the Council of Europe, in his capacity as Chairman of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe.
June 12, 2020