While the countries are in a detente using diplomacy trying to settle their differences, especially sovereignty of the seas, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan Greek politics is driven by anti-Turkish bias.
He said that, “No political legitimacy in Greece is strong enough to resolve its problems with Turkey,” although he urged a continuation of dialogue and restraint while blasting what he said was rhetoric against Turkey by Greek politicians.
Fidan said Greek politics have long relied on portraying Turkey as an adversary to manage internal crises, reported Turkey’s Anadolu Agency. “Greek politics feed on anti-Türkiye narratives. Whenever there is a corruption scandal or domestic unrest, they bring up Türkiye. This has to stop,” he said on a TV program.
“I want to remind our Greek neighbors: Turks and Greeks are ancient peoples of this region. We must find a way out of this deadlock together. The future is waiting for us,” he said. “If you continue producing a language of threats, Turkey can respond tenfold. There is no need for this. Let’s not base politics on hostility.”
Fidan said the Turkish government never builds its domestic policy on “anti-Greek positions” and said Greece should do the same. “When you come with the language of peace, Turkey responds with peace. But if another tone is used, we have the capacity to answer accordingly. Still, we never start such rhetoric. Our first language is peace,” he said. He didn’t name which Greek politicians he accused of being anti-Turkish.
Fidan confirmed that he will attend the EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting in Luxembourg, where a meeting with Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis is planned. “Our Greek counterparts are not fully comfortable with this situation, but dialogue is the only way forward,” he said.
“Let’s not waste more time. An enduring peace between Turkey and Greece in the Aegean is possible; let’s make it possible. In the Mediterranean, it is possible; let’s make it possible. And on Cyprus, peaceful coexistence between Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots as equal partners is possible; let’s make it possible,” he said.