Turkey and Greece are ready to start "exploratory talks" over their differences in the eastern Mediterranean, the Turkish presidency announced on Tuesday (September 22nd). 

The dialogue will resume "soon" in Istanbul, announced for its part, in a statement, the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

During a videoconference between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and European Council President Charles Michel, participants said "Turkey and Greece are ready to start exploratory talks" on the Eastern Mediterranean, where the two countries compete for areas potentially rich in natural gas. 

President Erdogan said at the meeting that "the momentum to lower tensions and exploit channels of dialogue must be backed up by reciprocal measures," according to the same source.

He said Friday he was ready to meet Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis if he saw signs of "good intentions" on his part in the crisis between their countries in the eastern Mediterranean. 

The last "exploratory talks" aimed at settling their differences in the Eastern Mediterranean took place in 2016.  

Escalation of tensions

Turkey and Greece, both members of NATO, are tearing up over oil fields in the eastern Mediterranean, in an area that Athens considers to be under its sovereignty.   

On August 10, Ankara sent a seismic survey vessel accompanied by warships to the waters between Greece and Cyprus.

The tension had worsened in late August, when the two countries carried out rival military maneuvers. 

The crisis is on the program of a European summit on September 24 and 25 in Brussels, several countries, including France, brandishing the threat of sanctions against Turkey. 

To back up their demands on the disputed sectors in the Mediterranean, Turkey and Greece have signed controversial maritime delimitation agreements in recent months, respectively with the Libyan government in Tripoli and with Egypt. 

In a meeting with reporters on Tuesday, the US ambassador to Ankara said "no card or unilateral statement impacting the rights of a third party is valid in a dispute settlement. maritime, ”he said. 

With AFP 

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