Tensions in the Mediterranean decrease, Turkey and Greece are ready to start talks on the conflict

With a single sentence in its official communication, the Greek Foreign Ministry announced on Tuesday afternoon that it will start talks with Ankara. "Greece and Turkey agreed to start the 61st cycle of exploratory talks between the two sides in Istanbul soon," the statement said.

It is about talks held by both countries regarding the disputes they have, where each party declares its positions and seeks to learn the intentions of the other party. While the Turkish Ministry of Defense announced that the fifth technical meeting between the Greek and Turkish delegations at the NATO headquarters has ended and the new meetings will take place next week.

Official Athens declares that the only disagreement it has with Turkey is the delimitation of maritime spaces and the EEZ between the two countries, while Turkey, for its part, has thrown many issues into discussion. Earlier, German Chancellor Merkel and the President of the European Council Charles Michel held a teleconference with the Turkish President Erdogan, in the framework of the preparation of the high EU summit that was postponed to the beginning of October, where one of the issues will be the activity of Turkey in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Although diplomatic sources in Athens expressed optimism about this development, there is still restraint, since the Turkish president has told Chancellor Merkel on the one hand that he is ready to start talks with Athens, on the other hand he accuses Greece of having unacceptable positions on maritime borders. in the Aegean and the Mediterranean.

Even Erdogan's change of attitude to sit at the negotiating table is considered a move he makes to avoid possible sanctions that could be imposed on Turkey by the EU's high summit, for the oil and gas exploration that it developed. in recent weeks in maritime waters in the Eastern Mediterranean which Greece claims to be under its jurisdiction, actions that almost brought about a military conflict between the two countries.

The latest developments come after the statement, which was discussed a lot in the Greek press, of the US embassy in Ankara, regarding its position regarding the so-called Seville Charter, which the US does not consider to have legal status even today. Meanwhile, the phone call of the Turkish leader with his French counterpart Macron is expected with special interest, which will be the first conversation after the harsh criticisms that the two leaders have exchanged about the situation in the region.