Enhanced ties and cooperation between Türkiye and Greece have the potential to increase regional prosperity, said the two countries Thursday in the Athens Declaration on Friendly Relations and Good-Neighbourliness on the occasion of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s official visit to the Greek capital.
"Recognizing the renewed will for cooperation between the Governments of the two countries and underlining that the bonds between the two neighboring nations harbor the potential to increase the region’s prosperity and dynamism markedly," the declaration emphasized the need to continue together for the benefit of both societies in an atmosphere of friendship and mutual trust.
According to the declaration, the two countries stressed they are committed to fostering friendly relations, mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and understanding and seeking resolution to any dispute between them in line with international law.
Against this background, the two countries agreed to continue constructive and meaningful consultations based on the pillars of political dialogue, positive agenda and confidence-building measures and refrain from acts and statements that might undermine the spirit of the declaration.
Furthermore, the two sides underscored that they would work to cultivate "a spirit of solidarity in the face of current and future challenges without any prejudice to each other’s legal positions," according to the declaration.
They also announced that they would encourage the exchange of visits at every level with a result-oriented approach to promote a positive atmosphere and agenda.
New agreements
The parties also signed one agreement, seven memorandum of understanding (MoUs) and seven joint declarations covering different fields.
The agreement between the two countries’ education ministers covers the recognition of technical education diplomas, the exchange of knowledge and experience, the organization of joint educational activities for teachers and students and student exchanges.
MoUs were signed in the fields of electricity transmission, small and medium enterprises, export promotion and mutual investment, social security and sports.
Moreover, joint declarations included cooperation in tourism and science, customs and rural development, among other domains.
Erdoğan was in Athens for the first time since 2017 after a long period of tension marked by disputes over migration, energy exploration in the Aegean and territorial sovereignty. The visit marked the opening of a new chapter between the two neighbors.
The two leaders agreed on a roadmap for political dialogue, low-level fields of cooperation and confidence-building steps.
Greek and Turkish ministers also held a meeting of the High Cooperation Council, a bilateral body that last convened in 2016.
Genuine willingness
Voicing optimism on Thursday over the settlement of any future tensions, Greek foreign minister George Gerapetritis observed "a genuine willingness" to boost bilateral ties in an interview with Greek public broadcaster ERT.
"The time has come for us to have another understanding. We are neighboring countries united by geography," he said, adding that the two countries should put aside their differences and focus on factors uniting them.
"Today is a historic day, as manifested by the declaration on friendly relations and good neighborliness, which highlights what unites us."
He added that he is optimistic that the two countries can handle any possible tension better in the future.
"There can be tensions, but they should not stop the course of productive relations," Gerapetritis said.
He also said that the only major dispute between the two NATO allies is the delimitation of the economic exclusive zone and the maritime boundaries of the continental shelf.
The positive momentum in ties was also welcomed by the U.S.
"The U.S. supports bilateral discussions at all levels for Greece and Türkiye to work together on fostering peace, security, and prosperity in the region," a State Department spokesperson wrote in an email in response to Anadolu Agency’s (AA) question.