Deputy Foreign Minister Burak Akçapar and his Greek counterpart Alexandra Papadopoulou reiterated Ankara and Athens' commitment to further strengthen the existing positive atmosphere in line with the Athens Declaration signed in December by the two countries’ leaders.

Akçapar and Papadopoulou met in the capital Ankara for a political dialogue on bilateral and international cooperation, according to the statement of the Turkish Foreign Ministry.

"They reviewed the preparations for the upcoming visit of (Greek) Prime Minister Mitsotakis to Türkiye in May, and took stock of progress achieved so far in the existing dialogue channels, covering all aspects of the bilateral relationship," the statement said.

After a long period of tensions marked by disputes over irregular migration, the Cyprus dispute, energy exploration and territorial sovereignty in the Aegean, Türkiye and Greece have been taking confidence-building steps for a fragile normalization of their relations, which moved into a new chapter with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s landmark visit to Athens in December.

During the visit, the sides announced a friendship declaration, visa facilitation for Turkish citizens for 10 Greek islands in the northern Aegean for up to seven days and the decreased flow of irregular migrants to Greece.