Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis met Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on the sidelines of the South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP) Summit in Sofia on Wednesday, discussing transatlantic relations ahead of the July summit in Ankara, as well as developments in the Middle East and Eastern Mediterranean.
According to the Greek Foreign Ministry, Gerapetritis raised concerns over plans by Turkey’s ruling AKP to advance legislation linked to the “Blue Homeland” (Mavi Vatan) doctrine intended to “legally secure Turkey’s rights and interests in the Black Sea, the Mediterranean and the Aegean,” according to party sources.
Gerapetritis stressed, to his counterpart, that unilateral actions produce no legal effect and do not help preserve a climate of calm, while reiterating that the sole dispute between Greece and Turkey is the delimitation of the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and continental shelf.
The ministers also reviewed developments on Cyprus, including the upcoming meeting with the UN Secretary-General’s personal envoy and preparations for an informal expanded meeting on the issue.
Cyprus has remained divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded following a Greece-backed coup. The self-declared Turkish Cypriot administration in the north is recognized only by Turkey, which maintains more than 35,000 troops there.
