A man sits on a bench next to a sign reading ‘Peace’ near a main checkpoint in the divided capital of Nicosia, July 22. One issue that could affect Greece-Turkey relations is the Cyprus issue and efforts to restart negotiations before UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres leaves office. The greater risk lies in the parallel dialogue between the European Union and Ankara, where issues including Turkish participation in SAFE and an upgrade of the customs union have been informally linked to the Cyprus talks. [AP]
Athens is assessing foreign-policy developments that could affect Greek-Turkish relations and shape domestic debate as national elections appear to be shifting toward 2027.
A first concern is the planned resumption of water depth surveys tied to the Great Sea Interconnector electricity link. Greek officials expect a survey vessel to be hired, a move that could test whether the Turkish navy repeats actions east of Crete and Kasos and whether France responds. Questions also remain over how the surveys would begin, including whether Greek authorities alone would issue Navtex notices.
A second issue is the possibility that Turkey could bring a “Blue Homeland” bill before parliament during Greece’s election period, a step Athens believes would worsen bilateral relations.
