Ankara talks pivotal for way forward
Meeting next week between Greek and Turkish FMs Gerapetritis, Fidan seen as litmus test
The meeting of the Greek and Turkish foreign ministers, George Gerapetritis and Hakan Fidan, next week in Ankara will be a test run for the next steps that will lead (or not) to a procedure for the drafting of an agreement to refer the Greek-Turkish maritime zone dispute to the International Court of Justice in The Hague.
The next steps are the restart of the Confidence Building Measures (CBM), if possible before the meeting between Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara around September 17-21, contacts at the official level of the foreign ministries in October, and the Supreme Cooperation Council in Thessaloniki in November.
The meeting in Ankara next week will also reveal how well the channels of communication function and whether fresh tensions will emerge.
Greek concerns stem from situations such as the recent tension in the United Nations Buffer Zone in Cyprus, which do not help the process.
The Gerapetritis-Fidan meeting will also demonstrate whether the good signals emanating from both parties can be established on solid foundations. Among the points to be considered is whether the agreement between Mitsotakis and Erdogan in Vilnius last July was followed through on.
Regarding the Foreign Ministry, it is expected that there will be contacts at the official level (diplomats and specialists) in October (after the summit), after the leaders give the green light.
Once this series of contacts has been completed, which will, in a positive scenario, have led to the subsequent launch of some more tangible developments, the High Cooperation Council (HCC) between Greece and Turkey will also take place in Thessaloniki. Barring any unforeseen eventuality, the council will meet in November.
The resumption of the military CBMs remains a question mark.
The informal moratorium that has been in place in the Aegean for several months has been effective and has not been breached by the Turkish side.
Summer has been rather tranquil on the military front. Any issues arose from migratory flows, as well as fishing.
Turkish fishing boats have recently appeared in the Dodecanese, without generating any concern.
