Samaras and foreign minister discuss Turkey, Cyprus
Less than a week after Ankara said it was ready to negotiate a two-state solution to the Cyprus problem if no deal were reached for a joint exploitation of the island’s natural gas reserves, Prime Minister Antonis Samaras on Monday met with Foreign Minister Dimitris Avramopoulos to discuss what is perceived as growing Turkish assertiveness in the region.
Athens is concerned that Turkey’s Cyprus comments may signal a similar stance on areas in the Aegean Sea and the Eastern Mediterranean.
Officials also discussed Turkey’s rapprochement with Israel, a development that is not expected to affect Greece’s bridge building with Tel Aviv. The two states are set to hold high-level talks in the coming weeks.
