Turkey, Greece agree measures for closer ties

Ankara, Athens vow to intensify bilateral contacts, overcome long-standing rivalry.

ANKARA - Turkey and Greece agreed Thursday a series of measures to intensify bilateral contacts and bring their militaries closer, vowing commitment to overcome their long-standing rivalry.

The measures, announced by Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and Greece's visiting Deputy Foreign Minister Dimitris Droutsas, were agreed ahead of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's visit to Athens, expected in mid-May.

"We want to base our ties on a brand new concept" of cooperation, Davutoglu told a joint news conference, adding that he and Droutsas discussed the need for a mutual cut of defense expenditures.

"This new vision is based not on a perception of mutual threat but an understanding of common interest... When we succeed building this common future together, defense requirements will mutually cease to exist," he said.

The two neighbors agreed to set up a regular consultation platform to convene at least once a year, headed by their prime ministers and including 10 ministers from each country.

They also outlined a series of fresh confidence-building measures between their militaries, whose ties have often been strained -- despite being NATO allies -- owing to long-standing territorial disputes in the Aegean Sea.

The measures include the exchange of military units for training, mutual visits and conferences for cadets, and joint organization of training programs for soldiers from countries that have partnership deals with NATO, according to a written statement issued after the talks.

"These measures will help bring our countries, peoples and armies closer," Droutsas said through an interpreter.

The two sides, he added, will also intensify talks aimed at resolving disputes over territorial rights in the Aegean Sea, which have been going on for several years behind closed doors.

Erdogan and Greek Prime Minister Georges Papandreou, who came to power in October, have exchanged letters stressing desire to revive efforts for better ties.

In 1999, Papandreou, then foreign minister, and his late Turkish counterpart Ismail Cem led a spectacular drive of rapprochement, drawing on unprecedented solidarity the two nations displayed after deadly quakes hit them a few weeks apart.

The thaw was followed by a boom in trade and tourism, but the two countries remain at loggerheads over the Cyprus conflict and territorial rights.

Source: Middle East Online.
Link: http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=38322.