With the days counting down to the NATO Leaders' Summit in Vilnius (11-12 July), Athens and Ankara are preparing their dossiers with their positions and their red lines, while at the same time trying to get to know each other.
In this context, Defence Minister Nikos Dendias spoke on the phone with his Turkish counterpart Yasar Güler. In a related post, the Greek minister said: "In a telephone conversation with Turkish Defence Minister Yasar Güler, we exchanged congratulations on our assumption of office and wished each other success. During our telephone conversation, we stressed the need to maintain a good climate between our countries and agreed to meet in Vilnius at the NATO Summit. It was first agreed to hold a discussion on the Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) between Greece and Turkey, the details of which will be clarified in Vilnius". The phone call was made at the Turkish initiative.
It was their first communication and was more of a recognition as the fact that the Turkish side is going to the summit wanting to push through positions such as changing the name of the Dardanelles Strait to "Turkish Straits" is strongly opposed by Athens.
Tomorrow, however, Defence Minister Nikos Dendias will pay an official visit to Cyprus. The Defence Minister will be accompanied during his visit by the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces, General Konstantinos Floros.
The Greek Minister of National Defence will be received by the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Nicos Christodoulides, at the Presidential Palace.
He will then proceed to the Cyprus Ministry of National Defence, where he will have a private meeting with his counterpart, Michalis Yiorgallas. After the meeting, the two Ministers will make joint statements to the press.
The Minister of National Defence will also visit the "Mound of Makedonitissa" and the "Prisoner's Memorials", and will then visit the Camp of the Hellenic Forces of Cyprus (ELDYK).
However, from the side of Athens there is a willingness for dialogue but always on the basis of International Law and this was evident from the statements of Mr. Gerapetritis in Cyprus: we are ready to take advantage of the current positive climate that has been created and to create conditions for dialogue, based on the Law of the Sea, with the aim of settling the bilateral dispute on the delimitation of the continental shelf and the Exclusive Economic Zone. It remains to be seen whether Turkey also sincerely wishes to forge a path of rapprochement, without this meaning that Greece will back down on its red lines and national priorities. A fair resolution of the Cyprus problem is a major priority.
As if that was not enough, Turkey with the illegal NOTAM A4670/23 attempted to block an area in the heart of the Aegean Sea for fire exercises of its Air Force and Navy from 4 July to 31 August! Athens reacted immediately by cancelling the Turkish NOTAM as Turkey has no authority to issue instructions to fliers in the FIR of Athens, the period of almost two months is unacceptably long and especially in the area that the Turks wanted is also Greek airspace.
