Erdoğan plans ‘win-win’ approach in Athens after past feud
Helena Smith
Turkey’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, will be arriving in Athens today for the first time in six years, determined to move on with a “win-win approach” from the disputes and tensions left by his previous trip to the city.
The last time the Turkish leader visited the Greek capital – exactly six years ago to the day – what had been billed a historic tour descended into a verbal theatre of war as Erdoğan, dispensing with diplomatic niceties, went on the offensive.
Within an hour of stepping off the plane, he had: questioned the treaty delineating the borders between the two neighbours; raised the thorny question of war-split Cyprus; fulminated over the treatment of the Muslim minority in Thrace; and chastised the Greeks for their handling of Ottoman sites, a legacy of 400 years of Ottoman rule.
“We still haven’t forgotten it,” said one well-placed diplomat. “It was as if he was a boxer in the ring, throwing punches from beginning to end.”
From then on, bilateral ties only worsened, with the two Nato rivals nearly going to war over disputed undersea energy resources; Athens accusing its neighbour of “weaponising” migration and Ankara questioning the ownership of outlying Greek islands.
During Thursday’s visit – expected to last barely six hours – the famously unpredictable leader will put pugilism aside.
“We will go to Athens with a win-win approach,” Erdoğan told reporters aboard the presidential plane as he returned from the Cop28 climate summit.
“There, we will discuss both our bilateral relations and Turkey-EU relations in order to make decisions worthy of the spirit of the new era.”
Key events
Ahead of his visit to Greece, Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has taken a conciliatory tone – while underscoring that disagreements will persist.
Speaking after a cabinet meeting yesterday, he said:
We have had disagreements with Greece, and we will continue to have them tomorrow. This does not mean that we cannot find common ground as two countries that share the same seas.
The Turkish leader added:
Our goal is to improve and strengthen our relations and cooperation with the countries of the region, starting with our neighbors to respect our mutual interests.
Erdoğan plans ‘win-win’ approach in Athens after past feud
Helena Smith
Turkey’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, will be arriving in Athens today for the first time in six years, determined to move on with a “win-win approach” from the disputes and tensions left by his previous trip to the city.
The last time the Turkish leader visited the Greek capital – exactly six years ago to the day – what had been billed a historic tour descended into a verbal theatre of war as Erdoğan, dispensing with diplomatic niceties, went on the offensive.
Within an hour of stepping off the plane, he had: questioned the treaty delineating the borders between the two neighbours; raised the thorny question of war-split Cyprus; fulminated over the treatment of the Muslim minority in Thrace; and chastised the Greeks for their handling of Ottoman sites, a legacy of 400 years of Ottoman rule.
“We still haven’t forgotten it,” said one well-placed diplomat. “It was as if he was a boxer in the ring, throwing punches from beginning to end.”
From then on, bilateral ties only worsened, with the two Nato rivals nearly going to war over disputed undersea energy resources; Athens accusing its neighbour of “weaponising” migration and Ankara questioning the ownership of outlying Greek islands.
During Thursday’s visit – expected to last barely six hours – the famously unpredictable leader will put pugilism aside.
“We will go to Athens with a win-win approach,” Erdoğan told reporters aboard the presidential plane as he returned from the Cop28 climate summit.
“There, we will discuss both our bilateral relations and Turkey-EU relations in order to make decisions worthy of the spirit of the new era.”
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