Turkish FM speaks of ‘economic cooperation’ in Aegean

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Monday indicated that Greece and Turkey should explore the “potential” of economic cooperation, with the Aegean “at the center,” as part of efforts to ease tension between the two neighbors, following talks last week between Turkey’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Greek Prime MInister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

“There is a lot of work that needs to be done, the most important of which is to ensure that there is no escalation of tensions in the Aegean,” Fidan told a press conference shortly before his departure from the United States, where he held talks with American, Greek and other officials on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.

“Particularly with the Aegean at the center, the economic potential between the two countries needs to be highlighted,” he added, without elaborating.

Fidan also referred to his talks with his Greek counterpart, George Gerapetritis, saying they “showed that some of the existing problems between Greece and Turkey, which arose before our generations, can be resolved today, transformed into opportunities,” while he also referred to the “creation of a mechanism for greater prosperity and cooperation in the region.”

He added, however, that the aim would be to ensure regional stability, “without compromising the rights and interests of Turkey.”