Positive agenda to dominate Erdogan visit

A wide range of so-called “low diplomacy” issues will be revised on Thursday when Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan travels to Athens, accompanied by a number of Turkish government ministers. Athens believes that the High Council meeting agreed upon during Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ meeting with Erdogan in Vilnius last July could foster not just political discussion and confidence building measures, but also a positive agenda on a number of subjects.

According to Turkish media, among the issues the two leaders will discuss are also developments in Gaza, the roadmap of Greek-Turkish relations and the effort to reach an agreement on the continental shelf. The meeting between the two leaders is expected to address issues of the two countries’ minorities, as well as their positions on energy issues in the East Mediterranean region.

“In recent years, relations between the two countries for many different reasons were let go and nothing progressed,” a government source told Kathimerini, adding that cooperation in so-called low diplomacy is extremely important as it forges relations. The meeting of the High Cooperation Council will be attended by 11 ministers from the Greek side and eight from the Turkish delegation. Education Minister Kyriakos Pierrakakis, Culture Minister Lina Mendoni and Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni took part in the preparations for the visit, signifying the expanding areas of cooperation.

Kathimerini understands the Greek side is mulling a proposal for joint excavations by Greek and Turkish archaeologists both in Turkey and in Greece. On the agenda is primarily the prehistoric period (5000 BC), which is less “politicized” than the Classical and Hellenistic periods. The involvement of Minister of Education Pierrakakis in the bilateral contacts is also seen as an interesting development, as, according to sources, there are thoughts on the Greek side for an exchange of know-how in vocational education.

Another thought is the creation of joint summer camps so that Greek and Turkish students can spend part of their holidays in each other’s countries.

The migration issue will also be at the forefront, as Turkey is also interested in showing its good face to the EU. Among the discussions will be an exchange of coast guard officers, where a Greek officer will be in Izmir and a Turkish one on Lesvos, and the strengthening of tourism through the abolition of visas.