Greek-Turkish ties could hit some snags
The next phase of Greek-Turkish relations in the next two months may possibly feature frequent rhetorical outbursts from the other side of the Aegean.
The new framework shaped by Athens’ agreement with the United States for the purchase of F-35 fighter jets and local elections in Turkey on March 31 are not expected to allow space for Ankara to make any immediate “big” moves – that is assuming that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan does indeed want to make substantial progress in the dispute over the delimitation of the continental shelf and exclusive economic zone.
Erdogan’s government is said to be under pressure inside Turkey, as there is a sense that the balance of power in the Aegean is tipping in favor of Greece, especially in the air. At the same time, Erdogan is focused on the upcoming local elections, where the stakes are high both in Ankara and Istanbul, and it would make sense for him to avoid moves that would alienate a more conservative audience.
Against this backdrop, Athens does not rule out more references from the Erdogan government to the “Blue Homeland” – a doctrine that envisages Turkish influence over large swathes of the Mediterranean, at the expense of neighbors including Greece.
However, the timetable of bilateral contacts is expected to be kept. The visit by Greek Deputy Foreign Minister Kostas Fragogiannis to Turkey in the context of the so-called positive agenda has already taken place, while Deputy Foreign Minister Alexandra Papadopoulou and Turkish counterpart Burak Aksapar will meet on March 11, while Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis is scheduled to visit Ankara in May.
