Defense minister on Mitsotakis-Erdogan talks: ‘We agreed to disagree’

A meeting between Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the sidelines of a NATO summit in London on Thursday did not yield any results as both sides “agreed to disagree,” according to Greek Defense Minister Nikos Panagiotopoulos.

“The prime minister raised all the issues, said what he wanted to say and criticized what he wanted to criticize in the behavior of the Turkish side. Erdogan presented a series of issues and, eventually, we politely agreed to disagree,” he told Greek broadcaster ANT1.

Panagiotopoulos said Erdogan did not provide any details on the memorandum of understanding his country signed with Libya, despite Mitsotakis’ request.

The deal, signed last week, ostensibly delimitates maritime borders between the two countries.

“We decided and agreed that the problem is not so big as the agreement will pass from the Turkish Parliament so it will be published,” he said, adding that Erdogan joked during the meeting that Athens could have received a copy of the deal from the Libyan ambassador “but…you are removing him.”

Speaking after their talks in London, Mitsotakis said he told Erdogan that the Turkey-Libya deal is legally void and complicates relations in a sensitive region.

“I presented all the issues arising from the latest Turkish actions. The disagreements from both sides were noted. The two sides, however, agreed to continue discussions on the confidence-building measures of the defense ministry,” he said.