A diplomatic Athens awaits Gul

The government is preparing to greet Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, due to visit Athens later this month, with a positive and constructive attitude in order to smooth out issues causing bilateral tensions, Kathimerini has learned. According to government sources, a meeting between Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis, Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis and Defense Minister Evangelos Meimarakis yesterday focused on adding new proposals to «trust-building measures» already agreed upon by Athens and Ankara. But the same sources indicated that Gul might not be as amicably disposed as his Greek hosts – partly due to pre-election pressures at home – and might seek to broach thorny issues such as the rights of the Muslim minority in Thrace, Nicosia’s bid to launch offshore oil and gas exploration, and Ankara’s flagging bid to join the European Union. The issue of the Muslim minority in Thrace is expected to feature high on Gul’s agenda as Ankara claims that Athens is depriving this minority of their rights. It is almost certain that Gul will visit Thrace during his stay in Greece. «Solving the problem of the Turkish minority in western Thrace is a pivotal issue for Greek-Turkish relations,» diplomatic sources at the New Anatolian newspaper said yesterday. But sources at the Foreign Ministry in Athens said Bakoyannis «has no intention of tackling the issue of Thrace’s Muslim minority jointly with Mr Gul, who would do well to listen to those in his own country calling on him to adopt European rules and standards as regards minorities.» Athens is also bracing for a possible attempt by Gul to discuss the issue of Cyprus’s offshore exploration plans, sources added. Meanwhile, in Brussels yesterday, Cypriot Foreign Minister Giorgos Lillikas told European Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn that Nicosia would oppose any attempt by the European Union to launch direct trade with the Turkish-occupied north of Cyprus.