Greece seeks open channels with Turkey - Athens

Greece is looking to keep open channels of communication with Turkey after a contentious meeting between their respective foreign ministers last week, Greek newspaper Kathimerini reported on Monday. 

 Athens “seeks [to maintain] open channels of communication with Turkey and the consolidation of a positive atmosphere that will allow the easing of tensions and the adoption of a positive agenda,’’ it cited Aristotelia Peloni, the Greek government’s spokeswoman, as saying.

She added that Greece has submitted to Turkey a proposal that consists of 15 areas for economic cooperation as a starting point. 

Last week, Greece’s foreign minister Nikos Dendias met in Ankara with his Turkish counterpart Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu. The press conference that followed their meeting was marked by a furious public spat with the pair trading accusations. Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan praised Çavuşoğlu for putting Dendias “in his place.” 

Meanwhile, Turkey’s defence ministry announced on Monday that it would continue developing confidence building measures with Greece through another round of meetings, stopping short of  announcing a date for this meeting.