Ankara-Athens talks resumed after 5 years

Turkey has been at loggerheads with Greece and Cyprus over an energy-rich area in the Mediterranean Sea. Tensions flared up last year after Ankara deployed an exploration vessel to the contested waters. The move foundered plans for the resumption of Athens-Ankara negotiations that had been stalled since 2016.

The two sides were still trading barbs in the days leading up to the meetings. Last week Greek Prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said his country will attend those talks with optimism but Quote “Zero naivety” Issues that are on the agenda of the delegations are bilateral disputes, maritime boundaries, and drilling rights.

The meetings were held with international optimism as well, especially from the EU. Analysts say this whole meeting was due to the Bloc’s pressure on both sides and voiced concerns over the delegations failing to reach an agreement.

This is the 61st negotiations between the two as talks were initiated in March 2002 and stopped in 2016, without reaching an agreement.

Hopes seem high about the outcome of the talks but given previous experiences, observers say, the disputes between Turkey and Greece need more than this to be resolved.

MNA/PR