Erdoğan lost his mind and visited Athens

There is serious concern in Athens that Erdogan will use his second visit to a European country after Germany after October 7 to launch another attack against him from the summit summit forum on December 7 in Athens. Israel She too West and to further his neo-Ottoman ambitions.

Both sides have recently managed to avoid serious rhetorical outbursts (except for the Turkish admiral commander of the navy) but also actions that undermine the climate in the eyes of the ASS, as Erdogan himself has every reason to send a positive message from the meeting in Athens for reasons.

Erdogan appeared particularly positive about the meeting in Athens during his episodic press conference with President Soltz upon his return from Berlin.

“We will discuss these (issues) in the cooperation meeting we will hold. I hope that what K. Mitsotakis said will be true and our relations with Greece will reach a better level. I hope we will start, a new process and I hope we will succeed”. The Turkish leader emphasized that the interests of the two countries are in the same direction and that the differences on some issues can be resolved by prioritizing the dialogue. If we exclude countries from the process, there is no problem we can’t solve, and we want to “minimize enemies and maximize friends.” “.

However, this same “language” has been used several times by the Turkish president in the past, even when he made direct threats against our country.

However, it is interesting to note that both countries should resolve issues on their own without the intervention of a third party, referring to Turkey’s well-known complaints that Greece is “using” the EU. Pressure on Turkey and its objections to strengthening Greece-US military cooperation is seen by Greece as being directed against it by strengthening its diplomatic arsenal.

At the meeting in Athens, no agreement or even a reconciliation should be expected on the main issues in Greek-Turkish relations, and the process of examining the issues should continue in the context of consultation and agreement between the two leaders. Political conversation. A process expected again in early 2024, in the context of exploratory contacts, to initially explore where the two sides are at relatively long after the last meeting.

For Athens, it is important to establish whether this positive climate emanating from Ankara will also be reflected at the negotiating table, where it is important to start a discussion at the heart of Turkey, rather than expecting Turkish demands and disputes to be abandoned. If he attempts at the first moment to connect the dispute, the definition of the continental shelf/EEZ, or the well-known disputes about Greek sovereign rights, the conversation stops there.

According to reports, the Greek government is under no illusion that the dialogue can go far, as Turkish disputes over Turkish foreign policy have a structural nature. It is significant, however, that maintaining channels and discussions will preserve a tension-free atmosphere in Greek-Turkish relations, and that 11 months of calm in the Aegean could be 15 or 18 or even longer. Advantage.

As Athens looks to secure this climate, Erdogan’s aggressive rhetoric on the Gaza war is worrying. The Turkish leader himself has said that he is trying to convince countries that either voted against or did not vote (such as Greece) in the General Assembly referendum, condemning countries that support Israel and making them complicit in the “Gaza crime”. . UN calls for ceasefire

Although Greece has significantly moderated its initial position of full support for Israel on a political level, it is far from the Turkish positions laid out by President Erdogan. And it is obvious that K. Mitsotakis will not leave unanswered accusations and provocations not only against Greece but also against the EU. and the West as a whole. Also, saying that Israel is a “terrorist state” that would condemn the attempted occupation of Gaza would put the Greek side in a difficult position, coming from the leader of a country that threatened to launch missiles a year ago. As opposed to Athens, which is poised in the Eastern Mediterranean, it implements a policy of ethnic cleansing in northern Syria and represents a country that is essentially illegally owned. Northern Cyprus For 49 years.

D. in the Gaza War. Erdoğan, however, is not entirely inspired by humanitarian sentiments, but considers himself invented Unique opportunity As the leading power of the Muslim world, to unite the oppressed around the world and project his country’s new role as a leading regional power.

Of course, the fact that neither Israel, the West, nor the Arabs have shown interest in contributing to Turkey, and being excluded from negotiations for the release of the hostages, is even more infuriating. The D. Erdogan.

The meeting in Athens was not easy because the Turkish claims against our country were not abandoned, even in the important episode of Euro-Turks Mr. Erdogan wants to promote it for symbolic and practical reasons. To extract transfers from the West, it cannot continue. And Athens may announce its support for Turkey’s European path, but its stance on the Turkish leader’s two demands on visa liberalization and facilitation for Turkish citizens. customs union, With conditions that Ankara rejects.

Athens is already preparing for a tough meeting, hoping developments in the Gaza war will not cast a heavy shadow that will make it even more difficult.