Greece and Turkey will explore whether they can start negotiations aimed at demarcating their maritime zones. This is reported by "Reuters", referring to the Greek Foreign Ministry, quoted by News.bg.
The two neighboring countries and NATO allies are historical enemies and have been in conflict for decades on a number of issues – from airspace to maritime jurisdiction in the Eastern Mediterranean and ethnically divided Cyprus.
Agreement on where their maritime zones begin and end is important for determining rights to potential gas reserves and energy infrastructure projects.
Tensions have eased in recent years, and in 2023 the two sides agreed to resume relations, pledging to keep channels of communication open and work on the issues that divide them.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met on the sidelines of the annual UN General Assembly in New York yesterday and discussed bilateral relations, the Turkish Presidency and the Greek Foreign Ministry informed.
"The two leaders tasked the foreign ministers to examine whether the conditions are favorable for starting discussions on the demarcation of the continental shelf and the exclusive economic zone," Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis said.
The foreign ministers of the two countries will begin preparations for a high-level meeting to be held in Ankara in January.