Greek and Turkish delegations convene in Athens at the Ministry of National Defense for a crucial meeting on Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) on Monday.

Led by Amb. Theocharis Lalakos and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Burak Akçapar, the two delegations will engage in discussions aimed at fostering trust and cooperation between the nations.

Joining them are senior and high-ranking officers from both countries’ Armed Forces, highlighting the importance of military diplomacy in this dialogue.

These CBMs, coupled with a positive agenda, are pivotal milestones in the ongoing Greek-Turkish dialogue, with notable attention drawn to Greek PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ upcoming visit to Turkey and his scheduled meeting with Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on May 13 in Ankara.

However, today’s meeting occurs amidst recent tensions stemming from Ankara’s objection to Greece’s intent to establish undersea marine parks in the central Aegean and the Ionian Sea. Athens rebukes Ankara’s reaction as “completely unjustified.”

It’s worth noting that the previous meeting on Confidence Building Measures occurred on Nov. 13, 2023, in Ankara, indicating the ongoing efforts to nurture dialogue and cooperation between the two neighboring countries.