A possible meeting between the Greek and Turkish foreign ministers on the sidelines of a regional gathering in Sofia on Wednesday could provide the first direct opportunity for Athens and Ankara to address a series of recent round of friction, including scrutiny surrounding a proposed Turkish law on maritime zones, tensions in the eastern Aegean and developments related to Cyprus.
Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis and his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan are both expected to attend the Southeast European Cooperation Process (SEECP) ministerial meeting in the Bulgarian capital. Although no bilateral meeting had been formally scheduled by the two diplomatic teams as of Monday, officials from both sides have not ruled out a brief encounter during the conference. Any discussion would come ahead of a planned meeting between the two ministers in Ankara next month on the margins of the NATO summit.
The possibility of talks follows several weeks of diplomatic friction triggered by reports surrounding a Turkish legislative initiative that Athens believes could revive longstanding disputes over maritime jurisdiction in the eastern Mediterranean. Greek officials have repeatedly argued that unilateral actions under the law of the sea cannot create legal rights or establish faits accomplis, a position that has also been echoed by European partners.
The issue is expected to dominate any direct exchange between the two ministers, despite the SEECP meeting’s formal agenda focusing on regional connectivity, security cooperation, economic development and the European integration of the western Balkans. Greece has recently intensified efforts to promote a faster accession path for western Balkan states, viewing regional stability as a strategic priority.
Athens is also expected to raise concerns over what it describes as a recent increase in Turkish military activity in the Aegean, including armed fighter jet flights and other incidents that Greek officials say undermine confidence-building efforts. Particular attention is likely to be given to the reported harassment of an aircraft carrying Defense Minister Nikos Dendias to Cyprus ahead of an informal meeting of EU defense ministers in Nicosia, allegations that Ankara has rejected.
The Cyprus issue is also expected to feature prominently in any discussions. Diplomatic activity has intensified in recent weeks as the United Nations seeks to revive talks on the island’s future. UN envoy María Ángela Holguín is expected to visit both Athens and Ankara after consultations in Cyprus, while another informal meeting involving the parties to the dispute is anticipated later this summer.
The potential Sofia encounter would continue a series of contacts between Gerapetritis and Fidan that have helped maintain open channels despite recurring disagreements. Over the past six months, the two sides have sought to preserve a broader dialogue on bilateral relations, migration, confidence-building measures and regional security, even as disputes over maritime claims, Cyprus and military activity in the Aegean remain unresolved.
