Turkey’s foreign minister, Hakan Fidan, commented on the upcoming meeting between Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, saying Greece’s leadership has the intention and ability to move bilateral issues forward but faces internal political constraints.
In an interview with CNN Turk, Fidan discussed the planned talks between Mitsotakis and Erdogan and addressed the broader state of Greek-Turkish relations. He expressed confidence in both Mitsotakis and Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis, saying he believes they have the will and capability to take discussions further.
“I sincerely believe that both Prime Minister Mitsotakis and Foreign Minister Gerapetritis have the intention and the ability to solve this problem, to move the issue even further,” Fidan said.
However, he argued that Greece’s domestic political environment complicates efforts to resolve long-standing disputes between the two countries. According to Fidan, internal political competition in Greece creates conditions that are not conducive to addressing strategic issues.
During the interview, Fidan also referred critically to Greek Defense Minister Nikos Dendias when prompted by the journalist. He suggested that political audiences and rivalries within Greece influence how leaders position themselves on sensitive bilateral matters.
Fidan added that Greek leaders often face an ongoing dilemma between pursuing solutions to historic disputes and navigating domestic political pressures.
His remarks came just hours before the scheduled meeting between Mitsotakis and Erdogan, which is expected to focus on Greek-Turkish relations.
