The Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a written statement on the evening of January 11th announcing that the 61st round of exploratory talks between Turkey and Greece aimed at demarcating the continental shelf and exclusive economic zone between the two countries will be held in Istanbul on January 25.
Turkish Foreign Minister Çavušoğlu said on the 11th that Turkey has always stressed its willingness to resume exploratory talks with Greece without preconditions.
However, Greece has refused to resume talks on the grounds that Turkish exploration ships entered the disputed sea area. Now that the work of the earth-related exploration ship has been completed, Greece now has no other excuse to refuse the exploration talks. Chavushoğlu stressed that Turkey invited Greece to resume exploratory talks together.
Earlier that day, Greek Prime Minister Mizotakis, who was visiting Portugal, said that if the time of the exploratory talks was set, the Greek side would participate in the talks.
He said that Greece is waiting for Turkey’s invitation, and Turkey’s desire to resume exploratory talks is positive. On the evening of the 11th, the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs also issued a statement saying that Greece accepted the invitation of Turkey and agreed to resume talks.
According to the Turkish Anadolu News Agency, Turkey and Greece opened exploratory talks with Ankara on March 12, 2002 to resolve disputes in the Aegean Sea and lay the foundation for a mutually acceptable “fair, lasting and comprehensive” solution.
Since then, exploratory talks between the two countries have continued until the 60th round of talks held in Athens on March 1, 2016.
Since then, talks between Turkey and Greece have been held in the form of political consultations, and no exploratory talks have been held.
