Joint statements of Foreign Minister Kotzias and Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, following their unofficial meeting in Crete

N. KOTZIAS: It was with great pleasure that I received my friend Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, and together we saw one aspect of the island’s many beauties. We had yet another opportunity to talk about the major problems developing in our region, to find ways in which we can work together and contribute the solution of these problems. Once again, I expressed the Greek people’s solidarity with the Turkish people who fought off the attempted coup in Turkey. We talked about our cooperation, which has entered a fast channel, especially following the meeting of the two governments in Izmir this year, and we decided to continue to explore the channels of understanding, dialogue and cooperation that we have in sectors such as economic cooperation, cooperation on transport, the confidence-building measures, and political dialogue.

Greek foreign policy continues its work unabated. We are developing our relations with neighbouring countries and throughout Europe and the wider region, but Turkey is a country with which we have special relations and special interests. This is why today’s meeting is of great importance for both countries and, I think, for the wider region.

I thank Mevlüt once again for his visit, and we will now go to see the place where Zeus was born, on the Lasithi Plateau. That is essentially where Europa was born, Zeus having abducted her from Libya. A myth that is profoundly antiracist and that no one in Europe should forget.

Mevlüt, thank you very much for the visit.

Μ. ÇAVUŞOĞLU: First of all, I would like to thank my friend Nikos for his invitation. I am overjoyed to be here in Crete. In the area where I live, in Antalya, there are many people with origins in Crete. I have spoken with them quite a number of times, but this is my first visit to the island.

I express my great thanks to the dear Prime Minister, Mr. Tsipras, and to my friend Nikos and the Greek people for the support they offered to us, to our government, to our democracy and to the Turkish people in the difficult moments we went through in Turkey during the recent attempted coup. The solidarity of the Greek people and the clear stance taken by the Greek government were received with great pleasure by the Turkish people, who say, in fact, that, in Europe, no one can understand the danger Turkey was in better than Greece and the Greek people.

Everyone’s efforts are focused on strengthening the relations between Turkey and Greece even further. As you know, our countries have the institution of the High Level Cooperation Council, and, apart from that, there are various mechanisms, such as the confidence-building measures, the political dialogue and the exploratory talks. Beyond that, at the suggestion of my friend Nikos, we have begun meeting in Turkey and Greece on an unofficial basis. At the beginning of this year, I hosted him in Istanbul for a dinner, and that is why I am here today, at his invitation. We expressed our will to improve our relations even further. As he said, we also assessed the developments in our wider region.

Our conversation was very constructive. That is why we support the efforts being made in the talks that are continuing in Cyprus for finding a solution. I hope that, this time, the two sides in Cyprus capitalize on this opportunity they have, and we, both sides, will give our support. My friend will now show me the most beautiful areas of Crete, and I think that we deserve this following the work we have done here. My great thanks for the invitation and the hospitality.