by zan » Wed Jan 23, 2008 10:18 pm
Karamanlis: Time to begin work on long-lasting problems
The Greek government is ready to work in earnest to further improve ties with neighboring Turkey, said Greek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis ahead of a historic visit to Ankara beginning today, warning that the time has come to start resolving a number of substantial problems plaguing the countries' ties despite an unprecedented recovery in recent years.
"The Greek government and I are ready to expend every effort to help better our relations in a substantial manner," he said in an interview with the Anatolia news agency. He stressed that there were still serious problems the two countries needed to deal with despite drastic improvements in the areas of trade and social and cultural interaction in recent years, citing the Cyprus dispute in particular. Karamanlis, who arrives in Ankara today for a three-day visit, is the first Greek prime minister to visit Turkey in 49 years.
"We attach great importance to this visit, which has much meaning for Turkish-Greek relations," Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said yesterday. The trip comes in the wake of the launch of a pipeline transferring natural gas from Caspian Sea suppliers to Europe in November. This was the latest step in a major recovery in economic ties between the two archrivals since a devastating 1999 quake in Turkey's northwest triggered an outpouring of sympathy between the two nations. Political contacts have also intensified, and the Greek government has taken a strong stance in favor of Turkey's accession to the EU.
But a number of serious problems remain to be solved. Tension has been high in the Aegean recently, as the Turkish military has accused Greek war planes and fishing boats of increased violations of Turkey's airspace and territorial waters. The two countries are also at odds over Cyprus, divided between a Greek Cypriot-controlled south and a Turkish Cypriot north.
Karamanlis said his government remained committed to supporting Turkey's EU aspirations provided that Ankara fulfills the membership criteria. One key obstacle to the Turkish accession, he said, remains Cyprus and he called on Ankara to recognize the Greek Cypriot administration.
"Despite an overall improvement and although our economic relations have substantially progressed, there are still serious problems that we need to deal with. The Cyprus problem, which casts a shadow over our ties, should reach a settlement on the basis of a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation," Karamanlis said.
In an address to the Greek Parliament on Friday, Karamanlis said his country's ties with Turkey are not yet fully normalized. "I know this is a lengthy, difficult and tiring procedure. But in any case, we cannot let the problems persist forever," he told Anatolia, emphasizing that inactivity is very damaging for both countries. "Greece is extending its hand as a friend. I expect our Turkish friends to respond," he said.
During the Jan. 23-25 visit, Karamanlis will be in both Ankara and İstanbul, where he and Erdoğan are expected to attend a business forum on transport links, including possible direct flights between Athens and Ankara. He will also pay a visit to the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate based in İstanbul and meet Patriarch Bartholomew.