Mitsotakis-Erdoğan: The context of a staged delay -Turkish Leaks and the upcoming meeting

Recent developments successful Greek-Turkish relations — which for months person unfolded nether a clime of controlled hostility — person resulted successful the definitive postponement of the Mitsotakis-Erdoğan gathering scheduled for past nighttime astatine 21:00, with the Turkish broadside taking work for the change.

Around 4 hours earlier the scheduled meeting, contempt an archetypal statement and knowing that Erdoğan was to be an Arab nations acme with Donald Trump instantly afterward, the Turkish broadside requested a postponement. The Greek authorities responded by proposing alternate arrangements, but diplomatic exchanges astatine some the ministerial and advisor levels failed to unafraid a caller clip slot. Ultimately, the Turkish broadside was incapable to find an opening successful Erdoğan’s docket earlier helium departed for Washington this evening.

This cancellation — astatine slightest for the clip being — was confirmed by a elder Greek authorities root pursuing Prime Minister Mitsotakis’s gathering with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew. According to accusation gathered by Protothema.gr, behind-the-scenes factors whitethorn person influenced Turkey’s decision, including Greece’s caller diplomatic and operational initiatives, specified arsenic maritime spatial planning, marine parks, and moves successful the fields of vigor and Libya.

The Curious Leak

Adding to the complexity, Turkish media outlet Milliyet published claims that the gathering was canceled due to the fact that it had been leaked by the Greek side. This communicative did not spell unnoticed successful Athens.

A elder Greek authorities authoritative stated: “From the outset, our broadside has been transparent. We ever denote our meetings successful advance; Turkey mostly does not. The gathering had been afloat agreed and announced wrong the model of the UN General Assembly.” The authoritative besides confirmed that the statement was coordinated by the Prime Minister’s diplomatic adviser, Milton Nicolaides, successful consultation with Turkish counterparts.

Another Greek root added that if the gathering had not genuinely been agreed upon, Turkey would person responded to quality of the scheduled interaction past Thursday afternoon.

“Some Other Time”

In airy of these developments, some Athens and Ankara are present seeking different accidental for the 2 leaders to meet. “There volition beryllium an accidental for the 2 leaders to speech astatine immoderate different time,” a elder Greek authorities authoritative told reporters from New York. “After all, the Prime Minister has already met President Erdoğan 7 times, and we ever purpose to support connection channels open.”

Attention is present focused connected the anticipation of a gathering connected October 1 during the European Political Community gathering successful Copenhagen — should Erdoğan support his question plans. For now, however, the postponement has stirred the waters, and the “controlled tension” betwixt the 2 nations is apt to persist.