UPDATE - 'Turkey-Greece disputes can be resolved through talks'

UPDATES WITH MORE REMARKS FROM TURKISH AND GREEK FOREIGN MINISTERS

By Sena Guler and Havva Kara Aydin

ANKARA (AA) - Turkey believes that disputes with Greece can be resolved through constructive dialogue, the Turkish foreign minister said on Thursday.

In a joint news conference with his Greek counterpart Nikos Dendias, Mevlut Cavusoglu said that faits accomplis and provocative rhetoric should be avoided in relations between the two countries.

Highlighting that trying to find a solution through third parties was not a right approach, Cavusoglu said the revival of dialogue channels between the two countries again was “very positive.”

“It is in our interests that minorities in both countries live in peace and prosperity and it will have positive impacts,” he said, adding that minorities in Turkey and Greece were among the topics of discussion during their meeting.

“We wanted this first meeting to continue in a more positive atmosphere, but in his remarks, Nikos Dendias, unfortunately, made extremely unacceptable accusations against my country,” Cavusoglu said.

He said the claim that Turkey violated Greece’s sovereignty rights was unacceptable, adding: “Turkey is capable of protecting its rights, especially in Eastern Mediterranean, and the rights of Turkish Cypriots.”

On the Turkish minority in Western Thrace, Cavusoglu said that Turkey accepts the Greek Orthodox minority as they are, but Greece tells the Turkish minority that they are not Turks but Muslims.

“This is neither humane nor in compliance with international law,” he said, adding: “If they say they are Turkish, they are Turkish. You have to accept it.”

- 'Communication channels should remain open'

For his part, Dendias said his country and Turkey can create a positive agenda in the field of economy.

“In this context, we hope that our economic cooperation that existed in the past years will be taken further,” he said.

He said the talks took place in an open and sincere environment, adding: “Communication channels between the two countries should remain open. Our primary goal is to establish peaceful coexistence on the basis of international law."

Dendias went onto say that the two countries should continue to coexist under the basic rules of NATO and the UN charter, of which they became members about 70 years ago, and the principles of the EU.

Noting that Turkey has repeatedly expressed EU membership as a strategic goal, the Greek foreign minister said: “Likewise, I welcome discussions on confidence-building measures to be taken.”

He also said that they agreed with Cavusoglu to develop cooperation between the two countries in various fields.

Turkey, which has the longest continental coastline in the Eastern Mediterranean, has rejected maritime boundary claims by Greece and the Greek Cypriot administration, stressing that their excessive claims violate the sovereign rights of Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots.

Last year, Ankara sent out several drill ships to explore energy in the Eastern Mediterranean, asserting its rights in the region as well as those of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.

Turkish leaders have repeatedly stressed that Ankara is in favor of resolving outstanding problems in the region through international law, good neighborly relations, dialogue, and negotiations.​​​​​​​