UK welcomes Turkey-Greece exploratory talks

LONDON (AA) - Britain on Thursday said it welcomes the exploratory talks between Turkey and Greece.

“The UK welcomes the resumption of exploratory talks between Greece and Turkey to reduce regional tensions and the commitment from both sides that they will continue,” said Wendy Morton, the Foreign Office minister for Europe and the Americas.

This is a welcome step from our two NATO allies and for stability and prosperity in the Eastern Mediterranean,” Morton wrote on Twitter.

Morton’s statement came as talks between Turkey and Greece resumed Monday after five years of hiatus.

Resuming the exploratory talks as its former name, and consultative talks as it is called now -- since it has been ongoing for a long time -- was important for the resolution of disputes, said Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu in a news conference on Wednesday with his Irish counterpart Simon Coveney in the Turkish capital Ankara.

Cavusoglu said the talks were held in a very positive atmosphere and the date for further talks will be announced later.

Exploratory talks between Turkey and Greece, meant to find fair and equitable settlements to issues in the Aegean, began in 2002.

After the 60th round of talks in March 2016, Athens suspended the meetings.

Bilateral talks continued in the form of political consultations, but did not return to the exploratory framework.​​​​​​