Greece: Goodwill to help ease relations with Turkey

ATHENS

The problems in bilateral relations between Greece and Turkey can eventually be overcome "as long as both sides show good will" Greece's prime minister told local media on Thursday.

Kyriakos Mitsotakis met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Watford, London on Wednesday, and the two leaders had an open discussion that lasted an hour and a half on the sidelines of NATO leaders' summit.

"I presented all the issues arising from the latest Turkish moves," Mitsotakis told reporters, adding that the "disagreements" from both sides were noted and that both sides agreed to continue discussions on "confidence-building measures".

Mitsotakis said he asked Foreign Affairs Minister Nikos Dendias, to convene the National Council on Foreign Policy and brief all political leaders about the meeting.

"I would like to assure the Greek people that difficulties in our relationship with Turkey have always existed, still exist, and will exist. But I believe that as long as both sides show goodwill, these difficulties can be overcome," he said.

Mitsotakis also said a Turkey-Libya deal on maritime boundaries between the two countries which was signed last week would only complicate sensitive relations in the region.