ANKARA - Turkish Daily News
Archrivals Turkey and Greece declared on Friday strong political will to resolve their deep-seated problems and open a new era in their ties plagued for decades by mutual mistrust, disputes in the Aegean and division of the Mediterranean island of Cyprus.
"We have to turn to the future and let the events of the past remain in the past," Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said after meeting his Greek counterpart Costas Karamanlis in Athens during a historic visit. "Peace and love is deep in the hearts of our two peoples."
Erdogan's visit is the first by a Turkish prime minister in 16 years and has a deep symbolic meaning in terms of sealing an unprecedented rapprochement in the two countries' ties over the last five years.
Sparked by a devastating quake in Turkey's northwest in 1999, which led to an outpour of sympathy between the two nations, the rapprochement has seen trade ties boosted, cultural and people-to-people exchanges rising and political dialogue between the two countries developing.
Erdogan's message after talks with Karamanlis was that time had come for turning the rapprochement into concrete cooperation and start reaping the fruits of good feelings and friendship.
He discussed with Karamanlis a set of projects ranging from introducing direct flights between Ankara and Athens to undertaking joint business projects in countries in the Middle East and the Balkans.
The two prime ministers also agreed to boost the bilateral trade, which currently stands at $1.3 billion.
"This figure is insufficient, considering the potential of the two countries. In today's world, it is the economy which governs politics, not vice versa," Erdogan said at the meeting with Karamanlis.
Erdogan is traveling with a large business delegation and state ministers Kursat Tuzmen and Besir Atalay. Turkey and Greece are currently planning to build pipeline to carry natural gas from Iran to European markets.
Erdogan said his government was determined to advance bilateral relations with Greece and extend them to as many areas as possible. He said he was glad to see that Karamanlis' government had the same will too.
Will to solve Aegean dispute, reopen Orthodox school
Although symbolically significant, Erdogan's visit is not designed to seal concrete cooperation agreements. But pledges by two countries' prime ministers to deepen the dialogue and resolve existing problems is meant to lay the foundation for concrete cooperation in the future.
Territorial disputes in the Aegean are the most complicated problem besetting ties. Officials of the two countries have been holding consultative meetings for years bur talks have produced little result so far. If no agreement is reached by the end of the year, the dispute will be forwarded to the International Court of Justice then.
Erdogan said the Turkish government had the will to resolve the problem. "There are problems brought from the past; they have not disappeared yet. But our responsibility is to remove problems. We are determined and committed. We believe we will be able to remove them completely," he said.
Greek support for EU bid, Cyprus
Erdogan preferred to skirt the issue of Cyprus in his talks with Karamanlis. Cyprus joined the EU on May 1 still divided after Greek Cypriot voters last month overwhelmingly rejected a U.N. plan to reunify their island, shutting out the Turkish Cypriot north.
But Karamanlis said the Cyprus' accession had effectively solved the problem.
"The EU has in effect included all of Cyprus but has a special status for the north. So the issue has been effectively resolved," he said.
Karamanlis also reiterated its support for Turkey's uphill effort to join the European Union.
"I confirmed the support of the Greek government and me personally for Turkey's course toward Europe, and Mr. Erdogan's reform program," Karamanlis said at the joint press conference with Erdogan.
Turkey is hoping to start EU entry talks next year, despite opposition expressed by France and other European nations.
Erdogan, who also met Greek President Costis Stephanopoulos, thanked Greece for its support and said both countries had "strong political will" to solve their problems.
Erdogan also said the government was considering the reopening of a Greek Orthodox theological school, located on Halki island near Istanbul. The school was closed down in the 1970s due to suspicions over its activities.
Visit to Western Thrace
On Saturday, Erdogan plans to visit Western Thrace, a region of northern Greece which is home to a 120,000-strong Turkish minority.
The issue of ethnic Turks in Greece is a sensitive one. Greece refuses to call the community as "Turkish minority" and prefers instead to describe it as "Muslim minority." But several groups have battled for decades to have their name recognized as the "Turkish minority.
If successful the trip to the region will signify removal of a long-standing taboo in ties between the two countries, analysts said.
Erdogan is due to return to Turkey later on Saturday.
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