NEW YORK - Turkey and Greece have mutually cancelled their respective concerted military maneuvers in the Mediterranean (to be held in October of 2004), and decided to speed up the exploratory talks over confidence-building measures in the Aegean.
Turkish Foreign Minister & Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul, who is currently in New York to attend the 59th session of the United Nations General Assembly, met his Greek counterpart Petros Molyviatis late on Monday.
Following the meeting, Gul told reporters that the concerted military maneuvers in the Mediterranean were cancelled under a reciprocal compromise between Turkey and Greece.
''As you know, Turkey and Greece did not perform some of the concerted military maneuvers in the Mediterranean in recent years under a bilateral agreement. Last year, Turkey did not carry out its maneuvers called Barbaros and Toros, and Greece did not perform its Toksotis and Nicoforos maneuvers. We agreed to cancel this year's military maneuvers as well, in line with our determination to further improve the good neighborly relations and the existing climate of confidence,'' he stressed.
He said that they also decided to speed up the exploratory talks over confidence-building measures in the Aegean.
Gul told reporters that they exchanged views over possible arrangements which the European Union (EU) was planning to make in Cyprus.
''We expect Greece to support our efforts to put an end to isolation of Turkish Cypriot side. Also, we expect the EU to enforce its commitments to this end,'' he said.
Meanwhile, diplomatic sources quoted Molyviatis as saying at the meeting that the Greece would continue supporting Turkey's EU membership. Molyviatis stressed that Turkey's membership to the EU would have very significant effects for the whole Europe.
Referring to the Cyprus issue, Molyviatis said that they supported the initiatives of the Netherlands about lifting isolationist measures against the Turkish Cypriot side. He noted that they are for the improvement of economic conditions of the Turkish Cypriot people under efforts to find a comprehensive solution.
(UK-ULG) 21.09.2004