Turkey’s foreign minister said on Thursday that 2010 was a noteworthy year for Turkish-Greek relations.
In his article published in Greek Ekathimerini newspaper, Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said governments of the two countries exerted extreme efforts to open a new chapter in relations.
"Formation of Turkish-Greek High Ranking Cooperation Council and increase in high level visits contributed to boosting of relations," Davutoglu said, adding Turkey was resolved to boost relations with Greece towards a common future.
"There are some prejudices that should be left behind to settle Turkish-Greek relations on a healthy basis in the future. One of them is the thesis that Greece and Turkey constituted the borders of the East and the West," Davutoglu said, adding that, "the second thesis is that Turkish-Greek relations was a reflection of historical process of Islam and Christianity."
Davutoglu said Turks and Greeks lived in peace for centuries in cities like Izmir and Salonica.
Turkish foreign minister said presence of patriarchate in Istanbul for centuries, being one of Turkey’s historical institutions, constituted an inseparable part of Turkey’s cultural heritage.
"Time has come to get strength from our similarities," Davutoglu said.
Davutoglu said strategic competition between Turkey and Greece constituted another impediment, noting that this maximalist understanding against each other caused estrangement between the two countries.
He said Turkey and Greece, being the two countries located in the intersection point of the Middle East and the Balkans, could assume pioneering role for prosperity and cooperation in the Eastern Mediterranean region.
"Turkey and Greece can assess a joint strategy aiming at restoring peace and stability in the region this should be based on," Davutoglu said, and noted that this should be based on:
-Turkey and Greece should exert efforts to make our common historical background and mutual cultural interaction to prevail.
-Inter-religious dialogue for multi-cultural and multi-religious existential basis: Turkey and Greece may be shown as regional centers contributing to inter-religious dialogue in international arena with their rich cultural past.
-A new vision in good neighborhood relations of the two countries: This alternative requires activating our intellectual power to cope with chronical problems and to form a fixed base. Bitter memories are still in the minds in the two countries about population exchange. We should work harder to overcome this. We desire maximum contacts and cooperation.
-Resolution of outstanding problems in the Aegean through peaceful means: Solution of the problems is our historical debt to next generations. Talks started last May within the framework of common visions of prime ministers of the two countries.
-Finding a solution in Cyprus will not only be in the advantage of bilateral relations but at the same time will guarantee peace and stability in Eastern Mediterranean region. This is something we can fulfill jointly. We should make use of this opportunity and extend our helping hand to both of the negotiating parties. Success of this process requires support of our countries being guarantor forces.
Davutoglu said a synergy that would be formed in Turkish-Greek relations would constitute an example for the whole region, "this has become a need after developments in the Middle East," he underlined.
Davutoglu said every step that would be made in cooperation and solidarity to overcome regional and international problems would certainly be in the interest of Turkey and Greece and the whole region.
"Being the representatives of the two civilizations, we should work on new ideas and look for new means for common plans. Let us form a bridge in our relations aiming to constitute and example to turn Eastern Mediterranean a region of peace and welfare. Let us increase our influence on international arena with common works regarding issues like climate change and environmentalism concerning the whole humanity. Turkey is ready to walk with Greece," Davutoglu said.