
Sunday, July 06, 2008

Turkish - Greek Relations in 2003

Efforts to improve bilateral relations, Cyprus issue and Turkey-European Union (EU) relations topped the agenda in relations between Turkey and Greece in 2003.

Athens and Ankara refrained from assuming an attitude which might cause tension in relations between the two countries within the scope of rapprochement which has been continuing for three years, although the solution plan which was presented by U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan was not accepted and Cyprus entered a period of waiting and searching for a ground.

Greek Cypriot side signed EU membership agreement in EU Summit in Athens on April 16 and 17. Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul came to Athens to attend the EU Summit even after signing ceremony of the agreement, reflecting the attention paid by the sides not to cause tension.

Greece also reiterated at any occasion in 2003 that it considered decisions which were taken in EU Helsinki Summit at the end of 1991 as parameters in Turkish-EU relations, bilateral relations and Cyprus issue as it did in the past.

Athens said that it accepted Annan plan as a basis for negotiations in Cyprus and also stated on any platform that Turkish side which rejected this plan was the side which had to take initiatives from now on.

Greece said throughout 2003 that it believed that Cyprus problem should be solved on the basis of Annan Plan in a way complying with EU acquisitions and U.N. resolutions through negotiations which will be held under the auspices of the U.N. and gave signal that it would not accept an approach except it.

Greece where general elections will be held in spring also said in a diplomatic way, but clearly that if Cyprus issue was not solved, it would not accept Turkey's starting membership negotiations with the EU at the end of 2004.

BILATERAL RELATIONS

Turkey and Greece also continued their efforts for rapprochement in 2003.

Athens which considers decisions that were taken in Helsinki Summit as groundwork in its bilateral relations with Turkey set its support to Turkey's EU membership as a condition to the country's complying with those decisions.

Athens also reiterated its view that ''determination of continental shelf in the Aegean Sea which it accepted as sole bilateral problem between the two countries should be concluded till the end of 2004.''

''Exploratory negotiations'' which have been started by both sides to inspect Aegean problems and which have been carried out by high-level officials of foreign ministries of the two countries gained speed especially in the second half of 2003. The 20th round of negotiations was held at the beginning of December.

Public opinion was not informed whether the sides reached a compromise on any issue at exploratory negotiations.

Greece also often gave the message that it continued to see Turkey as a basic military threat throughout 2003.

Greek Defense Minister Yiannos Papandoniou who made statements especially on efforts for restructuring of Greek army said that the army was deployed according to ''threat coming from the East'' and stressed that the process of strengthening units on Turkish border continued.

ECONOMIC RELATIONS

Positive steps were also taken in Turkish-Greek relations.

Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul, Finance Minister Kemal Unakitan and State Minister Ali Babacan paid an official visit to Athens in October. The sides reached compromise on the agreement which prevented double taxation which had been negotiated for long years during this visit.

This agreement that was considered by Turkish and Greek businessmen the most important step that the two countries took was signed in Ankara after a short period of time.

Another important step in economic relations between the two countries was also taken on cooperation in energy field.

Regional countries signed a memorandum of understanding foreseeing formation of a regional energy market in a meeting in Athens at the end of the year with participation of Energy and Natural Resources Minister Hilmi Guler and Greek Development Minister Apostolos Athanasios Tsokhatzopoulos. The first step for the agreement which was taken earlier with an agreement on installation of pipeline which will transport natural gas from Turkey to Greece gained dimension with regional countries' signing the memorandum of understanding.

This agreement which paved the way for Turkey's entering as a terminal with the status of a guaranteed source to European energy market was considered by observers as an evidence that the two countries could have an important place in European market if the two countries made cooperation.

WEST THRACE

West Thracian Turkish minority also felt good mood of rapprochement between Turkey and Greece in 2003 despite some problems.

Although leading people of Turkish minority stressed that problems which should be solved formed a long list and demanded that Greece should exert more efforts, they said that 2003 year was much better than 90s.
Leading people of the minority had a common view that progress which was recorded in human rights in 2003 when compared to past years was not seen in the issues such as freedom of education and religion and foundation administrations.

Meanwhile, after Xanthi Turkish Association was closed with a verdict in 1986 on the ground that ''the word 'Turkish' was used in its title'', the association's struggle on the issue reached the Greek Supreme Court of Appeals at last. Although assessments which were made in Greek press gave the message that Supreme Court of Appeals had a tendency to give a decision in favor of Xanthi Turkish Association, Supreme Court of Appeals Department D which examined the dossier has decided recently to submit the dossier to Supreme Court of Appeals General Assembly.

A decision which might pave the way for West Thracian Turkish Minority members who were called as ''Muslim minority'' by Athens to be able to define themselves as ''Turk'', will possibly be given by the Supreme Court of Appeals General Assembly, the last stop of Greek law system, this year.

^ Back to Top