Greek-Turkish rapprochement can contribute to regional stability: Ex-premier

Rapprochement between Greece and Türkiye can contribute to regional stability, former Greek Prime Minister and Foreign Minister George Papandreou said Monday.

Writing an article for the Kathimerini daily, Papandreou drew attention to global challenges including the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the war in Ukraine, civil wars in Africa and tensions in the Balkans and said "the Greece-Türkiye relationship can and should become an element of stability for the wider region."

In reference to the cordial bilateral relations from 1999 to the mid-2010s, he said they served both Greek and Turkish interests and stability in the Middle East, the Mediterranean, and even wider Europe.

Particularly on maintaining dialogue between the two countries, Papandreou said: "My experience is that dialogue has many positive effects."

"Dialogue helps to define real problems and avoid imaginary assessments influenced by public outbursts. It can lead to the understanding of real fears, but also to the identification of common interests, national and geopolitical," he added.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis affirmed the "positive climate" in relations during a meeting in September in New York.

The leaders confirmed the roadmap and timeline of bilateral contacts as agreed to in an earlier meeting of foreign ministers in Ankara.

Against this background, the Greek-Turkish High-Level Cooperation Council will be held in Athens on Dec. 7.