Greece and Turkey press ahead with talks in effort to smooth often volatile relations

Associated Press

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — The foreign ministers of Greece and Turkey say that recent efforts to smooth the frequently volatile ties between the neighboring countries and regional rivals are bearing fruit, although significant differences remain, notably over maritime boundaries in the Aegean. Both countries are seeking ways to prevent spats from escalating dangerously. Greece and Turkey have been at loggerheads for decades over a long series of issues despite both being members of NATO. The issues include complex maritime boundary disputes that led them to the brink of war in 1987 and in 1996. Tension over drilling rights in 2020 led to Greek and Turkish warships shadowing each other in the eastern Mediterranean. The foreign ministers of Greece and Turkey met in Athens on Friday.