Greece cites new trust of Turkey as the neighbors seek to ease tensions

ATHENS, Greece -- Greece’s foreign minister said Thursday that his country has established a foundation of trust with Turkey, ahead of a visit to Athens by the Turkish foreign minister as the two neighbors try to ease tensions.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will meet Friday with Greek counterpart Giorgos Gerapetritis as part of a renewed diplomatic push to address complex and long-standing conflicts. They include volatile maritime boundary disputes that have badly strained relations between the two NATO members for decades.

“Step by step, we have achieved a level of trust so that we can discuss issues with sincerity and prevent crises,” Gerapetritis said in an interview published Thursday with Turkey’s Hurriyet newspaper.

Friday’s meetings will follow a series of high-profile talks between Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as part of a fence-mending initiative launched last year.

Officials in Athens are expected to raise concerns about rising illegal migration, as Greece has seen an uptick in arrivals. And despite deep disagreements on the situation in Israel, both foreign ministers are also expected to explore ways to improve regional stability.

The talks will help set the stage for a Greece-Turkey high-level cooperation council planned for early 2025 in Ankara, Turkey.