Bilateral relations, the Cyprus issue and the geopolitical situation in the arc from Tunisia to Ukraine, were the topics discussed in a private meeting between the Greek Defence Minister Dimitris Avramopoulos and his Turkish counterpart Ismet Yilmaz. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the ministerial meeting of the NATO alliance headquarters in Brussels.
In statements made after the meeting, Avramopoulos wished that a solution to the Cyprus problem will be find soon, telling to Yilmaz that `once the Cyprus problem is solved, then a huge energy will be released to the benefit of our bilateral relations in all areas. “
On his part, Yilmaz said: “We expressed our political will to solve the Cyprus problem in a very short time, and we offer our support as does the Greek side.”
Avramopoulos described the meeting as “very important ” saying that the two sides had the opportunity, to renew their mutual desire to work together. He added that the meeting ended a
short period of tension between the two Ministries.
“We want to work for the establishment of an environment of security and stability, the two countries can work together, so at this arc of instability stretching from Tunisia to Ukraine will turn into an agent of stability for the region,” he said.
Referring to bilateral economic relations Avramopoulos referred to the development of the economic, investment and commercial relations between the two countries, especially in the field of tourism
Yilmaz said that the Greece and Turkey need to be an island of stability and peace and the Aegean Sea should turn it into a sea of peace: not a sea that creates problems, but a sea that will ensure peace for the two countries and contribute to economic growth and prosperity.