Historic Visit to Athens, Erdogan Meets Country's Top Leaders

Turkish President Recep Tayip Erdogan arrives in Athens at 10:30 for an official visit, invited by his Greek counterpart, Prokopis Pavlopoulos, who will meet him at about 12 after placing a wreath of flowers in the monument of the unknown <x0-zerhur” in front of the Greek Parliament.

Later, around 13:30 he will meet with Prime Minister Tsipras, with whom they will hold a joint press conference shortly before 15. “This visit is an opportunity to take steps forward in friendship between the two countries”, Prime Minister Tsipras has declared.

While in an interview for private television “SKAI”, Erdogan has said that bad relations between the two countries belong to the past, but has asked for a review of the Lozana Treaty, again setting forth the requirement for deportation of eight former Turkish military soldiers who fled after the failed coup for Greece.

The immediate response has been to official Athens, in which it points out that the Lausanne Treaty is the cornerstone and non-negotiable stone on which the sincere co-operation of both countries can be built. “Reports on his revision do not contribute to the climate we try to build in the region”.

The Greek government aims at this visit by the Turkish president to keep communication bridges open with its neighbour, taking a negotiating role between Turkey and the EU, in a period when many European governments express themselves against Ankara's EU integration.

Also, Athens seeks in addition to resolving the Cypriot issue, even a close co-operation for the refugee crisis, as well as economic relations.

The Turkish president's programme also includes meeting with opposition leader Mitsotakis, as well as an official dinner Thursday evening by Greek counterpart Pavlopoulos. On Friday, Erdogan visits the northeastern province of Thrace, where the Muslim minority lives in Greece.

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