Greek Turkish tensions are back in focus at the UN General Assembly, with Athens closely monitoring Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s meetings in New York and the messages emerging from Washington, Ankara and the Eastern Mediterranean.
The annual United Nations General Assembly has once again turned New York into the centre of global diplomacy, but for Greece, attention is also firmly fixed on Turkey.
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan are both in New York this week, while a series of meetings involving the Turkish president could have implications for Greece’s interests in the Eastern Mediterranean.
No bilateral meeting between Mr Mitsotakis and Mr Erdoğan has been scheduled.
A brief encounter cannot be ruled out, but a formal meeting between the two leaders is currently considered unlikely.
That has not stopped Athens from closely following Erdoğan’s diplomatic programme.
The wider regional picture has become increasingly important, particularly following a period of heightened rhetoric from Ankara and renewed disputes involving maritime rights, energy projects and security in the Eastern Mediterranean.
Athens sends a clear message to Ankara
Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis has used his presence in New York to underline Athens’ position on the central dispute with Turkey.
Speaking to the National Herald, Mr Gerapetritis said Greece’s position remained “absolutely clear and consistent”, arguing that the delimitation of the continental shelf and Exclusive Economic Zone is the sole dispute between Greece and Turkey that could be referred to international adjudication.
He also stressed that Greece is seeking stability, peace and good neighbourly relations in the Eastern Mediterranean while maintaining its position on sovereignty and sovereign rights.
The same message is expected to be delivered by Mr Mitsotakis during his meetings with UN Secretary General António Guterres and other international officials, as well as in his address to the General Assembly.
Erdoğan’s Libya meeting draws Athens’ attention
One of the meetings on Erdoğan’s New York schedule that Athens is watching closely is his contact with Mohamed al Menfi, President of Libya’s Presidential Council.
Turkey has worked to expand its influence in Libya and has maintained its position on the 2019 Turkish Libyan maritime memorandum.
Greece has strongly rejected the memorandum, arguing that it disregards the maritime rights of Greek islands and conflicts with international law.
The issue remains a major point of contention between Athens and Ankara and is closely linked to competing claims over maritime zones in the Eastern Mediterranean.
F 35 talks with Trump also under scrutiny
Another potential meeting attracting attention in Athens is between Erdoğan and US President Donald Trump.
If the two presidents meet, Turkey’s interest in returning to the US F 35 fighter jet programme could be among the issues discussed.
Greece is closely following developments involving Turkey’s defence capabilities, given their potential implications for the regional military balance.
Any movement on the F 35 issue would therefore be watched carefully in Athens.
France, Turkey and the Greece Cyprus electricity cable
A possible meeting between Erdoğan and French President Emmanuel Macron is another issue being monitored by Greece.
France has been involved in the wider diplomatic picture surrounding the Great Sea Interconnector, the planned electricity link between Greece and Cyprus.
The project has become a significant geopolitical issue in the Eastern Mediterranean, with Athens and Nicosia seeking to advance the connection despite objections and pressure from Turkey.
Rubio’s Athens visit adds another layer
The diplomatic activity in New York will be followed by another important development for Greece.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is expected to visit Athens in early October.
His planned visit comes at a sensitive time for the region, with Greece, Turkey, Cyprus and other regional powers navigating overlapping disputes involving security, energy and maritime rights.
For Athens, the UN General Assembly is therefore about more than speeches.
With Erdoğan in New York and a series of high level meetings taking place around him, Greek officials will be watching closely for any developments that could affect the balance of relations in the Eastern Mediterranean.
