As the time approaches for the meeting of Foreign Ministers of Greece and Turkey, George Gerapetritis and Hakan Fidan, respectively, the prospects of an open or an underlying political confrontation are increasing.
The government seemed willing to raise more issues and not stick only to the EEZ and the continental shelf. The relevant communication preparation has already been done to make the process easier and enhance the possibilities of a positive outcome.
Recently, however, the reactions and warnings are intensifying, both from the opposition and from the ruling party deputies, in order not to open the dialogue agenda, because there is a risk of losing what we have gained.
No one believes that Turkey will come to the dialogue risking to lose its acquis or unconditionally renounce its claims. On the contrary, it will be assertive, based on the messages sent by government officials and President Erdogan himself.
In this context, special attention, thorough preparation, weighing of possible outcomes and a ready public opinion to accept any outcome of the dialogue are needed.
If there is no proper preparation and the climate is not favorable, it is preferable to postpone it. Not the dialogue – because we should talk – but the negotiation on the ‘hot’ issues can wait until the conditions are favorable.
Because we risk coming to an agreement at the level of political leadership with the Turks and being divided in the interior of the country as happened with the Prespa Agreement and other international agreements in the past.
