Leaders of Greece and Türkiye sign a declaration of friendship and good neighbourly relations

The leaders of Greece, Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Türkiye Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, signed a declaration of friendship and good neighbourly relations — the Athens Declaration — to further strengthen the positive agenda in relations between the two countries.

This was reported by the Greek newspaper Kathimerini.

The declaration was signed on December 7 in Athens. For the first time in six years, Turkish leader Recep Erdoğan visited Athens and met with Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. The signed declaration is not an agreement, but the parties promised to refrain from steps that increase tensions.

In particular, Greece and Türkiye pledge to "refrain from any statements, initiatives or actions that could jeopardise the maintenance of peace and stability in their region". At the same time, they emphasise that they will endeavour to settle any dispute arising between them amicably, through direct consultations or other means of mutual choice, as provided for in the Charter of the United Nations.

The Declaration was a step towards normalising relations between the two countries, which have recently repeatedly flared up territorial disputes in the Mediterranean and Cyprus.