The full text of the declaration is as follows: "PP1. Recognizing the renewed will for cooperation between the Governments of the two countries; PP2. Underlining that the bonds between the two neighbouring nations harbour the potential to markedly increase the region’s prosperity and dynamism; PP3. Emphasizing the need to continue jointly working for the benefit of both societies in an atmosphere of friendship and mutual trust; PP4. Seeking to intensify the bilateral relations through existing institutional mechanisms; PP5. Underscoring that in order to enhance the good neighbourly relations, both Parties will cultivate a spirit of solidarity in the face of current and future challenges without any prejudice to each other’s legal positions; PP6. Underlining that to promote the said positive atmosphere and agenda, both Parties will encourage exchange of visits at every level with a result-oriented approach; PP7. Recalling that among the fundamental objectives of the Charter of the United Nations and the universally acknowledged principles of international law are the maintenance of international peace and friendly co-operation among states; PP8. Determined to foster friendly relations, mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and understanding, and to resolve any dispute among them by peaceful means and in accordance with international law; PP9. Underscoring the importance of effective communication channels and mechanisms at every level for the successful management of their bilateral relations, with particular emphasis on avoiding conflictual situations and potential escalation; PP10. Emphasizing that both Parties will approach their relations with the objective of increasing economic cooperation and deepening of people-to-people ties, thus contributing to the prosperity and peaceful coexistence of their two neighbouring peoples, further stressing that to this end, in view of the significant progress made in fostering the positive agenda on economic and commercial affairs through the Joint Action Plan, the two sides will explore additional items of cooperation; Have agreed on the following: OP1. The Parties agree to engage in continuing constructive and meaningful consultations based on the following pillars: (a) Political Dialogue: -On issues of mutual interest, -Exploratory/Consultative talks; (b) Positive Agenda, within the scope of the enhanced Joint Action Plan, involving measures of common interest in the fields of business-economy, tourism, transportation, energy, innovation, science and technology, agriculture, environmental protection, social security and health, youth, education and sports or any other field to be jointly decided, with the aim of attaining significant and concrete deliverables, streamlining and continually updating the agenda in a structured fashion with new items; (c) Confidence Building Measures, involving measures in the military field, which would contribute to the elimination of unwarranted sources of tension and the risks thereof; OP2. The Parties are committed to refrain from any statement, initiative or act likely to undermine or discredit the letter and spirit of this Declaration or endanger the maintenance of peace and stability in their region. OP3. The Parties will endeavour to resolve any dispute arising between them in an amicable manner through direct consultations between them or through other means of mutual choice as provided for in the United Nations Charter. This Declaration does not constitute an international agreement binding upon the Parties under international law. No provision of this Declaration shall be interpreted as creating legal rights or obligations for the Parties. Done in Athens, on the 7th of December 2023, in two copies, each in the Greek, Turkish and English languages, all texts being equally authentic. In case of divergence of interpretation, the English text shall prevail." Government sources on the Declaration of Friendship & Good Neighbourliness of Athens Government sources referring on Thursday to the Athens Declaration on Friendly Relations and Good Neighbourliness signed by Greece and Turkiye on Thursday pointed out the following: - It is a very important text, as it is the first time that Greece and Turkiye, with the signatures of the Greek Prime Minister and the Turkish President, commit to relations of friendship and good neighbourliness and to remaining in 'calm waters'. - Specifically, the declaration highlights the significance of effective communication channels at all levels and emphasises the prevention of conflict situations and possible escalation. - Additionally, the declaration outlines the principles and the milestones of Greek-Turkish dialogue and of the contacts based on the three axes agreed at Mitsotakis and Erdogan's meeting in Vilnius in July. Political dialogue (on issues of mutual interest, including the exploratory talks), the positive agenda (which will be constantly enriched), Confidence Building Measures (in which are included measures for the reduction of unjustified sources of tension as well as the risks deriving from them). - It is a statement of intentions in which Turkiye commits to UN Charter objectives and to the principles of the International Law and to friendly cooperation between the countries. - There is a clear reference to a commitment for refraining from statements and actions that undermine that spirit and the letter of the Declaration or set at risk the peace and the stability in the region. - The neighbouring country commits to amicably resolving any dispute that may arise with Greece  either with direct consultations or with other means of mutual choice as provided in the UN Charter. -The Declaration of Athens does not affect the legal positions of the two countries.

Ahead of his one-day visit, Erdogan had promised a “win-win” approach that could lay the foundation for broader cooperation, with hopes of also resetting his country’s ties with Western allies. “It is natural for there to be problems between two countries, even more so among brothers,” Erdogan said after meeting with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. “The issue is the will to resolve those problems and differences of opinion.” With both leaders showing a marked departure from the testy, sometimes outright belligerent rhetoric of the last few years, Erdogan said of the Aegean Sea through which the two NATO members’ border runs: “We want to convert the Aegean into a sea of peace and cooperation. We wish to be an example to the world with the joint steps we will take as Turkey and Greece.” “I say it openly,” Erdogan said, according to a translation of his comments. “There is no problem between us so great that it cannot be resolved, provided we move with good faith and we focus on the big picture.” The longstanding disputes between Greece and Turkey have led the two countries to the brink of war three times in the last 50 years. Centering on maritime boundaries and exploration rights for resources in the Aegean Sea and eastern Mediterranean, the latest flare-up occurred in 2020, when navy ships from the two countries shadowed each other in the eastern Mediterranean. As relations deteriorated, Erdogan said as recently as last year that he no longer had any interest in meeting with Mitsotakis. But Thursday’s visit will be the third time this year that Erdogan and Mitsotakis have met, signaling a significant push to improve ties. “Our bilateral relations have experienced turbulence that at times have dangerously threatened them, and with them (threatened) security and peace in the Eastern Mediterranean,” Mitsotakis said, addressing the Turkish president as “my dear president,” and “Mr. President, dear Tayyip.” Mitsotakis noted the importance of the “calmer path” that bilateral relations have been on over the past few months. “Greece and Turkey, Turkey and Greece should live in peace, express their known differences, discuss them honestly and keep looking for solutions,” he said. “And if these are not resolved, however, they should not automatically produce tensions and crises.” Erdogan was accompanied on his trip by several ministers, with joint Cabinet talks with Greek ministers and the signing of several cooperation agreements on the agenda. The significance of improved relations extends beyond bilateral ties and could help Turkey mend rocky relationships with the European Union and other Western allies. One crucial agreement in Athens focuses on migration, establishing communication channels between the coast guards of the two countries. Mitsotakis also said he is backing holiday visas for Turks visiting Greek islands and is backing Ankara’s request to ease travel restrictions for Turkish nationals in the European Union. Other agreements include deals on trade, energy, education, agriculture, sports, technology and tourism. Mitsotakis said a “realistic target” over the next five years was for bilateral trade, which currently stands at over 5 billion euros ($5.4 billion), to increase to 10 billion euros ($10.8 billion). The intention to work toward improved relations was evident in Erdogan’s first meeting of the day, with President Katerina Sakellaropoulou. “We will discuss what steps going forward we can take on all issues after preparations have been made by the relevant ministers. We will proceed in a more logical way,” Erdogan told the Greek president in televised comments. “I believe it is best for the future of both sides to discuss looking at the glass half-full.” Sakellaropoulou, whose role is largely ceremonial, said disasters in both countries this year, when Turkey was hit by a deadly earthquake and Greece suffered deadly wildfires and floods, brought out sentiments of solidarity between the two nations. “The tragic events that our countries faced this year were an occasion to prove once again that a sense of solidarity and the demonstration of humanity in difficult circumstances is a common characteristic that unites our two peoples,” Sakellaropoulou said. “This finding is a strong basis for building on the mutual political will to establish a climate that will allow deepening cooperation and avoiding tensions in our bilateral relations.” She said it is now “perhaps more necessary than ever for Greece and Turkey to work together to enhance prosperity, to preserve peace, stability and respect for international law, and to promote good neighborly relations for the benefit of both our peoples and the wider region.” Security was tight in the Greek capital, with major roads and some subway stations shut down as Erdogan’s motorcade headed from the airport to central Athens.  

Measures include the gradual and temporary restriction of circulation traffic, and a ban on stopping and parking at several sections of the road network. The roads affected include Katechaki, Messoghion, Vassilissis Sofias, Kifissias, Vassileos Konstantinou, Vassilissis Amalias, and Alexandras avenues, and Michalakopoulou, Stadiou, Panepistimiou and Akadimias streets. Diversions will be in place.

Responding to a question from the Hellas Journal website, a representative of the US Department of State noted that the US supports the discussions between Athens and Ankara at all levels to ensure calm in the Aegean and the Eastern Mediterranean. “The United States supports bilateral discussions at all levels so that Greece and Turkey can work together to promote peace, security, and prosperity in the region. The United States continues to encourage calm in the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean among our NATO Allies,” the spokesperson said.   

Miami-based businessman Stefanos Kasselakis, 35, stunned party veterans when he won the leadership in late September in a primary-style contest. But he has failed so far to halt the party’s decline in popularity in the wake of a crushing general election defeat in June. Syriza has since dropped to third place behind Socialist opponents in opinion polls, boosting the dominance of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ conservative government. On Thursday, Effie Achtsioglou, a former Syriza labor minister, led the walkout as nine lawmakers declared themselves independent. They joined the former finance minister Euclid Tsakalotos and another colleague who quit on Nov. 11 – reducing the number of seats held by Syriza in the election from 47 to 36 in the 300-member parliament. Critics of the new leader have described him as intolerant of dissent and unable to reach a policy consensus in the historically fractured party. Under the charismatic former prime minister Alexis Tsipras, Syriza’s was transformed from a small political organization to a governing party during a major financial crisis in the previous decade that brought Greece to the brink of bankruptcy. Tsipras, who led the country between 2015 and 2019, railed against harsh policies imposed by international bailout lenders but fell out of favor with voters as the country climbed out of recession. He resigned following his third successive general election defeat. Voters’ return to mainstream parties following 3 successive international bailouts has been more uneven on the left. The hardline Greek Communist Party has roughly doubled its support over the last four years to reach 10% in recent polls. The resignations in Athens were matched at the European Parliament, where Syriza has lost several lawmakers, including veteran politician Dimitris Papadimoulis, a vice president of the assembly, would quit the party Thursday. In a party statement, Syriza said many of the dissenters has ignored repeated and public invitations made by Kasselakis to join him in reforming the party. Their actions, the statement said, “will be judged by history.”

"The Greek government had promptly suggested and urgently raised the need for a humanitarian pause and the creation of viable humanitarian corridors. In this direction, we had taken all the necessary actions," he noted. "There should now be, in implementation of the agreement, an immediate and unhindered flow of humanitarian aid and the provision of medical care to those who need it, as well as intensifying the effort for definitive peace in the region," he concluded.   Gerapetritis in Madrid for EU Med-9 summit The Minister of Foreign Affairs George Gerapetritis will travel to Madrid on Wednesday in order to participate in the first meeting of foreign ministers of the Euro-Med Group Med-9, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The situation in the Middle East and cooperation with the countries of the Southern Neighborhood are on the agenda of the meeting.

The "realization of the European ambitions of Western Balkan countries is particularly important," he said, "but the European Union must show the political will to bring the Western Balkan countries into the European family, and these countries must also incorporate the European acquis in the technical parts." Greece believes firmly to the political position that the European family should integrate the Western Balkans, reiterated the minister, but the conditions required "for a European Union which will be strong, resilient, inclusive, and revitalized" should also be met, he pointed out.

“This is about us … exercising what is a right that we can simply not outsource to smugglers,” he said, speaking at a meeting of 9 southern EU States in Malta on migration. “Currently it is the smugglers who decide who gets to enter the European Union and this must change.” Mitsotakis said EU members should focus on repatriating people who are not entitled to asylum, while at the same time providing organized legal migration pathways. Leaders attending the Malta meeting called for the EU to finalize a new migration and asylum deal, and to beef up efforts to prevent departures from North Africa as another shipwreck drama unfolded off Libya’s coast. A joint statement issued at the end of a one-day meeting said the needs of front-line countries – such as Italy – that receive the vast majority of migrants, must be “adequately met.” It said the European Union as a bloc must strengthen its response by beefing up surveillance operations of Europe’s external borders to prevent departures and break up human trafficking networks. In addition to Greece, the one-day huddle also included host Malta, as well as Croatia, Cyprus, France, Italy, Portugal, Slovenia and Spain. Slovenia and Croatia, which have coastlines on the Adriatic Sea, were added to the so-called “Med Group” in 2021. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Charles Michel also attended the meeting, which came ahead of next week’s informal gathering of the EU’s 27 nations in Granada, Spain. Meanwhile, the German humanitarian rescue group Sea-Watch released a video apparently showing a Libyan coast guard boat nearing a migrant boat, and then some 50 people falling into the water. Sea-Watch said the Libyan coast guard “rammed” the migrant boat, and then took the survivors aboard another ship. Aid groups and human rights organizations have denounced the EU’s deal with Libya to finance the Libyan coast guard so it can increase patrols to bring migrants back to Libya. The U.N. has said abuses are rife at Libyan migrant detention camps. The EU recently inked a similar deal with Tunisia, which has taken over as the primary point of departure for smugglers’ boats. Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni said she was pleased with the “convergence” of views at the summit, given recent differences over the migration dossier with France and Germany. And she said she hoped the Tunisia deal will soon get off the ground, with the first tranche of EU funding due to arrive next week. “The summit repeats that the path to follow … is the fight against illegal immigration, an all-out fight against traffickers and going to the cause of the migration phenomenon,” Meloni said at the end of the summit. Host Robert Abela, the Maltese prime minister, said the EU needed to speed up the time it takes to repatriate migrants whose asylum bids fail. Currently, the lack of repatriation accords with countries of origin allows many migrants to simply fade away and head north in search of family and work. “But ultimately the issue needs to be tackled at source. To help achieve that, we underline the need to urgently build more robust, comprehensive partnerships with all our partners in the southern Mediterranean,” Abela said, The Malta meeting comes as a deadline approaches for the bloc to approve a comprehensive migration and asylum reform or risk it unravelling. Under current EU rules, the nation where asylum-seekers arrive must shelter them while their applications are processed. Front-line countries like Italy have said the deal puts an undue burden on them, but little progress has been made in the three years since a new EU pact was unveiled. Member states bicker over which country should take charge of migrants when they arrive and whether other countries should be obligated to help, debates that have fueled doubt as to whether an overhaul is possible before European elections in June. For the pact to get through, officials and lawmakers say, an agreement on all 10 parts of the plan must be sealed by February. A new European Commission and European Parliament will start work next year and they may want to modify the pact, raising the risk that it might unravel. In the final statement from Malta, the leaders called for EU States “to step up negotiations” to reach an agreement “before the end of the current legislative term.”

Greece has repeatedly condemned the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas militants against Israel and believes its historical ties with the Arab world give it credibility as an honest broker. "I am in constant communication with both parties and I am relatively optimistic that we could have some positive results soon," said the minister, who met Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki in Ramallah and Israeli counterpart Eli Cohen in Jerusalem on Thursday. With world powers anxious to coordinate help for Palestinians in Gaza during Israel's bombardment and siege, Gerapetritis said he believed Israel was considering allowing increased aid and was keen to hear all possible options. Cyprus has made a proposal, which Greece endorses, to open a maritime corridor to expand capacity for relief into the Palestinian enclave beyond the Rafah crossing from Egypt. Another alternative is via a port in Israel then a northern entry point into Gaza, Gerapetritis said. "The fastest way is the best way," he added, stressing that a humanitarian pause in fighting was essential. Israel's right to self-defence was respected but must conform to international law and humanitarian values, Gerapetritis added, while the Palestinian people should be clearly differentiated from Hamas. "We cannot put up with the situation in Gaza," he said. "It's the humanitarian moral values that we have to embrace, all of us, and we have to do it immediately." After the war, he said, governance of Gaza must be "highly legitimized" and opposed to terrorism. Asked about a possible influx of refugees, he said Greece was prepared, referring to a recent asylum pact agreed between European Union states, and would be willing to receive injured people. Handling migration flows has been a tough task for Greece, an EU border, which received more than a million migrants and refugees in 2015-2016 who reached its shores from Turkey. Greece and Turkey, historic rivals while also NATO allies, will discuss the issue in a summit in Athens next month, which is expected to yield some agreements. With Turkey labelling Israel a terror state, the Gaza conflict is another issue differentiating the two neighbours, but this should not hinder dialogue, Gerapetritis said. "This should not prohibit us from discussing our problems and to setting forth in the agenda some win-win projects," he said.

The Greek minister was speaking during his participation in the Foreign Affairs Council meeting in Brussels. Additionally, Gerapetritis also proposed the need for initiatives to restore basic networks and secure essential goods. He also stressed that the same principles must be applied in all cases of aggression, violation of sovereignty and terrorism. Gerapetritis underlined the need to create sustainable humanitarian corridors, so that there is a continuous flow of aid. He also noted the importance of setting up desalination plants for the mass production of drinking water. It is understandable that the humanitarian ceasefire is not enough, he said, but that it is necessary and realistic at this stage, even if it only happens in a small scale, he added. This could generate a momentum for ending the hostilities, he pointed out.

The meeting was held at the Turkish defence ministry, in a positive climate, with both delegations comprising ambassadors and high-ranking military officials, among other senior officials, said the Greek defence ministry in an announcement. The two sides agreed in principle to implement or reactivate CBM activity in 2024 based on a pre-agreed CBM list, it was added. They also agreed to set up a Point of Contact mechanism in view of communicating and facilitating the implementation of agreed CBMs. The next meeting will be hosted by Greece, it was noted. In its own announcement, the Turkish defence ministry noted that the meeting was cordial, and that Greece will indeed host the next meeting.

Umbrella, a faction led by Euclid Tsakalotos, a former Finance Minister during Syriza’s government of 2015-19, announced its departure with a blistering statement that accused party leader Stefanos Kasselakis of “Trumpian practices (and) right-leaning populism.” The once-dominant party has been in disarray ever since its resounding defeat by conservative New Democracy in double elections in May and June. Already in opposition since 2019, Syriza had hoped to regain power. Instead, it was roundly disavowed, falling in the most recent election to 17.8%, compared to New Democracy’s 40.6%, a result that led longtime leader Alexis Tsipras to announce his resignation. The split, which came after weeks of withering criticism of the leader from within the party, became inevitable in recent days, when Kasselakis insisted he wanted to expel three prominent members of the Umbrella faction, all former ministers. When it became clear he might not get his way with party organs, Kasselakis said he would put the question to a referendum among party members. This proposal drew a rebuke even among his allies. In a tumultuous session of the party’s Central Committee Saturday, Kasselakis’ confrontational speech was often interrupted with boos and shouts of “shame!” Umbrella, as well as supporters of Effie Achtsioglou, Kasselakis’ main rival in last September’s leadership election, left before the session was over. Kasselakis won the leadership election that followed Syriza’s defeat at the polls in September. A political neophyte and US resident, with no connection to the party before he became a candidate for the May election, he came out of nowhere to win the contest. A four-minute video in which he told his life story shot him to prominence and made him the favorite. Kasselakis’ style, based on social media presence and charisma, and his past as a former Goldman Sachs employee and shipowner, rankled with old-school leftists, who were also incensed with some of his positions, such as advocating stock options for employees, and his overall ideological vagueness. They openly derided him for his “post-politics” and one prominent party person even compared him with former US President Donald Trump and Italian comedian Bepe Grillo, founder of a populist political party. The new leader’s supporters, in turn, accused their rivals of having conspired to undermine former leader Tsipras in the run-up to the disastrous elections and even for years before. The current opinion polls, which show Syriza in a tight race for second place with the socialist Pasok party, intensified the malaise within Syriza. Although the Umbrella supporters have not clarified their future plans, they are expected to form a new left-wing political party. They also have the backing of most of Syriza’s youth wing. Achtsioglou, who leads her own faction, called 6+6, has decided to stay in Syriza, but her own relations with her leader are poisoned. She and her group issued their own statement Sunday, after the left’s departure, slamming Kasselakis’ “deeply offensive and divisive speech” and accusing him of using the vocabulary of the alt-right. A further split of the party cannot be ruled out.