Bagis Says Turkey, Greece Have Golden Opportunity

Turkey’s state minister for the European Union (EU) and chief negotiator said on Monday that Turkey and Greece had a historic and golden opportunity to better their relations. Egemen Bagis said Turkey and Greece had prime ministers who were eager for settlement of bilateral problems.

“We have learned to stand firm on our feet, and we want to undertake European Union’s (EU) burden to to be a burden on the union,” Bagis told reporters in Athens, Greece.

Bagis said 70 percent of energy resources Europe needed was in Turkey, and it was still not opening energy chapter to negotiations, which he defined as against Europe’s interests.

On Cyprus issue, Bagis said Turkey had showed its sincerity through initiatives it had exerted and supported so far, but the promises made to Turkey had not been kept and the world was still imposing embargoes on Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC).

Bagis said Turkey was ready for a solution, and expected the EU to implement its decision to end isolation of TRNC.

In such a case, Turkey would be ready to open its ports and airports to Greek Cypriot ships and planes, Bagis said.

Bagis said he would receive an award at the European Parliament on Tuesday for the initiaties Turkey had done regarding freedom of religion.

Minister Bagis gave religious ceremonies at the Sumela Monastery in northern province of Trabzon and Akdamar Island in the eastern province of Van, and return of orphanage at Istanbul’s Buyukada to the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate as examples to Turkey’s initiatives.

“We have showed our good will and determination for many times. Will a group from Turkey see the same sincerity and tolerance if they want to perform their prayer in Athens during a religious feast,” Bagis also said.

Bagis met Mariliza Xenogiannakopoulou, Greek alternate minister of foreign affairs; former Greek foreign minister Dora Bakoyianni; former Greek deputy foreign minister Giannis Valinakis; and main opposition New Democracy Party deputy chairperson Dimitris Avramopoulos.

Minister Bagis later attended a round-table meeting on “Creating Bridges: Investments as a tool of Greek Turkish Cooperation.”

Bagis then left Athens for Brussels.

AA