Erdoğan: No problems between Türkiye and Greece unsolvable

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan welcomed on Monday Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis at the presidential complex in Ankara.

Erdoğan and Mitsotakis, who is in Türkiye for a working visit, shook hands and had their photographs taken in front of the flags of the two countries.

After a one-on-one meeting, Erdoğan and Mitsotakis held a joint news conference.

Erdoğan said that there are no unsolvable problems between Türkiye and Greece and that a step towards a solution for the divided island of Cyprus would strengthen regional peace and stability.

Speaking at a press conference after talks with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in Ankara, Erdoğan said they were focusing on a positive agenda, keeping channels of dialogue open despite differences of opinion.

Erdoğan laid out the following keynotes in his speech during the press conference:
"As outlined in the Athens Declaration, Türkiye, Greece committed to resolving issues through cordial dialogue, good neighbourly ties, international law.

Türkiye, Greece strengthening mutual understanding on fighting terrorism.
It is important to find a fair, permanent, fact-based solution to the Cyprus issue, which will strengthen stability, peace in our region.

We are working to push our bilateral trade with Greece to $10B, which was $6B last year."

Türkiye to keep working to force Israel to Gaza cease-fire

Erdoğan also said Ankara was determined to continue its diplomatic contacts to force Israel to reach a cease-fire in Gaza and secure international recognition of a Palestinian state.

He reaffirmed Türkiye's stance that Palestinian group Hamas is a "resistance organization."

"Hamas is a resistance organization whose lands have been occupied since 1947, and which has protected its lands after the occupation of these lands," he said.

Erdoğan also urged the global community, especially Western countries, to "raise their voice louder" against the killing of more than 35,000 Palestinian civilians in Israel's ongoing offensive on the Gaza Strip.