Greek National Defense Minister Nikos Panagiotopoulos will visit Türkiye on April 4, following an agreement with his Turkish counterpart Hulusi Akar on the specific date, he said in an interview on Friday.
Panagiotopoulos told journalist Nikos Evangelatos on Mega TV that the date was set to include a visit to earthquake-stricken regions of Southeastern Türkiye.
“A few days ago, and in the framework of exchanging messages of condolences due to the catastrophic earthquake in Turkey and the tragedy at Tempi, my counterpart proposed that I visit the earthquake-stricken regions,” the minister said. He was referring to the devastating earthquakes on February 6, and the train collision at Tempi in central Greece on February 28.
He said his visit was “not meant to resolve all of our differences […] but to help so we may convey a symbolic message that some things, and mainly natural catastrophes, tragedies of this size, may perhaps stand above geopolitical competitiveness, even at local level, and could work as means of deescalating this tension.”
Panagiotopoulos added he did not realistically expect any changes in Turkish demands, but saw this meeting as an opportunity for both sides to try and communicate.
SOURCE; ANA-MPA