One day before the meeting with Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Recep Tayyip Erdogan presented an idealized image of Greek-Turkish relations by making an «attack» of friendship.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan mentioned Greek-Turkish relations one day before the meeting with Kyriakos Mitsotakis, on the sidelines of the 78th Session of the UN General Assembly, in an extensive interview he granted to an American network.
Specifically, the Turkish president spoke to PBS and the journalist Amna Nawaz, presenting an idealized image of Greek-Turkish relations, making an «attack» of friendship and saying that «we have been friends with Greece for many decades. We never fought in opposite camps.» In fact, as he characteristically said: «Our friendship with Greece is not as they present it».
At the same time, he launched criticism against Senator Bob Menendez, accusing him of a «hostile attitude» towards Turkey, but as he said, «Ankara will not become part of this conflict.»
On the other hand, the Greek side is expected to raise low policy issues on the agenda of the meeting. Therefore, what Greece seeks at this particular moment in time is to keep the channels of communication open between the two countries, in order to avoid tensions.
