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Greek, Turkish Foreign Ministers Say They are Ready for Talks

VOA News

   Greece and Turkeysay they are ready for talks to settlerival claims
   toanenergy-rich section of theMediterranean, but the hostility wasclear
   whenthe foreignministersof both countries calledfordialogue Tuesday.

   After talks in Ankara with German Foreign MinisterHeiko Maas,
   TurkishForeignMinister Mevlut Cavusoglusaid Greece must drop what he
   calledits "maximalist demands."

   "We are open to talks without pre-conditions. But, when one side starts
   imposing pre-conditions, then there are many things we will put forth
   too," he said.

   Maas also met in Athens withGreek Foreign Minister NikosDendias,
   whoalso saidGreece wants talks withTurkey butwill notgoif itis "under
   threats."He saidGreeceis ready to defend its rights and saidthe dispute
   withTurkeyis a matter for the securityoftheentire European Union.

   Maas saidamilitaryconflict betweenGreece and Turkeywould be "absolute
   insanity."

   "The situation is very risky, because in the end, whoever moves closer
   and closer to the abyss, can at some point fall down. That's a
   development which we want to avoid,"he said in Ankara.

   Both Greece and Turkey say they will hold military exercises in the
   eastern Mediterranean.

   Germany is the current EU president and has been trying to
   mediatetalksbetween Greece, whichbelongstothe EU, and Turkey, which
   does not but would like to join.

   Greece and Turkey arelocked in a dispute overboundariesin the
   Mediterraneanand the rights to drill foroffshoregas and oildeposits.

   Greece claims a Turkishresearchship is in itswaters,in which it has
   exclusiverightsto whatever is under theseafloor.

   TurkeyinsiststheExclusiveEconomicZonesof Greek islandsin the Agean near
   the Turkishcoastshould begreatlyreduced.

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