Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis will meet his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan in Athens on November 8 to discuss bilateral issues including the demarcation of the exclusive economic zone, Reuters reported, citing diplomatic sources.
Greece and Turkey, NATO allies, have feuded for decades over issues such as airspace and maritime jurisdiction in the eastern Mediterranean, energy resources and Ankara-occupied Cyprus.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said last week that he believed relations with Greece were improving and that the meeting between Gerapetritis and Fidan was aimed at finding solutions to issues such as maritime zones and airspace.
Foreign ministers have been instructed to examine whether conditions are favorable to start talks on the demarcation of the continental shelf and economic zone, Gerapetritis said last month.
Agreement on where their maritime zones begin and end is important to determine rights to possible gas reserves and energy infrastructure schemes.
A high-level Cooperation Council meeting is expected to be held in Ankara in January, where the countries will assess progress. In addition, Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leaders are expected to hold an informal meeting with UN Secretary-General António Guterres in New York on Tuesday.
