Greek, Turkish PMs meet amid border fence controversy

Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou has arrived in Turkey for talks with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Izvor: Deutsche Welle

Friday, 07.01.2011.

16:11

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Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou has arrived in Turkey for talks with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Both leaders are expected to discuss controversial Greek plans to build a fence along the two nations' border. Greek, Turkish PMs meet amid border fence controversy Turkey invited Papandreou to address a conference of Turkish ambassadors in the eastern city of Erzurum, which the Turkish Foreign Ministry said was a sign of improving relations. The visit comes a week after Greece announced plans to build a 206-kilometer (128-mile) fence along the Greek-Turkish border in order to curb illegal immigration. The plans were amended a few days later to only cover 12.5 kilometers of the border. Greek Foreign Ministry spokesman Gregory Delavekouras said the border issue would be on the table for discussions with Erdogan. "We are pushing for more cooperation from Turkey and for more European involvement because Greece right now is the buffer where illegal migrants enter the EU," he said. Greece estimates that thousands of migrants illegally enter the European Union through its border with Turkey every month. After pleas for help from Athens, the EU border agency Frontex dispatched temporary intervention teams last year to help secure the border. Amnesty international condemned the border fence plans as a violation of human rights, while the European Commission called it a temporary solution to a deeper problem. While Greek-Turkish relations have improved significantly over the past decade, disputes remain between the two NATO allies. Territorial rights in the Aegean Sea have long been a stumbling block, with the two countries nearly going to war over a tiny deserted island in 1996. Repeated Turkish military flights in the Aegean region also provoke anger in Greece, which says they undermine diplomatic efforts. Greece has opened up to the idea of Turkey joining the EU, but member state Cyprus has stalled accession talks over Turkey's support for the breakaway Turkish north.

Greek, Turkish PMs meet amid border fence controversy

Turkey invited Papandreou to address a conference of Turkish ambassadors in the eastern city of Erzurum, which the Turkish Foreign Ministry said was a sign of improving relations.

The visit comes a week after Greece announced plans to build a 206-kilometer (128-mile) fence along the Greek-Turkish border in order to curb illegal immigration. The plans were amended a few days later to only cover 12.5 kilometers of the border.

Greek Foreign Ministry spokesman Gregory Delavekouras said the border issue would be on the table for discussions with Erdogan.

"We are pushing for more cooperation from Turkey and for more European involvement because Greece right now is the buffer where illegal migrants enter the EU," he said.

Greece estimates that thousands of migrants illegally enter the European Union through its border with Turkey every month. After pleas for help from Athens, the EU border agency Frontex dispatched temporary intervention teams last year to help secure the border.

Amnesty international condemned the border fence plans as a violation of human rights, while the European Commission called it a temporary solution to a deeper problem.

While Greek-Turkish relations have improved significantly over the past decade, disputes remain between the two NATO allies.

Territorial rights in the Aegean Sea have long been a stumbling block, with the two countries nearly going to war over a tiny deserted island in 1996. Repeated Turkish military flights in the Aegean region also provoke anger in Greece, which says they undermine diplomatic efforts.

Greece has opened up to the idea of Turkey joining the EU, but member state Cyprus has stalled accession talks over Turkey's support for the breakaway Turkish north.

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