Mitsotakis rules out joint energy exploitation with Turkey

If Turkey wishes to come closer to Europe and make an opening to the West, Greek-Turkish dialog must resume, New Democracy leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis, who is leading the polls ahead of Sunday’s parliamentary elections, said on Wednesday.

The dialog will concern “the single and only difference [between us], that is the delimitation of the exclusive economic zone and the continental shelf in the Aegean and the East Mediterranean,” he told Antenna TV in an interview on Wednesday night.

Speaking ahead of a NATO Summit in Vilnius (July 11-12), which Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will be attending, Mitsotakis reiterated that “we do not have a lot to discuss; issues of sovereignty and demilitarization are off the table,” if the two meet in Lithuania.

The ND leader and former premier strongly ruled out any joint exploitation of energy resources in the Aegean with Turkey. He also said that “Turkey needs to reevaluate its moves in Thrace,” in terms of the Greek Muslim minority there and influencing national elections, and asserted he would discuss the issue “openly with Erdogan,” if they do meet.