Turkey could work with Greece on nuclear energy and gas, Erdogan says
Turkey could cooperate with Greece on nuclear energy projects, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday after concluding a state visit to Athens.
Speaking to reporters on the flight back to Turkey, Erdogan said Ankara could sell electricity to Greece from a nuclear power plant it aims to build in the province of Sinop.
“We strive to develop and expand the cooperation [with Greece] not only in the field of energy but also in all fields, including nuclear energy,” Erdogan said. “For example, we can provide resources to Greece from the energy of our nuclear power plant to be built in Sinop.”
Erdogan added the two countries could also cooperate to share other eastern Mediterranean resources.
New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch
Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters
He also said Turkey could provide gas to Greece from a planned natural gas hub Ankara is building with Russia in Thrace.
The Turkish president made the comments on the journey back from Athens where he met Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Thursday with a large delegation.
He said Mitsotakis felt "positive" towards his suggestion of cooperation.
“Tensions in the eastern Mediterranean mostly negatively affect Turkey and Greece, the important countries of the region," Erdogan said.
"For this reason, we need to consider and strive for what opportunities we can obtain from here, what opportunities we can create for the benefit of our countries,” he added.
Turkey and Greece have been at odds for years over various issues.
In 2020, tensions soared during a dispute over maritime claims, with Erdogan threatening to invade some Greek islands.
However, relations warmed after Greece dispatched aid to Turkey following a deadly earthquake in February.
Turkish officials told Middle East Eye in September that Ankara was looking to rebalance its relations with Athens and repair links with Europe.
The meeting in Athens on Thursday lasted almost five hours and Turkish and Greek officials signed a raft of agreements covering the economy, tourism, agriculture, and migration.
In one of the most anticipated deals, Greece said it would revive an expedited seven-day tourist visa programme enabling Turks to visit 10 Greek islands close to the Turkish coast.
Middle East Eye delivers independent and unrivalled coverage and analysis of the Middle East, North Africa and beyond. To learn more about republishing this content and the associated fees, please fill out this form. More about MEE can be found here.
