Foreign ministers of Greece and Turkey meet in Sofia to discuss bilateral relations and Cyprus

On Wednesday, Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan met in Sofia on the sidelines of the Southeast European Cooperation Process summit. The discussion focused on regional stability, transatlantic relations ahead of the July summit in Ankara, and the situation in the Middle East and Eastern Mediterranean. The officials discussed developments regarding the Cyprus issue and preparations for meetings with the UN Secretary-General's personal envoy. Regarding a Turkish draft law on maritime zones, Fidan defended it as a national legislative act, while Gerapetritis emphasized that unilateral actions produce no legal effect and do not support a calm climate. Greece maintains that the sole bilateral issue remains the delimitation of the Exclusive Economic Zone and the continental shelf. Turkey urged Greece to be more responsible in its statements regarding the draft law to avoid negative impacts on bilateral ties.