Ankara raises obstacles to dialogue

The fragile state of Greek-Turkish diplomatic talks faces further strain following hardline remarks from Turkish Defense Minister Yasar Guler, who reiterated Ankara's contentious positions on territorial and maritime disputes. Guler's comments, made during a parliamentary session, underscored the ongoing tension as both nations navigate long-standing conflicts over sovereignty in the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean.

Guler notably cited Alexandroupoli, a strategic port hosting US forces in northern Greece, as a "security threat," adding it to Ankara's list of grievances alongside Greece's militarized islands. This stance aligns with Turkey's broader opposition to perceived Western military encroachments near its borders. 

He also referenced the Bern Agreement, a 1976 bilateral accord urging both nations to suspend activities on the Aegean continental shelf for as long...