Contacts intensify in runup to summit

With the European Council just a little more than a week away, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias have embarked on a veritable diplomatic marathon with the aim of further building a solid framework of positions with regard to Turkey. 

To this end, Mitsotakis spoke on Tuesday with French President Emmanuel Macron, while earlier he participated in a teleconference with European Council President Charles Michel, as well as the prime ministers of Poland, Slovenia and Slovakia - Mateusz Morawiecki, Janez Jansa and Igor Matovic.

In what was described as a laconic announcement, the PM's office said the discussion between Mitsotakis and Macron had as its objective the preparation for the European Council but also issues of "bilateral cooperation," which observers interpreted as meaning they talked about the Recovery Fund but mainly the...