Akar

Greece's defense minister announced Thursday that he will travel to neighboring Turkey next week as part of an effort to ease tension between the two NATO members, which have long-standing and often volatile disputes.

Nikos Panagiotopoulos told reporters in Athens that he would visit areas devastated by earthquakes in early February with Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar.

Turkey's National Security Council on Thursday supported maintaining the positive climate in bilateral ties with Greece that emerged in the wake of the devastating earthquakes on February 6, adding that it would benefit both sides.

In a statement after convening in Ankara, the council added that ongoing developments in the Aegean and the East Mediterranean are being followed closely.

Turkey's National Security Council on Thursday supported maintaining the positive climate in bilateral ties with Greece that emerged in the wake of the massive earthquake on February 6, adding that it would benefit both sides.

In a statement after convening in Ankara, the Council added that ongoing developments in the Aegean and the Eastern Mediterranean are being followed closely.

Greek Defense Minister Nikolaos Panagiotopoulos will visit Türkiye upon the invitation of his Turkish counterpart, Hulusi Akar.

Akar and Panagiotopoulos will visit the quake-hit southern Hatay province on April 4. The two ministers will also have a bilateral meeting.

Defense Minister Nikos Panagiotopoulos will travel to the earthquake-stricken areas in southeast Turkey next week to meet with his Turkish counterpart, Hulusi Akar.

About 60,000 Syrian refugees have returned to their homeland after the Feb. 6 earthquakes devastated their homes in Türkiye, Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said on March 27.

"Around 60,000 Syrians living in Türkiye have returned to their own land due to the loss of their homes and relatives," Akar said speaking at a military bordar post in the southern Hatay province.

Defense Minister Nikos Panagiotopoulos has said he would not rule out a meeting with his Turkish counterpart, Hulusi Akar, in the near future, an invitation for which has already been extended from the Turkish side.

Türkiye is making efforts to bring Ukraine and Russia to an agreement for the extension of the grain deal to 120 days instead of the current plan of two months, Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said on March 15.

Turkey wants to "share the wealth of the Aegean," its defense minister, Hulusi Akar, said at the weekend, while Ankara seeks to maintain a low tone in Greek-Turkish relations and is sending signals of cooperation to Athens. In interviews with CNN Turk TV and the Anadolu Agency, Akar referred positively to the phone conversation he had with his Greek counterpart Nikos Panagiotopoulos.

Turkey is ready to open a channel for dialogue to solve its problems with Greece "peacefully," the country's Defense Minister, Hulusi Akar, said in an interview to the Anadolu news agency Sunday.