Political geography

Turkey proves every day that it has no intention whatsoever to improve its relations with Greece

Nova Gorica – Nova Gorica won the Golden Stone award for the biggest development breakthrough among Slovenia’s 212 municipalities at an online event that heard President Borut Pahor note the border city’s unique opportunity to link with its Italian counterpart into a single city.

More than a month after a powerful earthquake hit central Croatia, lawmakers on Friday will vote on amendments to the post-earthquake reconstruction law - amid complaints that the basic needs of many people in the affected areas have still not been met.

The Turkish defense minister on Jan. 30 announced the completion of the construction of the Turkish-Russian joint monitoring center in Upper Karabakh, saying it would become operational as of Jan. 30. 

Minister Hulusi Akar told Anadolu Agency that he has discussed matters of defense and security with his Azerbaijani counterpart Zakir Hasanov over the phone.

Exploratory contacts between Greece and Turkey resume Monday at Istanbul's Swissotel, with Athens having particularly low expectations of a substantial outcome due to the different agendas set by both sides.

Turkey and Greece resumed exploratory talks on Jan. 25 in Istanbul over disputed territorial claims after a four-year pause.

On Jan. 11, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu invited Greece to resume the talks amid a softening of rhetoric between Turkey and the European Union.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said he has "always encouraged" Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to discuss the delimitation of maritime zones between the two countries, which is the only issue Athens recognizes as open to negotiations.

Greece's extension of its territorial waters in the Ionian Sea does not affect the Aegean Sea, Turkey said on Jan. 20.

ISTANBUL - Turkey's Ministry of Foreign Affairs noted in an announcement Wednesday that Greece's extension of its territorial waters from 6 to 12 miles does not regard the Aegean Sea and repeated the country's objections against such an extension in the Aegean.

The Greek Parliament voted in favour of the extension of territorial waters to 12 nautical miles