German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas will be in Athens and Ankara today, with the situation in the Eastern Mediterranean at the center of contacts with his counterparts..
The agenda of Mr. Maas' talks with Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias includes the situation in the Eastern Mediterranean, as well as EU-Russia relations and the situation in Libya, in view of the informal "Gymnich" meeting of EU Foreign Ministers. , which will take place in Berlin on 27 and 28 August, according to a relevant announcement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Yesterday, the German government expressed its "regret" for the extension of the Turkish NAVTEX, while warning that the tension in the Eastern Mediterranean is straining the European Union's relationship with Turkey and its possible escalation will have even more serious consequences.
"We are sorry for this announcement by Turkey. "From our point of view, the extension of the Turkish ship's seismic surveys there is in the current situation a step in the wrong direction, because what we need now are de-escalation messages," said German Foreign Ministry spokesman Christopher Burger. the extension of NAVTEX by Ankara until August 27, the day on which the Informal Council of EU Foreign Ministers takes place in Berlin.
The program of the visit
The German Foreign Minister will meet with Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis at 11:30 at the Maximos Palace.
At 12:00 he will meet with the president of SYRIZA - Progressive Alliance Alexis Tsipras in the office of the leader of the official opposition in Parliament.
The meeting with Mr. Dendias at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will take place at 12:40, while at the end of the talks there will be statements in the Press. This will be followed by a working lunch.
In the afternoon, the German Foreign Minister will visit Turkey.
Source: Ant1