The 25 agreements signed in Istanbul by the Prime Ministers of Greece Messrs. Samaras and Erdogan might appear to be minor, since they don’t relate to major issues or address crucial differences.
However the spirit of cooperation significantly expands into a slew of activities, from agriculture, tourism and communications, to health, cultural products and migration.
The idea is that hearts of the two people can be softened, to support the commercial cooperation between the two coasts of the Aegean and to then deal with harder issues, which have not yet been discussed officially or otherwise.
The thorny issue of hydrocarbons has been a source of conflicts for decades. The difference is that today, scientific progress can help solve the conflict and turn it into an opportunity for peace and cooperation.
In any case, the history records demonstrate that the cooperation of both sides has generated wealth and opportunity. Those opportunities died out with the Minor Asia Disaster. In those 90 years that followed, the Greek people have endured many hardships, such as their persecution in Istanbul and the Turkish invasion of Cyprus.
In recent years though the tension has eased and the cooperation has improved. Greece belongs to the Eurozone and Turkey is claiming its place in Europe, while the West’s focus shifts to the south east.
The geopolitical shifts can enhance both countries, with a cooperation promising unimaginable benefits. It would be a huge mistake if the necessary good intentions and tools were not brought into play to benefit both countries.
It is a matter of ideas, perspective and culture, which we want to believe that exists and is being developed on the eastern coast of the Aegean.
TO VIMA
