Tactics for a slow but steady restart of various communication channels between Greece and Turkey remains Athens after the expected re-election of Recep Tayyip Erdogan as president of the country.

National Democratic Party President Kyriakos Mitsotakis said yesterday (at Mega) that if he is re-elected as prime minister in the June 25 elections, he would be eager to meet Mr. Erdogan on the sidelines of the NATO summit in July. 11 and 12 in Vilnius Lithuania. Considering that at this stage the main priority of NATO and the Americans will be the refusal of Sweden to join the North Atlantic Treaty, the meeting between Mitsotakis and Erdogan will serve as a necessary starting signal.

If, of course, the formation of an independent government in Athens is confirmed after June 25, then there will be a temporarily open horizon on both sides, theoretically unobstructed.

However, if what has already become clear at various stages is confirmed, i.e. total abstinence from any major military activity in the Aegean until September 15 (that is, when the official three-month Papuliya-Yılmaz moratorium also ends), then more than seven months without exercise . “I have no illusions, I know that the policies of countries do not change,” Mr. Mitsotakis said yesterday, adding that “just because we disagree does not mean that we should be on the verge of a hot episode.” .”

Mr. Mitsotakis announced that he would talk to Mr. Erdogan. On the official field, Acting Prime Minister Ioannis Sarmas congratulated Mr. Erdogan with a letter, wishing peace and prosperity to the Turkish people.

As for the schedule, after June 25, the process of discussing confidence-building measures (CBMs) at the level of ministries of national defense is expected to resume with exploratory contacts and political dialogue at the level of ministries. foreign affairs to follow. It is expected that the positive agenda and especially energy will also become an element of discussion.

“K” was already mentioned in the American estimate that, based on the existing features of the Greek-Turkish situation, it is possible to create the ground for some cooperation in the field of energy and, in fact, in the most painless part, that is, the transfer of liquefied natural gas to terminals in both Greece and Turkey.

The form of the American initiative is not precise, but it looks like it has been moved to late summer, if not early autumn. The individuals who, by definition and responsibilities, will be involved in one way or another are the Deputy Foreign Secretary in charge of energy resources and former US Ambassador to Athens Geoffrey Pyatt, as well as Amos Hockstein, special coordinator of Global Infrastructure and Energy Security under President Joe Biden.

The Germans have also expressed their readiness to promote Greek-Turkish contacts, but in Athens they prefer to take the thread from the very beginning, first of all cultivating the best climate – as far as possible – at the level of leaders.

No one in Athens appears to be willing to compromise on Greek sovereignty and sovereign rights, but there is a willingness to rethink how the two sides can negotiate.