Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis during talks in Ankara on Monday that there were no problems that cannot be solved between their countries.

He added that it was important to find a just and lasting solution to the Cyprus problem based on realities on the island.

Erdoğan also said a step towards a solution in Cyprus would strengthen regional peace and stability.

“We had a constructive and positive meeting and discussed problems in Türkiye-Greece relations; we will solve problems through dialogue,” Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said at a joint news conference with Mitsotakis in Ankara.

Erdoğan said that Ankara and Athens are committed to resolving issues via “cordial dialogue, good neighborly ties, and international law” as outlined in last year’s Athens Declaration on Friendly Relations and Good-Neighborliness.

Saying that he and Mitsotakis had a very productive, genuine and constructive meeting, Erdoğan said they both reviewed all issues on their agendas, as he thanked the Greek prime minister for his visit.

Also touching upon the Cyprus issue, Erdoğan said that it was important to find a just and lasting solution to the Cyprus problem based on the realities on the island.

He added that a step towards a solution in Cyprus would strengthen regional peace and security.

Improvement of bilateral relations with Türkiye is yielding concrete and positive results, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said

“I can only begin by thanking you for the warm hospitality today in Ankara, it was the fourth meeting in the last 10 months, which I believe proves that the two neighbors can now establish this approach of mutual understanding, no longer as some exception, but as a productive normality that is not negated by the known differences in our positions,” Mitsotakis said.

On the issue of Cyprus, Mitsotakis said he and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan “obviously disagree” on the issue of the Cyprus problem, but that “only dialogue can be the antidote to any deadlock”.

He said his support of dialogue was the reason “I am happy for the appointment of [United Nations Envoy Maria Angela] Holguin,” adding, “I believe she should be given the time to search for a solution within the framework of UN Security Council decisions.”