Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz will pay a two-day visit to Greece next week following a spat over sovereignty issues that marred a one-year rapprochement between the two neighbors, an aide of Yilmaz told AFP Wednesday.
Yilmaz, scheduled to arrive in Athens next Thursday, will have talks with Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis and Greek President Costis Stephanopoulos on Friday, an official from Yilmaz's center-right Motherland Party (ANAP) said.
Also on Friday, he will participate in a meeting of the Turco-Greek business council, a non-governmental group promoting bilateral trade.
Yilmaz is also scheduled to have meetings with former Greek Prime Minister Constantin Mitsotakis and Athens mayor Dimitris Avramopoulos after his arrival Thursday.
Yilmaz's visit follows a wave of bilateral tension, which erupted after Greece pulled out Sunday from NATO war games in Turkey after a quarrel with Ankara over disputed air corridors over the Aegean Sea.
Also on Sunday, Greek Cypriot missile radar locked on two Turkish jets inside Cypriot airspace during a visit by Greek Defense Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos to an airbase on the divided island.
Turkish Foreign Minister Ismail Cem said Tuesday that Ankara and Athens should not allow the recent chill to damage the rapprochement between the two nations, fueled by the unprecedented solidarity they displayed after deadly quakes hit both countries a year ago.
Turkey and Greece have so far signed nine bilateral cooperation accords on secondary issues, but remain severely at odds over territorial disputes in the Aegean and the island of Cyprus -- ANKARA (AFP)
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