Turkey, Greece agree on confidence-building measures as Ankara eyes F-16s

Ezgi Akin

Nov 13, 2023

The Soloturk aerobatic demonstration team of the Turkish Air Force flies an F-16 aircraft over Anitkabir, the mausoleum of Turkish Republic's Founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, during celebrations to mark the 100th anniversary of the Republic of Turkey in Ankara, on October 29, 2023. Turkey marked its centenary as a post-Ottoman republic on October 29, 2023, with somewhat muted celebrations held in the shadow of Israel's escalating war with Hamas militants in Gaza. (Photo by Adem ALTAN / AFP) (Photo by ADEM ALT — The Soloturk aerobatic demonstration team of the Turkish Air Force flies an F-16 aircraft over Anitkabir, the mausoleum of Turkish Republic's Founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, during celebrations to mark the 100th anniversary of the Republic of Turkey in Ankara, on October 29, 2023. — ADEM ALTAN/AFP via Getty Images

ANKARA — Turkey and Greece on Monday provisionally agreed to implement a series of confidence-building measures, the Turkish Defense Ministry said in a statement.

The two NATO allies agreed “to implement or reactivate" a number of confidence-building measures during the course of 2024, the Turkish Defense Ministry stated.

The two countries also agreed to set up a direct line between Ankara and Athens in a bid to “remain in contact and facilitate the implementation” of the measures, the statement said.

The ministry didn’t elaborate on the nature of the new measures to be implemented, but some of the previously agreed-upon 29 measures include decreasing the number of military exercises, joint military drills, training and exchange programs between military academies, as well as other steps to avoid escalation between the two countries’ militaries.