Greece and Turkey have commenced discussions to mend their relations during a meeting between their respective Foreign Ministers on Monday. This initiative aims to bring an end to the long-standing tensions between the two nations.

During Monday’s talks, attended by experts from both countries, Greece’s Kostas Fragogiannis and Turkey’s Burak Akçapar primarily focused on identifying potential areas for collaboration between these two NATO member states in the realm of economics.

On the agenda for discussion were topics such as tourism, energy, environmental concerns, and civil defense, as confirmed by sources within the Greek Government.

The discussions scheduled for Tuesday are expected to address more challenging and contentious issues, including disputes over sovereignty in the Aegean and Mediterranean Seas, as well as the matter of migration.

Government sources in Athens have not set specific expectations for concrete outcomes resulting from these discussions.

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan had agreed to explore the possibility of mending their relations during a meeting on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly on September 20.

This resolution follows years of political tensions between the two nations. Turkey and Greece have long-standing disputes over issues like the sovereignty of Aegean islands and the utilization of resources in the region, such as natural gas.

If an agreement is reached, the two governments are set to convene on December 7 in the Greek port city of Thessaloniki.