While saying that Turkey’s becoming a member of the EU would be of benefit to Athens, Bakoyanni stressed that Ankara had to meet all of the bloc’s accession criteria before joining.

Bakoyanni said that Turkey was not yet ready to join the EU and that the process would take time.
The Greek Foreign Minister said that Ankara should open its ports to Greek Cypriot flagged vessels. He was also critical of Turkey holding the position that Greece’s proposed expansion of its territorial waters in the Aegean to the 12 mile limit would be a justification for war as this did not fit the EU vision.