By Bosphorus News Geopolitics Desk
Greece's ambassador to the United Nations said Athens has "good relations" with Türkiye and questioned why bilateral disputes should be taken to the UN Security Council as Greece assumes its rotating presidency for October.
Aglaia Balta, Greece's permanent representative to the UN and Security Council president for the month, made the remarks on October 1 after Rudaw correspondent Namo Abdulla asked about Greece-Türkiye disputes and whether the Council could provide a venue to discuss them. The UN schedule confirms Balta held the presidency's opening press briefing that day. Birleşmiş Milletler
Abdulla also referred to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's UN General Assembly call for recognition of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC).
Balta's first response was blunt: "Why discuss?"
"We have good relations. We have good relations with Turkey, and you saw it in President Erdoğan's speech."
Aglaia Balta, Greece's Permanent Representative to the United Nations
Balta did not specify which passage of Erdoğan's speech she had in mind. But his September 22 address included a call for existing issues in the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean to be resolved through good-neighborly relations and in accordance with international law. In the same section, Erdoğan repeated his call for the international community to recognize the TRNC and establish political, diplomatic and economic relations with it. AK Parti
The reference gave Balta's answer an added edge. The same Erdoğan speech contained positions Athens rejects on Cyprus, yet the Greek ambassador cited it while describing relations with Türkiye as good.
Greece took over the rotating Security Council presidency on October 1 for the second time during its 2025-2026 term as an elected member. Athens has made maritime issues one of the month's central themes. A high-level event on October 29 will focus on freedom of navigation and maritime security under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Yunanistan Dışişleri Bakanlığı
That comes as Greece and Türkiye remain divided over the scope of their Aegean disputes.
Athens maintains that delimitation of the continental shelf and exclusive economic zone is the "one and only dispute" between the two countries that could be referred to international jurisdiction. Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis repeated that position in September. Yunanistan Dışişleri Bakanlığı
Türkiye rejects that definition of the agenda. Ankara's Foreign Ministry lists territorial waters and continental shelf delimitation, the demilitarized status of eastern Aegean islands, the legal status of certain geographical features, airspace and search-and-rescue questions among outstanding Aegean issues. Dışişleri Bakanlığı
Those differences have not disappeared. Balta's answer was instead about where they should be handled. She gave no indication that Greece intends to use its month at the head of the Security Council to bring the bilateral file before the body.
Her description of the relationship was simpler: "We have good relations."
Sources: United Nations, Rudaw, Hellenic Republic Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Presidency of the Republic of Türkiye Directorate of Communications, Bosphorus News review and reporting.