The Turkish Government has made a series of proposals to Greece on 12 February 1998, with a view to resolving the Aegean problems and improving bilateral relations. However, these proposals were rejected by the Greek Government through the Minister for Foreign Affairs Pangalos' letter of 20 February 1998. The views of the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding the Greek reply were made public.

A second Note including proposals and the Turkish Government's approach to the said letter of the Greek Foreign Minister was presented to the Greek Ambassador in Ankara on 11 March 1998.

In the said Note, the Turkish Government's constructive approach towards initiating a process of peaceful settlement of disputes between Türkiye and Greece in order to ease and gradually remove the tension continuing in the Aegean, has been brought to the attention of the Greek Government once again. It has been stressed that ignoring the Aegean problems is not a way out and that such an attitude would only serve to continue the existing impasse and tensions.

In the Note, it has also been mentioned that Türkiye has always been in favour of a meeting at the level of Foreign Ministers of the two countries as well as between their senior diplomats, provided that such meetings should be specifically organized to discuss all Aegean problems within a framework to be jointly determined, rather than meeting in the margins of international gatherings, as proposed by Mr. Pangolos.

The Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs has also sent a letter to his Greek counterpart and invited him to Ankara to take up certain issues which may enable a first step to be taken on the basis of our constructive approach.

It is expected that Greece will consider our proposals with common sense, seriousness and political determination, which are needed to resolve the Aegean problems.