When Will Alexis Tsipras Visit Ankara?

Greek–Turkish relations are a fascinating topic to write about.
There are a myriad of issues that merit a closer look. And as it seems that there is a fresh political wind blowing from across the shared Aegean Sea since a new government took over in Athens on Jan. 25, 2015, things look rather promising. Why am I so optimistic?
Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras has just completed his first 100 days in office -- now it's time for his Syriza Party to show what it is really made of.
Let me start by addressing the hot topic of the Greek economy. Bilateral trade between both countries hovers around the $4 billion mark, but is far from the $10 billion both governments had previously seen as a possible near-future peak. Hence, if those figures were to increase indeed it would be beneficial for Ankara as well as for Athens. The Greek administration could thus be very interested in wooing Turkish investors and Turkey could be keen on exporting more to our neighbours.
On to highlighting the potential for present military cooperation instead of debating past misunderstandings: It is a timely moment to start a new era in this context, too. Turkey and Greece are friendly neighboring nations and NATO members. As many parts of the world have become trouble and conflict zones, the shared Aegean waters should serve as an example for peaceful coexistence.
Moving on to Cyprus, although we may have said this before, a solution for the divided country is closer than ever. If Tsipras lets bygones be bygones and gently pushes the southern Cypriot leaders to truly embrace reunification based on a model of a state that is bi-zonal, federal, yet one joint country and a full EU member, things may change. If we then take into account Sunday's presidential elections in northern Cyprus which resulted in Mustafa Akıncı coming out on top, a picture emerges that indeed looks “promisingly pragmatic.” But in particular related to Cyprus -- if Syriza wants to send a signal, the time is now and not tomorrow. Needless to say that north and south, Athens and Ankara must all pull into the same direction.
Not overlooking the subject of Greece's current and Turkey's future EU membership, both countries should support each other in their endeavors to a) from the Greek perspective, make the eurozone work more efficiently and force less austerity on its weaker members, making them even more unstable, and b) from Ankara's viewpoint, convince the EU to become interested in more pro-actively enlarging to include Turkey.
And one point dear to my political observer's heart is the people. The two nations will for sure have learned their lessons from the past and understand that peaceful, mutually beneficial relations and good neighborly contacts are the only logical way ahead. Yet both civil societies, although geographically so close to each other, at times seem somewhat distanced. Let there be more exchange visits between young citizens from Greece and Turkey. Let there be much more tourism involving the Greek people visiting Turkey and the Turkish people visiting Greece. Greece and Turkey are renowned for their cultural artifacts. There is food, music. All should help to bring both even closer together.
Business and trade, military issues, Cyprus, the EU, tourism and of course, civil society: Prime Minister Tsipras would have a lot of highly relevant topics to talk about while here in Turkey. Does he perhaps already have potential dates for a visit on his agenda?

KLAUS JURGENS (Cihan/Today's Zaman)