Update - Greece Recognizes Turkey's Energy Rights İn E.Med

Turkey has rights concerning the abundant energy resources in the eastern Mediterranean, said Greece's foreign minister on Thursday.



Speaking at a joint press conference with his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu in Antalya, on Turkey's Mediterranean coast, George Katrougalos said they are working to reduce tension in the region.



"We know that Turkey has certain rights regarding energy resources in the eastern Mediterranean," Katrougalos said.



Turkey has rights based on international maritime law and Greece is "aware" of that, he added.



Greece and Turkey have been at loggerheads over energy exploration in the eastern Mediterranean, particularly around the divided island of Cyprus.



Cyprus, Turks in Western Thrace



Katrougalos said on April 12, Turkish and Greek foreign ministry officials will meet to discuss confidence-building measures.



The Cyprus issue will also be discussed, he added.



Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when a Greek Cypriot coup was followed by violence against the island's Turks and Ankara's intervention as a guarantor power.



The island has seen an on-and-off peace process in recent years, including the collapse of a 2017 initiative in Switzerland under the auspices of guarantor countries Turkey, Greece and the U.K.



Katrougalos said he and Cavusoglu also discussed the situation of the Muslim minority in Greece's Western Thrace region.



"These people are Greek citizens and we have to do whatever we can to provide peace and comfort to these people," Katrougalos added.



Western Thrace is home to a Muslim Turkish minority of around 150,000 people.



However, Greece refuses to recognize its status as a Turkish minority, recognizing it only through its religious affiliation as a Muslim minority.



Greece has also banned Turkish groups from calling themselves "Turkish" and interfered in the Muslim minority's right to elect its own muftis, or religious officials. -