Turkish, Greek Ministers Meet over Migrants, Asylum Requests
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - The foreign ministers of Turkey and Greece met in Ankara amid a reported increase in the number of migrants illegally entering Greece from Turkey.
The talks between Turkey's Mevlut Cavusoglu and Nikos Kotzias of Greece on Tuesday also come amid tension over Greek courts' decision not to extradite eight Turkish officers whom Turkey accuses of involvement in last year's failed coup. The decision sparked strong protests from Ankara, AP reported.
The UN reported an increase in migrant arrivals from Turkey in September. It was the highest monthly record since March 2016, when the European Union and Turkey stuck a deal to restrict the flow of migrants into Europe.
Greece and Turkey are NATO allies but have long-standing disputes, including Aegean Sea boundaries, undersea exploration rights and the war-divided island of Cyprus.