Greece-Turkey talks yield no breakthrough

Athens: Diplomats from Nato members Greece and Turkey failed to reach a breakthrough on Tuesday during their latest round of talks on their standoff over eastern Mediterranean borders and energy rights.

Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias told reporters afterwards that his country was "participating in these talks in good faith." But the two sides seemed far apart both on the scope and details of the talks.

This was the such second meeting this year after January’s talks in Istanbul that ended a nearly five-year pause in the dialogue -- and which only took place after European Union pressure.

Another meeting is scheduled in Istanbul, Greek state broadcaster ERT reported. But there have been more than 60 such meetings since 2000, with very little so far to show for it. Tuesday’s talks did not start in the best of conditions, after a diplomatic note from Ankara a day earlier drew a line in the sand.

The note was addressed to Israel, Greece and the European Union, Turkish media reported, telling them to seek its permission before proceeding with work on a proposed undersea power cable in disputed eastern Mediterranean waters. Both sides cite a range of decades-old treaties and international agreements to support their conflicting territorial claims.