Greece – Turkey: When the “red phone” rings

Eleni Sourani and Ibrahim Kalin were invited as “interpreters” to Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ meeting with Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The “idea” is attributed to the Turkish president, who asked for Kalin, inevitably opening the door for Eleni Sourani.

The specific “interpreters” were in fact deemed as necessary, as it was necessary to exclude all others who participated in the two delegations and could take part in such a meeting. And lead it to a disaster. And the Turkish president knew that. And it certainly was not what he needed at this point in time.

Because in an enlarged meeting, there may have been others besides Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias and Mevlut Tsavousoglou, who are not characterized as “dangerous” for the derailment of the discussion. In fact, given that in Brussels Erdogan was followed by the people who to this day lead the inflammatory rhetoric towards Greece, even when “calm waters” are sought, as now. Among them is Defense Minister Hulusi Akar, who describes Greece as an “expansionist country” and proclaims the doctrine of the “Blue Homeland”, AKP spokesman Omer Celik, who at times, as a party and not a state official, but also the right hand of Erdogan within the party, has undertaken to balance the friendship attack towards Greece, keeping the tone high inside the country, but also the communication director of the Turkish presidency, Fahrettin Altun, who in a recent propaganda video, accuses Athens of welcoming and sponsoring terrorists. acting against Turkey, while at the same time “letting the real refugees in the Aegean drown”. He even called for an end to the “impunity” of Greece… This was exactly the composition that made Nikos Dendias support a meeting where only Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Recep Tayyip Erdogan would be present. And the two… “interpreters”.

The “iron lady”

Eleni Sourani, director of the Prime Minister’s Diplomatic Office, is described as the “iron lady” of foreign policy at the Maximos Palace. According to some others it is something much more. He knows the “line” of the government. It has the absolute ability to implement it and “translate” politics into the diplomatic initiatives it requires and can become the toughest “shield” when needed. At the same time, she has deep respectful relations with her colleagues at the Foreign Ministry, while her acquaintances abroad hold the “keys” for many capitals. With those outside the PM’s office that she chooses to speak to, she takes care to give directions, without getting carried away in dangerous chatter… Eleni Sourani is the right hand of Kyriakos Mitsotakis in foreign policy. And she always acts within the commands she receives, incorporating her experience.

Erdogan’s alter ego

Ibrahim Kalin, a spokesman for Erdogan, is the Turkish president’s alter ego. The man who can operate either as a firefighter when he receives the appropriate orders from Erdogan or as an arsonist when asked to. He is the man who is called to “interpret” Erdogan’s words in politics depending on who he is facing. In the capacity of the voice of the Turkish president, he entered the 61st round of exploratory talks, effectively canceling the Foreign Ministry, in this capacity he was sent to negotiate with Sourani in Berlin in 2020, when Erdogan wanted to send double messages, raising the tension to new heights, while arguing that he is calling for a dialogue. According to Erdogan, the two “special envoys” Kalin and Sourani will discuss directly and will inform the two leaders to move forward, “without the mediation of other countries and organizations.”

When Sourani and Kalin talk, Maximos Mansion and Ak Sarai talk. And if it’s not a “red phone” device, it is definitely a powerful communication channel that has proven to work. And as such it will remain, without being announced. Besides, the diplomatic background and the contacts in the next period both between Greece and Turkey and in relation to the contacts of Maximos Mansion with the capitals of the world are expected to intensify even more. Aiming for a “calm summer” and a “quiet – as far as possible – 2021”.  With the “interpreters” having been deemed necessary…