Intelligence chiefs hold discreet meeting in Athens amid regional tensions

A recent unannounced meeting between Turkish intelligence chief İbrahim Kalın and Greek intelligence chief Themistoklis Demiris in Athens has drawn attention due to differing reports on its agenda. Turkish security sources suggest the discussions focused on combating terrorism, espionage, organized crime, and irregular migration, as well as regional stability in the Middle East, Syria, and Libya. Greek reports indicate the meeting also touched upon the presence of Turkish criminal networks and migrant smuggling operations.

Separately, a study by the European Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET) evaluated Turkey’s alignment with the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy. The report noted that while Turkey maintains significant security and defense cooperation with international missions like EUFOR Althea and NATO’s KFOR, its relations with neighboring EU members, specifically Greece and Cyprus, remain difficult. The study highlighted that Greece and Cyprus have maintained distinct foreign policy stances toward Turkey even after joining the EU, illustrating the complexities of regional alignment.