A bilateral meeting between Greek and Turkish Coast Guard officers took place yesterday in Chios, aiming to reduce migrant flows and, most importantly, to prevent situations that could lead to loss of life at sea.

The Greek delegation included the Port Authorities of Lesvos, Samos, Chios, Kos, and Rhodes, along with two officers from the Coast Guard Headquarters. The Turkish side was represented by 11 officers, matching the number of their Greek counterparts.

The key outcome was the restoration of direct communication between the local coast guard authorities of both countries, after nearly five years. This means that in the event of a critical incident, the Port Authorities on both sides can communicate directly with each other, rather than going through the headquarters in Piraeus and Bodrum.

The meeting led to an agreement on cooperation in addressing irregular migration and combating criminal networks involved in human trafficking. However, issues related to occasional reports of violations of maritime borders and migrant pushbacks were not discussed.

Initially scheduled for early 2024, the meeting was delayed due to tensions in the relations between the two countries.