Turkish leader's call mars visit to Greece

Erdogan seeking changes in treaty that sets borders.

ATHENS, GREECE — Turkey’s president made a landmark visit to Greece on Thursday, but any expectation for diplomacy was quickly deflated by his call for changes to an international treaty that defines the borders between the rivals.

The visit by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was no this first—he had visited Greece twice before as prime minister — but it was the fifirst by a Turkish president in 65 years.

With Turkey ’s relations with Europe and the United States deteriorating, there had been hopes that Erdogan’s vi si t might portend closer relations with Greece, and greater stability in the region. It had been touted on both sides of the Aegean as being aimed at improving ties.

Instead, Erdogan managed to provoke his hosts even before landing in Athens. In an interview published in the Greek daily Kathimer on Thursday, he suggested an “update” of the 1923 Treaty of Lausanne, which defined Turkey’s borders with neighboring countries after World War I.

He repeated the demand at a tense, televised news conference with his Greek counterpart, President Prokopis Pavlopoulos.

“There are outstanding issues with the Treaty of Lausanne and matters that have not been addressed correctly ,” as tony-faced Erdogan said. It should be “updated,” he added.

P av lo poul os, clearly uncomfortable, immediately countered that the treaty was “nonnegotiable.”

Greek news media condemned the Turkish leader’s stance as “provocative”

and “unprecedented.” Erdo gan has been rai s - in gt he issue of the Lausanne Treaty since last year’s failed coup, calling it unfair, a public stance that is considered provocative not only toward Greece, but even in Turkey because it questions the very legitimacy of the republic that was established on the foundations of the treaty.

He has emphasized the unfairness of the treaty that handed islands close to Turkey’s shores to Greece, and raised concerns about the Turkish community in Greece, which is known offi cially as a Muslim minority rather than as ethnic Turkish.

After Erdogan picked up the theme Thursday, Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras of Greece told him that he was eager to “build bridges, not raise walls,” and he underlined the need for “respect for international law, treaties and of the territorial integrity of countries.”

MILOS BICANSKI / GETTY IMAGES Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos (lef t) and Turkish President Recep Tay yip Erdogan walk on the red carpet during a welcoming ceremony Thursday in Athens. Erdogan’s visit is the fifirst by a Turkish president in 65 years.