The Turk who is not Attila, the Greek who is Agamemnon

Attila, in the Greek historical narrative, symbolizes the aggressive, barbarian, and invading Turk. Attila was the leader of the European Huns in the 5th century A.D., the nightmare of the Eastern Roman and Western Roman (Byzantine) Empires. From the perspective of European Christian culture, he is the "other" who evokes negative connotations. Agamemnon, on the other hand, is the commander-in-chief of the united army of the ancient Greek city-states during the Trojan War, as mentioned in Homer's Iliad.

When viewed from the other side of the water, Turkish statesmen and Turkish leaders are each seen as an Attila. Opposition leaders are also potential Attilas. In the recent past, the only leader who was not characterized as an Attila by Greece was Erdoğan. We are referring to the visit to Greece made by AKP leader Erdoğan in 2002, before he was elected as a member of parliament.

It is time to recall Erdoğan's Athens visit, which took place 22 years ago, when he was welcomed with prime ministerial protocol despite not even being a member of parliament. During his nearly two-hour meeting at the prime ministry with Greek Prime Minister Kostas Simitis, no interpreter was used, and Turkey's Athens Ambassador Yiğit Alpogan, along with deputy undersecretaries Akın Alptuna and Baki İlkin, were not admitted, nor were any minutes recorded.

Erdoğan, who began the joint press conference held after the meeting by stating that he was “pleased to be in the beautiful city of Athens, where democracy was born and where Plato and Socrates once walked,” concluded his remarks by saying, “We do not see Greece as our historical rival, but as our closest neighbor and a strategic partner for our future.”

The meaning of Erdoğan's visit—during which he met with New Democracy Party Chairman Kostas Karamanlis, Athens Mayor Dimitris Avramopoulos, and representatives of non-governmental organizations—for Greece and the expectations for the future were expressed by Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou: “A historic meeting. For the first time in years, we did not see an Attila before us.”

Twenty-two years have been more than enough to understand what the satisfaction felt by the other side of the water regarding a new leader who did not fit the Attila profile meant for Turkey. If only the Greek leaders possessed the qualities that would make the Turkish side say, “For the first time, we did not see an Agamemnon before us.”

Looking at the statements made after the meeting between Erdoğan and Mitsotakis on May 13, it is evident that the Greek side's traditional stance has not changed at all. It is understood that the other side of the water will continue its anti-Turkey stance in the Aegean, in Cyprus, and on various issues concerning both sides.

Contrary to Erdoğan's “win-win” rhetoric, it is clear that nothing that could be recorded as a gain for Turkey was achieved in the May 13 meeting. On one side, there is Greece, which is looking for opportunities to extend its territorial waters to 12 miles and is calculating how to add new ones to the islands/islets/rocks it has occupied. On the other side, there is Turkey, which appears to have long since lost its decisive and deterrent reflexes that were once prioritized by national interest, regardless of the political power in charge.

Two different lines, two different identities on the two sides of the water: On one side, a Turkey that has given up on being Attila; on the other, a Greece that insists on being Agamemnon!