Greek and Turkish coast guards aim to boost cooperation against migrant smuggling

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Senior Greek and Turkish coast guard officials have agreed to boost cooperation in restricting one of the main illegal migration routes into Europe. Greece’s coast guard say Tuesday’s meeting on Greece’s eastern Aegean Sea island of Chios was the first of its kind in five years. It’s scheduled to be followed up in Turkey in February 2025. The talks came amid a gradual improvement in relations between the two historic regional rivals. Every year, thousands of migrants risk the short but dangerous sea journey from Turkey’s western coast to the eastern Greek islands, mostly in small, unseaworthy boats.