[Madrid Declaration] , joint communique on Greek-Turkish relations ,  July 8th, 1997

The communique states:

"His Excellency Suleyman Demirel, President of the Turkish Republic and His Excellency Costas Simitis, Prime Minister of the Hellenic Republic, met on July 8 on the occasion of the NATO summit in Madrid. They noted with satisfaction the convergence of views reached by Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos and Foreign Minister Ismail Cem at the meeting hosted by US Secretary of State Albright. Both countries will pursue efforts to promote bilateral relations based upon:

• A mutual commitment to peace, security and the continuing development of good neighborly relations;
• Respect for each other's sovereignty;
• Respect for the Principles of International Law and International Agreements;
• Respect for each other's legitimate, vital interests and concerns in the Aegean which are of great importance for their security and national sovereignty;
• Commitment to refrain from unilateral acts on the basis of mutual respect and willingness to avoid conflicts arising from misunderstanding; and
• Commitment to settle disputes by peaceful means based on mutual consent and without use of force or threat of force."