Bağış gets a warm welcome in Greece by minister

ATHENS- Anatolia News Agency

Turkey’s EU Minister Egemen Bağış (R) visits Greece and meets with Greek Defense Minister Dimitrios Avramopoulos. AA photo

Turkey’s European Union Minister Egemen Bağış received a warm welcome from the Greek defense minister during his visit to Greece yesterday.

Bağış and Dimitrios Avramopoulos had a one-hour meeting at the Greek Defense Ministry in Athens. After the meeting, Bagış thanked Avramopoulos for his warm hospitality.

“I consider today a new page in Turkish-Greek relations, and I thank you as you are the personal architect of this day,” Bağış told a joint press conference with Avramopoulos. “I always say that leaders like you will shape the future of Europe, and Turkey will be part of that Europe. As the EU minister, I am looking forward to seeing this concept and initiative,” Bağış said.

Avramapoulos to visit Turkey in February

Bağış said he was sure Turkey’s National Defense Minister İsmet Yılmaz and Avramopoulos would cooperate to protect people and territories of Turkey and Greece, two NATO members. Avramopoulos, for his part, said it was time to establish good relations between Turkish and Greek governments and thanked Bağış for preferring to spend his vacation in Greece. The Greek minister said he expected Turkish people to visit Greece within the framework of goodwill, friendship and cooperation. Avramapoulos said he might visit Turkey at the beginning of February.