Greek FM Turkish PM’s friend

ATHENS - Hürriyet

Newly appointed Greek Foreign Minister Dimitris Avramopoulos enters the room for the delivery and reception ceremony at the ministry in Athens, Greece, 22 June 2012. EPA/ALKIS KONSTANTINIDIS

Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras formed his Cabinet on June 21, appointing Dimitris Avramopoulos, a friend of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, as the new foreign minister.

Erdoğan’s friendship with Avramopoulos goes back to the latter’s time as Athens mayor (1994-2002), according to daily Hürriyet. Avramopoulos tried to visit Erdoğan in prison at that time, but could not get authorization. Erdoğan was sentenced to a prison term because of a poem he recited on 1997 in a public address. Avramopoulos is a keen admirer of Istanbul. “Erdoğan is a very good friend of mine. I believe in the convergence of Greek and Turkish societies,” he was quoted as saying by the daily in his election tour to Western Thrace.