Foreign Minister Avramopoulos’ statement following his meeting with the President of the Republic

D. AVRAMOPOULOS: As you know, I just got back from Istanbul and was received by the President of the Republic ahead of the mission to the European Council meeting. It was a briefing, following the meeting held yesterday at the Foreign Ministry. The Greek Delegation is prepared, headed by the Head of State, to go to the meeting, and I believe that everything is well organized and that the mission will have a positive outcome.

JOURNALIST: Will you be with the delegation

D. AVRAMOPOULOS: Certainly.

JOURNALIST: You will be their too.

D. AVRAMOPOULOS: As is usual.

JOURNALIST: Regarding your meeting yesterday, when you were received by the Patriarch and met with your Turkish counterpart?

D. AVRAMOPOULOS: I met with His All Holiness yesterday, and this morning, within the framework of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC) conference, I had an informal but very friendly meeting, in a very positive atmosphere, with the Turkish Foreign Minister. The purpose of the meeting was to rekindle our relations, and from September on we will undertake a series of initiatives that will open new paths of cooperation between the two countries.

Thank you very much.