Greece extends full support to Turkey’s EU bid

ATHENS (AA) – Greek Prime Minister Costas Caramanlis said on Friday that he extended full support to Turkey’s reformist efforts.

Greek Prime Minister Caramanlis said that he and Erdogan took up bilateral issues and regional and international developments in their meeting.

Caramanlis noted that he and Erdogan were of the same opinion that current good bilateral relations should be further improved.

Greek Prime Minister Costas Caramanlis stated that both he and Erdogan thought that two countries should make best use of the existing atmosphere.

Caramanlis pointed out that Turkish and Greek diplomats and businessmen would cooperate as of today in order to promote bilateral relations.

Stressing the support that Athens extended to Turkey’s European Union (EU) membership, Caramanlis said that as the Greek Prime Minister, he voiced the full support he extended to efforts and reforms of the Turkish government.

Caramanlis said that Greek Cypriot side had joined the EU and the north of Cyprus had a special situation.

EU did not have a big problem about this issue, Caramanlis noted.

Caramanlis said that the Greek Cypriot government had launched certain political initiatives regarding Turkish Cypriots and promised economic support as the first step.

Their target after the simultaneous referenda held in Cyprus on April 24 was inclusion of a united Cyprus in the EU and enabling all people in the island to benefit from EU’s advantages, Caramanlis noted.

Upon a question on Aegean issues between Turkey and Greece, Caramanlis said that two countries had started bilateral meetings on this issue.

Caramanlis stated that two countries had not yet reached any certain result in their talks and he could not say anything concrete for the near future.

Greek Prime Minister Caramanlis expressed his wish that this issue would be concluded as soon as possible.

Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan went to Greece on Thursday evening for an official visit as the guest of Caramanlis.

Erdogan attended a "family dinner" hosted in his and his wife Emine Erdogan’s honor by Caramanlis at Caramanlis’ villa.

Greek Prime Minister Costas Caramanlis welcomed Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan with an official ceremony in Athens earlier in the day.