Greece Gets Ready for Turkish President Erdogan Visit

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will be in Athens on Thursday and Friday and will meet with government officials to discuss a series of issues, including Greek-Turkish relations and Turkey’s relationship with the EU.

According to the Turkish press, Erdogan’s visit to Greece is expected to be a new turning point for relations between Greece and Turkey as it is the first by a Turkish head of state in 65 years. Erdogan will be accompanied by Turkey’s Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu and Deputy PM Hakan Cavusoglu.

Erdogan is expected to arrive at Athens International Airport at 11am on Thursday and travel straight to Syntagma Square to lay a memorial wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

Afterwards he will have a meeting with the President of the Hellenic Republic Prokopis Pavlopoulos and Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras. A joint press conference will follow.

The Turkish President’s agenda will include discussions on Greek-Turkish relations, energy issues, migration, the Aegean, security in the wider area, economic cooperation and regional developments.

According to reports, Turkey’s relations with the EU are also expected to be discussed and particularly whether Greece continues to support Turkey’s accession process.

Erdogan will attend an official dinner of Pavlopoulos on Thursday afternoon and on Friday he will travel to Thrace where he will meet with representatives of the Muslim minority.

As of Wednesday, a major security operation was set up in the Greek capital ahead of Erdogan’s visit.