Former Minister of National Defense Mr. Dimitris Avramopoulos had an informal meeting with the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Istanbul.  

Mr. Avramopoulos went  Instanbul in order to visit the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, shortly before undertaking his new duties in the European Commission in Brussels.

During his stay Mr. Avramopoulos contacted the Turkish president over the phone and due to their ol friendship except his invitation to meet unofficially.

As we would expect the focus of the conversation between the two men was on the latest developments in the Cyprus issue.