Greek PM Alexis Tsipras’ version of “… first we take Manhattan then we take..” continued on Tuesday with several high-profile meetings on the sidelines of the annual UN General Assembly, a day after attending an exclusive reception — accompanied by his companion — and a three-minute chat with Barack Obama.

Tsipras and Betty Baziana attended a reception hosted by Obama for international leaders that attended a summit on extremism, chaired by the US president.
The Greek prime ministerial couple was introduced to Michelle Obama by the POTUS with the phrase, “he’s won repeated elections in Greece”, with the customary photographs then taken.

According to reports, the very brief conversation between the two men included a reference to the viability of the Greek debt, necessary reforms by Greece and the ongoing migrant crisis plaguing Europe.  The Cyprus issue was also broached.

Obama is reported to have greeted Tsipras with “Good job Alexis, congratulations.”

The Greek PM also met with the royal couple of the Netherlands, King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima, who retain a home in the Porto Heli resort in southern Greece.

Tsipras on Tuesday met with Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades on Tuesday, with the latter briefing the former on the course of inter-communal talks to solve the Cyprus issue. He also met with Egyptian President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi. Earlier, he held talks with Albanian PM Edi Rama.

Also, according to the media reports, Tsipras discussed the “name issue” with his counterpart from the former Yugoslav Republc of Macedonia (fYRoM), Nikola Gruevski, with the latter reportedly asking him to take a step back so as to resolve the problem.

A visit by the Egyptian leader to Athens was discussed, along with the possibility of holding a three-part meeting with Cypriot leadership.