File photo. [AP]
Preserving the delicate balance between Athens, the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Archdiocese of America was seen as one of the key objectives of Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis’ unusually long, four-day visit to Istanbul, which concluded on Saturday.
The trip included meetings with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, members of the Greek Orthodox diaspora and a private lunch with Turkey’s foreign minister, Hakan Fidan.
The visit also served a broader strategic purpose: to reaffirm Greece’s role as a key interlocutor with Orthodox communities and minorities across the Eastern Mediterranean. Since last December – amid shifting regional dynamics, including the emergence of a pro-Turkish transitional government in Syria – Athens has moved to reassert this role more actively.
These efforts support Greece’s ambition to shape its profile as a regional player, leveraging religious and cultural diplomacy, particularly given the significant role Christianity plays within US political circles.
Gerapetritis, accompanied by Deputy Foreign Minister Alexandra Papadopoulou, also focused his agenda on core issues such as the reopening of the Halki Theological School and the future of Greek minority institutions in Turkey.
Meanwhile, his meeting with Elder Metropolitan Demetrios of the Princes’ Islands – widely regarded as a possible successor to Patriarch Bartholomew – was interpreted by some observers as a symbolic show of support.