Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Michotakis met Archbishop of the American Orthodox Church Elpidophoros, who sparked controversy in Greece and Greek Cyprus after his participation in the opening of the “Turkish House” in the United States.
The Greek government presidency said, in a statement on Friday, that Michotakes and Elpidophoros dealt with the problems of the Greek community in the diaspora.
Elpidophorus was widely criticized after his participation in the opening of the “Turkish House” in New York, on Monday.
The Greek government expressed its dissatisfaction with Elpidophoros’ participation in the opening, while the latter said in a tweet that he participated with the aim of stimulating interfaith dialogue, in order to protect religious freedoms and a peaceful future.
The Archbishop of the American Orthodox Church expressed his apologies to the Greeks in Cyprus and the United States if he inadvertently offended them.
And on Thursday, the Greek Kathimerini newspaper reported that Athens had suggested to Elpidophoros not to participate in the opening of the Turkish House, in order not to confer “legitimacy” on the President of the Turkish Republic of Cyprus, Arsene Tatar, who in turn attended the opening ceremony.
And on Monday, the Turkish House, whose building is located opposite the United Nations headquarters in New York, was inaugurated, with the participation of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a number of world leaders and United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, and hosts Turkey’s permanent embassy to the United Nations and the Consulate General in New York.
