Defence Minister Evangelos Meimarakis and Culture Minister George Voulgarakis attended the concert given by the Athens State Orchestra in the auditorium of Istanbul's Central Opera at the Ataturk Cultural Centre on Thursday evening.

"Culture means peace, it means democracy, it means an atmosphere that can prevail and bring the peoples closer and see things from a different point of view," Voulgarakis said.

Meimarakis said that "I believe that these meetings help a further strengthening of relations with the aim of strengthening the climate of confidence. It is a known fact that different assessments and views exist that both countries have tabled, but this does not mean that there should be no corridors of under-standing and communication."

The Turkish Defence Minister Vegdi Gonul is scheduled to host a dinner in honour of the two ministers.

A second concert will be given by the Orchestra of the Istanbul State Opera at the Athens Concert Hall. The concerts are being organised in the framework of Greek-Turkish friendship.

Voulgarakis will be meeting Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos on Friday, before returning to Athens.

Source: Athens News Agency

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