Main opposition PASOK leader George Papandreou briefly met Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul on the sidelines of the funeral ceremony for Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat held in Cairo on Friday, PASOK spokesman Nikos Athanassakis announced.

During the 10-minute meeting, Papandreou expressed concern over escalating tension in relations between Greece and Turkey due to constant infringements and violations of Greek airspace by Turkish fighter aircraft and they exchanged views on the upcoming European Union summit on December 17, when EU leaders are to decide on whether to give Turkey a final date for the start of accession negotiations.

Papandreou reiterated that the Greek government and main opposition party support Turkey's European course while stressing that this required that answers be found with respect to the Cyprus problem and in Greek-Turkish relations.

Athanassakis also revealed that Papandreou had been invited to attend the burial service for Arafat in Ramallah and would make every effort to be present, though there were currently technical obstacles regarding his traveling to Ramallah and his return that had to be overcome.

Source: Athens News Agency

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