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One of the influential writers of the Greek media, Andonis Karkayannis who wanted the newly appointed Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis to save Cyprus from the quagmire, called on her ‘to recognize the Turkish State if necessary’.

Following the appointment of the former Mayor of Athens Dora Bakoyannis as the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Greece, prominent writers of the Greek media have started to express their expectations from the Kostas Karamanlis government for a change in Greek foreign policy with statements like, “Let’s save Cyprus from the quagmire” and “Let’s recognize Cyprus if necessary”.

In his article, Andonis Karkayannis, who is the editor-in-chief of the pro-government and one of Greece’s most serious dailies Katimerini, said, “Karamanlis did not appoint Dora the Minister of Foreign Affairs to pursue the same foreign policy”.

Karkayannis said, “The Cyprus Question has been in a quagmire for 30 years and it is sinking deeper and deeper”, and used the expression “any settlement is better than non-settlement”. The Greek journalist stated that “in the event of the withdrawal of Turkish and Greek troops from the island; guaranteeing free movement on the island, and obtaining  international guarantees, a settlement that is based on the recognition of the Turkish Cypriot State may be more suitable for the interests of Greece and Cyprus. Moreover, Karkayannis also indicated that the possibility of a settlement based on a “Greek majority-Turkish minority” on the island was “rapidly decreasing”.