Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis appointed Athens Mayor Dora Bakoyianni as the new Minister of Foreign Affairs in a cabinet reshuffle. She is the first woman to take over the post in Greece. “I consider it an honour and a great responsibility. I will do all that I can to fulfill my obligations and serve the nation, the government and my party, during a period of international change”, declared Bakoyannis. She replaces veteran diplomat Petros Molyviatis who held the post for two years. Bakoyianni, 51, is the oldest child of former conservative prime minister Costas Mitsotakis. Aside from Athens mayor, Bakoyianni also served as culture minister in her father's government in 1992. She entered politics after her husband Pavlos Bakoyiannis was gunned down by terrorist group.

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