The Greek Prime Minister, Mr Costas Simitis, yesterday called a general election, raising questions about the future of rapprochement efforts between the country and its old enemy, Turkey.
Mr Simitis said the poll would be brought forward five months to April 9th to facilitate Athens's long cherished entry into the euro zone in 2001.
The socialist leader made the announcement only minutes before meeting Mr Ismail Cem, who as the first Turkish Foreign Minister to visit Athens in nearly 40 years, had just signed five ground-breaking co-operation agreements.
Justifying the decision, Mr Simitis said the government required "a strong new popular mandate" to help it negotiate favourable terms once Athens made the grade into the single currency.
"It is for the good of the country," Mr Simitis said. "The stronger the Greek government is politically, the more favourable the terms the European Monetary Union (EMU) will be."
As he spoke, there was a surge in prices on the booming Athens Stock Exchange, where nearly 20 per cent of the Greek population is believed to have invested.
But analysts feared the news may not reflect as kindly on the reconciliation efforts currently under way between the NATO rivals, Greece and Turkey.
Bilateral relations have blossomed since the neighbours suffered devastating earthquakes, and an outpouring of mutual sympathy, last summer.
"The worst thing for rapprochement would be for hardliners to make a pre-election issue out of it," said a senior aide to the Greek Foreign Minister, Mr George Papandreou.
Not since the 1930s have Greco-Turkish relations been as good.
Yesterday Mr Cem said he hoped the new climate of detente would be cemented by his visit.
After signing accords in the fields of commerce, culture, customs, shipping and science, the Turkish Foreign Minister said he hoped the door would open for "new prospects in bilateral relations".
In both countries - which have almost gone to war three times since the 1974 Turkish invasion of Cyprus - the reconciliation efforts have been enthusiastically welcomed.
Greek and Turkish language lessons have become all the rage in Ankara and Athens.
For the first time this year, ferries will begin transporting tourists from Greece's far-flung eastern islands to the Turkish coast.
"There is a change in the way of thinking, beyond the level of government, in both societies," Mr Papandreou told The Irish Times.
"If we give this relationship time to move, time to mature, to make the necessary steps, then I can only see positive aspects coming out of it."
But erasing years of mutual hostility will not be easy. Greece and Turkey are still separated by a range of long-standing disputes, not least the issue of Cyprus and the turbulent Aegean Sea.