Former Greek deputy foreign minister Antonis Diamataris may have resigned as deputy minister within hours of arriving for an official visit to Australia, however he did not fail to meet with Archbishop Makarios in an official capacity.

He posted a photograph of his meeting with the archbishop on social media and thanked him for offering him the Gold Medal of Apostle Paul “in recognition of my services to the church”.

Mr Diamataris’ own newspaper in New York, The National Herald, referred to the resignation of the deputy minister as the result of “personal attacks against Mr Diamataris that were aimed at the Prime Minister”.

READ MORE: Diamataris Fiasco: How a visit to Greeks abroad was marred by scandal

The newspaper reports that Mr Diamataris left the newspaper to his children as soon as he was appointed and had no contact with the newspaper while serving as minister. “We learnt that the main reason for his resignation was the existence of a law in Greece that forbids ministers to preside over companies,” reports The National Herald. “How were he to know this when, even Presidents, can also be business people?”

The newspaper reports that Mr Diamataris had submitted papers to resign as head of The National Herald, however Thanksgiving celebrations in the United States had delayed this.

The newspaper speaks of blows against him as attacks against Greeks abroad.