[1] His father was Mehmet Cemal Bey, one of the directors of the Ottoman Public Debt Administration, and his mother was Nesibe Hanım.

[1] During World War II he headed a commission of the Republic of Turkey which was formed to assist Greece when it was attacked by the Nazi forces[4] and was the undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

[6] Erkin was appointed minister of foreign affairs on 1 April 1962,[1] replacing Selim Sarper in the post.

[4][6] Then Erkin was elected as a deputy from the Republican People's Party representing Ordu.

[8] In 1968 Erkin published a book, Türk Sovyet İlişkileri ve Boğazlar Meselesi, (Turkish: Turkey Soviet Union Relations and the Straits Question).

[9] Erkin was awarded by Greece the Order of the Phoenix due to his activities as the head of Turkish aid commission during World War II.