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Tuesday, 26 November 2024
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Athens News Agency: News in English, 05-12-09Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>CONTENTS
[01] SE Europe interest in developments reflected by SEECP troika initiativeThe initiative for the visit earlier this week to Pristina and Belgrade by the informal troika of the Southeast Europe Cooperation Process (SEECP) -- comprising the foreign ministers of Greece, Romania and Croatia -- was the first step in the manifestation of interest in a steady presence by the region's countries in the developments, and ways of continuing this interest were being examined, Greece's foreign ministry spokesman George Koumoutsakos said Friday, during a regular press briefing.Greek Foreign minister Petros Molyviatis, together with Romania's State Secretary for European Affairs Lucian Leustean and Croatia's State Secretary Hidajet (Hido) Biscevic, visited Pristina and Belgrade on Tuesday and Wednesday, as an informal Troika of the SEECP, where they held talks on Kosovo's future with the UN secretary general's special representative to Kosovo and head of the UNMIK (UN interim administration Mission in Kosovo) Soren Jessen-Petersen, Kosovo president Ibrahim Rugova, prime minister Bajram Kosumi, 'Serb Ticket for Kosovo and Metohija' (SKLM) leader Oliver Ivanovic, and opposition Democratic Party of Kosovo chairman Hashim Thaci while in Pristina, and with Serb president Boris Tadic, prime minister Vojislav Kostunica, and Serbia-Montenegro foreign minister Vuk Draskovic in Belgrade The aim of the SEECP troika's visit was to signal the continued interest of Balkan-area countries in the issue of Kosovo, to brief the countries of the surrounding region on the situation and the views of the various sides involved, and to underline the need for frequent and meaningful consultation with neighbouring countries. Koumoutsakos told reporters that the crux of the discussions taking place regarding the future status of Kosovo was to ensure that any effort put forward would not operate at the expense of stabilisation of the wider region. Replying to questions, the spokesman said that the countries directly affected needed to be briefed regularly and constitute a part of the discussion. He said the initiative for sending the informal troika for contacts with all the sides involved was warmly welcomed by all the sides, adding that the outcome of the meetings confirmed that there would be continuity. Asked to comment on recent statements by EU High Commissioner for foreign policy and security Javier Solana earlier in the week that "there's room for new states in Europe", which has been construed by some quarters at intimating at a shift in the Balkans, Koumoutsakos said that there was much obscurity and confusion over precisely what Solana had said, noting that the statements came as Molyviatis was in Belgrade with the SEECP troika. Koumoutsakos added, however, that if such a meaning had been intended by the statement, it was clearly in deviation of that which is being sought. [02] Sofia-Thessaloniki luxury train link mulledTransport and Communications Minister Michalis Liapis and his Bulgarian counterpart Petar Mutafchiev on Thursday discussed the promotion of the luxury-train connecting Sofia and Thessaloniki as well as the Greece's proposal, as President of the Southeast European Cooperation Process (SEECP), to create a luxury-train network among southeast Europe's major cities.The two ministers signed a joint declaration agreeing to: upgrade transportation infrastructure along Pan-European Axis IV and particularly the Axis IV rail network (Thessaloniki-Sofia-Vidin Kalafat) by 2011; to build a highway by 2013; and to link Thessaloniki with the Bulgarian city of Lom by road and by rail, by 2013. [03] GDP, exports mark rise in 3rd quarter 2005Greece's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) rose by 3.8 percent in the third quarter of 2005, over the corresponding period of 2004, according to data released Friday by the National Statistical Service of Greece (ESYE).More specifically, GDP in the third quarter of the year marked a 3.8 percent increase over the third quarter of 2004, a 3.7 percent increase over the second quarter of 2005, and a 3.5 percent increase over the first quarter of the year. According to ESYE's quarterly national indicators, investments in the third quarter of 2005 fell by 1.0 percentage point over the corresponding quarter last year, and follows a 4.5 percentage point decline in the second quarter of the year over the same quarter in 2004, and a 1.0 percentage pint decline in the first quarter of 2005 over the first quarter of 2004. On imports and exports, ESYE said that exports rose by 1.6 percent in the third quarter of 2005 over the corresponding quarter in 2004, while imports in the third quarter of the year fell by 2.2 percentage points over the corresponding quarter last year. On Thursday, deputy foreign minister Evripidies Stylianidis said that Greek exports to the Balkans had risen by 10%, leading to a decline in the trade deficit with the region. Addressing a conference arranged by the Panhellenic Exporters Association to celebrate 60 years since its foundation, Stylianidis laid emphasis on the government's drive to boost economic diplomacy, including in the energy sector. Also speaking at the event was Development Minister Dimitris Sioufas, who outlined moves the government had taken to increase exports. Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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