Athens News Agency: News in English, 05-12-09

Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

From: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>

CONTENTS

[01] Blair and Karamanlis meet in bid to break EU budget deadlock

[02] Greece, Bulgaria inaugurate tunnel border-crossing

[01] Blair and Karamanlis meet in bid to break EU budget deadlock

Commenting on the process after the meeting, Karamanlis said he could not rule out an agreement before the EU summit next week, while underlining that EU leaders had now entered a "very delicate and very sensitive phase of a tough and gruelling negotiation".

The Greek premier was received by Blair on Friday for a working dinner, which was preceded by a 10-minute private meeting without the presence of their advisors.

In statements afterward, Karamanlis stressed that achieving an agreement on the Community's economic prospects and budget would be an extremely difficult and delicate task, especially after the failure to reach agreement at the EU Summit in June.

"Fiscal prospects were the main issue we discussed with Mr. Blair. It is very hard by definition to find a common ground between 25 countries, since each one has its own views and priorities," he noted.

The Greek premier said that he had presented and insisted on Greece's positions and arguments during the meeting, while noting that Athens intended to fight its battle, take initiatives and create alliances with other countries within the EU in order to secure its interests.

He said that Athens was seeking cohesion for Europe, which meant policies of convergence for the poorer member-states, and wanted a fair method for sharing out the cost of enlargement.

[02] Greece, Bulgaria inaugurate tunnel border-crossing

The two presidents addressed messages of friendship to the crowds from both sides of the border that had gathered to watch the inauguration.

"We are exemplary partners. Let us forget any sins of the past and, using the strength given by our peoples, build up the friendship between Greece and Bulgaria," Papoulias underlined.

Parvanov said that the opening of the tunnel was a strong message to all people in the area that relations of friendship were being created in this place.

After the ceremony, the two presidents and the delegations accompanying them travelled to the customs post on the Bulgarian side of the border, where they received a warm welcome with traditional dances and had a brief meeting.

Earlier the same day, the two presidents had signed an agreement for the opening of the "Friendship Tunnel" that will pass under the mountainous border between the two countries at Exochi, along with Greek Deputy Foreign Minister Evripides Stylianides and his Bulgarian counterpart Lyubomir Kyuchukov.

The signing ceremony took place in the Drama prefecture amphitheatre, where the two presidents underlined the significance of the new border crossing and the opportunities it offers for further developing bilateral relations and growth.

"This border crossing is a symbol of the dynamic development of Greek-Bulgarian relations and shows that we are prepared to go through mountains to tread the paths of friendship," Parvanov said, noting that he hoped to welcome more than million Greek tourists a year in Bulgaria.

Papoulias said that he was very touched to sign the agreement, which was the culmination of an initiative begun 10 years earlier when he was foreign minister when he had signed an agreement with his Bulgarian counterpart in December 1995 for the opening of three border crossings, one of which was the Exochi tunnel.

Other speakers at the ceremony were Greek Transport Minister Mihalis Liapis and Stylianides, as well as Bulgaria's Regional Development Minister Asen Gagaouzov.

Both sides underlined their governments' desire to actively develop bilateral ties, while Bulgarian officials pointed out that Greece was the top foreign investors in their country, as well as substantially assisting Bulgaria's efforts to join the EU.

The ceremony was also attended by Macedonia-Thrace Minister Nikos Tsiartsionis and Bulgarian Transport Minister Peter Moutafchiev, as well as local officials. Immediately afterward, the two heads of state departed for the new border crossing in order to inaugurate the 448-metre two-way tunnel, named the Greek-Bulgarian Friendship Tunnel.

The new Ilinden-Exochi crossing will link the northern Greek town of Drama with neighbouring Bulgarian district of Goce Delcev.

The tunnel's construction was co-financed by the EU's Interreg programme and the Greek state.

It is the first of three new border checkpoints between Greece and Bulgaria provided for in the 1995 bilateral agreement, aimed at alleviating congestion at the other busy border posts between the two countries. Besides the actual tunnel, another 800 metres of roadway, state-of-the-art customs posts as well as related administration buildings were constructed.

Two new border crossings are expected to link Komotini, further to the east, with Kurdzhali, as well as the Thracian town of Xanthi with Rudozem.

Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article