Athens News Agency: News in English, 06-06-30

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

CONTENTS

[01] Bakoyannis briefs premier on Moscow visit, Turkey's EU course

[02] Credit Agricole confident in bid to buy Emporiki

[01] Bakoyannis briefs premier on Moscow visit, Turkey's EU course

Replying to questions after the meeting, Bakoyannis said that the timetable set out for Turkey was crystal clear, following the decision of the recent EU summit.

Asked to comment on the most recent provocations by the Grey Wolves in Turkey, Bakoyannis said that the Grey Wolves' attitude was condemned by the entire world "and, I wish to believe, in Turkey as well".

She warned that such an attitude was not in line with a European prospect, nor with the respect of religious and human rights.

Bakoyannis briefed Karamanlis on her talks in Moscow on Thursday with Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov, and with Assistant U.S. Secretary of State Nicholas Burns, whom she met on Wednesday.

The minister said there were many issues in "crucial development" such as Iran, adding that Greece hopes that Iran would respond positively to the proposal made by the EU to the US, Russia and China.

To another question, Bakoyannis replied that Russia had a clear position on the Cyprus issue, as it did on the Balkans, which was positive for the Greek views.

On Thursday, the EU Commissioner for enlargement Olli Rehn warned Ankara, in statements to the Finnish news agency STT, that "complete suspension of accession talks with Turkey because of its refusal to implement Customs Union with Cyprus is a possible option for the European Union".

[02] Credit Agricole confident in bid to buy Emporiki

George Pauget, Credit Agricole's chief executive, speaking to reporters said: "We continue to believe that our offer in cash added certainty to the value and the completion of the transaction". Speaking to the press, the day after Greece's Capital Markets' Commission approved the French bank's public offer to buy Emporiki Bank, Pauget underlined that the bank's bid "reflected our faith to the Greek market and its favourable prospects and supported our vision to maintain Emporiki Bank's strong foundations in Greece by making a more efficient use of its staff and offering Credit Agricole's know-how".

The public offering acceptance period will run for 31 days, starting July 4 and ending August 3.

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