Athens News Agency: News in English, 07-04-02

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

CONTENTS

[01] PM briefed on public sector reforms strategy

[02] FinMin invites Australian firms to invest in Greece

[01] PM briefed on public sector reforms strategy

Pavlopoulos stated afterwards that the prime minister regards public sector reforms as very important, stressing that much has already been done in the sector but there is still a long way to go.

The e-governance-based goals of the initiatives are simplification of procedures and cutting red tape, he added. Planning is necessary, the minister added, to prevent a repetition of the long delays recorded in the 3rd Community Support Framework, in spite of the fact that the ruling New Democracy government made up for the lost time.

Responding to a question on the effect of the bonds controversy on the government, Pavlopoulos underlined that news coverage has its own rules but the government must do its job.

[02] FinMin invites Australian firms to invest in Greece

Economy and Finance Minister George Alogoskoufis addressed an invitation to Australian and Greek-Australian businessmen to invest in the east Mediterranean country, speaking Monday morning at a forum in Melbourne entitled "Development of Trade and economic relations between Greece and Australia".

Alogoskoufis, who arrived in Melbourne from Washington on Sunday morning at the head of a large Greek business delegation, noted that trade and economic relations between the two countries has improved substantially in recent years, but stressed that there were margins for further growth.

The delegation, numbering approximately 100 people, includes representatives of 34 top Greek enterprises, as well as technocrats and other officials.

Alogoskoufis also referred to the recent reforms in Greece, stressing that the Greek economy was growing at a rapid pace and was now a competitive economy, while both the deficits and unemployment have declined.

The forum was also addressed by Victoria State minister for industry and state development Fanos Theophanous, who noted that "distance is not a problem", given that "Australian-Italian trade transactions are ten times" those of Australian-Greek trade transactions.

Theophanous said that the two countries could cooperate in such areas as tourism, shipping, energy, pharmaceutical products and infrastructure works, among others.

He further stressed that cooperation must also be sought between the two countries in the sector of cinema co-productions, noting that the company Village Roadshow, which recently expanded its activities to Greece, was Australian.

According to Theophanous, Greece is Australia's 54th largest trade partner, but stressed it could become an even more significant trade partner.

Theophanous said that some 100,000 Australian tourists visit Greece each year, and thousands of Greek merchant seamen visit Australian ports annually, while 30 percent of Australian exports are transported on Greek vessels.

The minister's programme also includes a visit to Sydney and a meeting with the Orthodox Archbishop of Australia Stylianos.

Caption: FinMin George Alogoskoufis. ANA-MPA.

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