Athens News Agency: News in English, 08-02-28

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

CONTENTS

[01] PASOK leader chairs youth session

[02] FM on economic diplomacy

[03] Valinakis on SE Europe, FYROM

[04] EP president in Greece

[05] Gov't deplores Skopje incidents

[01] PASOK leader chairs youth session

As announced by the PASOK leader, he has placed himself head of the course for the reconstruction of the party�s youth, which is expected to be concluded with the election of its secretary in late April.

In a related development, PASOK's MP Anna Diamantopoulou, responsible for the party's policy for education" on Thursday presented PASOK's proposals for achieving high quality free state education for all in primary and secondary schools.

During a press conference, she announced that a question tabled by PASOK leader George Papandreou on education, focusing on the quality of state education and its true cost for Greek families, will be discussed in Parliament on Friday during Prime Minister's question time.

Diamantopoulou also slammed the current state of school education in the country, saying that it was the worst it had been for several years due to a shortage of teachers, increase in private spending, problems in kindergartens and technical education, reduction of all-day schools and shortages of books.

[02] FM on economic diplomacy

"Outwardness is a survival necessity for the Greek economy," Bakoyannis stressed, pointing out that the period when growth could depend on domestic demand was nearing a close, while funds from European would at some point start to dry up. Greece had to look for new sources of growth "from exports, foreign investments and the globalisation of our enterprises," she added.

The minister also underlined that the ministry's economic mission was continuing at the same intense pace, despite the fact that this was a critical period for major issues in Greek foreign policy and the major developments in the surrounding neighbourhood.

Listing the economic diplomacy activities during 2008, she said that there had already been three business delegations abroad, including one to Turkey led by Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis, one to Syria led by Deputy Foreign Minister Petros Doukas and one to Algeria just a few days before led by herself, during her tour of the Maghreb countries.

Referring to the funding sources for economic diplomacy, she said the ministry had for the first time secured funding in its budget for new activities in economic diplomacy during the previous year and was now applying for funds through programmes submitted to the 4th Community Support Framework. She said this money would be used to better exploit the 58 Economic and Trade Affairs Bureaus set up by Greece around the world, serving 87 countries.

Among the new economic diplomacy activities undertaken by the ministry is a promotion and networking package for Greek businesses abroad using private/private-sector joint funding, which required the signature of memorandums between the ministry and several important sectors of the economy, including the aluminium sector, fish-farming sector, wines, furs and technical chamber.

Bakoyannis also urged Greek business people to look further afield: "You have succeeded in one of the most difficult areas, the Balkans. Today it is necessary that we repeat this attempt in a much broader geographical area. We must persevere and work together, in an organised and systematic way" she underlined.

She was succeeded by Deputy Foreign Minister Petros Doukas, who outlined Greece's efforts to be part of the "core of nations that will decide the future of the Greek initiative for a union in the Mediterranean" and mentioned specific proposals for funding this 'Union de projets' as it is called.

The event for the "Presentation of the Action Plan for Economic Diplomacy in 2008" was held at the Athens concert hall (Megaron Mousikis) and organised jointly by the foreign ministry, the Hellenic Federation of Enterprises (SEV) and the Panhellenic Association of Exporters.

[03] Valinakis on SE Europe, FYROM

"Our positions are known. We support, if we are talking about Kosovo, the achievement of mutually acceptable solutions. Solutions that are found through dialogue and, of course, we will make our decisions at the proper time. On the other hand, with regard to the European prospects of the Balkans, I want to underline that our position is to convert the one-time powder-keg of Europe into a European neighbourhood," he told Greek journalists on the sidelines of the meeting.

The talks had focused on regional issues, with emphasis on Kosovo and the Euro-Atlantic prospects of Balkan countries.

At the same time, Valinakis stressed that no country in the region could taken these European prospects for granted and that they demanded respect for the values, democratic principles and the political criteria of the EU.

He particularly stressed this in response to questions concerning the negotiations underway with the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) over the name issue.

"It is therefore clear that in order for there to be progress there must be compliance with these criteria. In order for there to be an invitation to join the Alliance, NATO, there must of course be compliance with the criteria. And the basic criterion is the creation of good neighbour relations and, in the specific case, achieving a mutually acceptable solution to the issue of the name. Without a solution, Skopje cannot proceed and it is certain that there will not be an invitation," the Greek minister said.

He also urged FYROM to "abandon its historically ignorant and confused ideas and appreciate that there was a European future ahead of it," provided that it showed respect for European values, participated in the creation of consensus agreements and European political culture "for the benefit of stability throughout the region".

According to Valinakis, Greece would arrive at the UN-brokered negotiations in New York with "good faith and crystal-clear positions".

"The message to the other side is clear: there must be a mutually acceptable solution in order for there to be an invitation toward that country for NATO and later, the European Union," the Greek minister underlined.

Valinakis underlines complexity of Kosovo issue

Speaking during to his Balkan counterparts during the forum, meanwhile, the minister stressed that the issue of Kosovo was "extremely complex and difficult" and underlined the European aspect of the problem, noting that the developments would inevitably have political repercussions on stability and security throughout Europe.

He reiterated Greece's position in favour of achieving consensual and mutually acceptable solutions based on respect for international law, as a matter of principle. He also repeated Greece's position that the entire region of South Eastern European, including the western Balkans, should become a integral part of Europe and said that incorporating these countries into Europe and Euro-Atlantic structures was a "matter of the highest and vital importance".

Athens wants to see the signature of Stabilisation and Association Agreements with all countries in the region as soon as possible, he added, while again noting the need for the countries involved to fulfil certain criteria and conditions.

"Among these is the principle of good neighbour relations and the peaceful resolution of outstanding issues," he said.

"For this reason, we are not ready to agree to the accession to the EU and NATO of any country that does not observe these fundamental principles. The transfer of this unsolved problem to the Alliance or the EU would only create new points of friction, that would seriously interfere with the operation of these organisations. It is also a matter of principle, because we would be sending a mistaken message and creating a negative precedent, making exceptions and discounts concerning the criteria for accession," he explained in his speech.

[04] EP president in Greece

The meeting will focus on preparing and approving the programme of the 4th EMPA plenary session that will take place in Athens at the end of March. Also taking part are the Parliament presidents of Egypt and Tunisia, Ahmed Fathi Sorour and Fouad Mebazaa, respectively.

Poettering and Sioufas are due to meet Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis on Friday in order to brief him on the progress of Euro-Mediterranean cooperation.

[05] Gov't deplores Skopje incidents

He also denied that Greece was being pressured on this issue by the United States.

"There is no message or request or suggestion. The discussion is taking place in the framework of the United Nations under [UN mediator Mr. Matthew] Nimetz and with the participation of the two negotiators," he said.

Asked to comment on a statement from Washington that the use of a veto did not promote stability, especially in light of the fact that the government has presented stability as its chief criterion in the Balkans, Roussopoulos underlined that the Greek side was not waiving any of its rights under international treaties.

"We want to find a solution on the issue of Skopje - and this is why we are discussing a veto - that is mutually accepted," he stressed.

The incidents referred to by Roussopoulos occurred when a group of young people leaving a rally held in the centre of Skopje over the name issue surrounded a Greek diplomatic mission in the city and committed acts of violence and vandalism. They were repelled by a large force of local police using tear gas and flash-grenades.

According a report by a local television station, the youths also injured a local photojournalist.

Deputy foreign minister on acts of provocation from FYROM

The issue was also commented on in the Greek Parliament by Deputy Foreign Minister Petros Doukas on Thursday, who was replying to questions claiming that Skopje officials had committed acts revealing irredentist desires against Greece.

Specifically, an MP for the right-wing Popular Orthodox Rally (LAOS) party Constantine Aivaliotis claimed that FYROM's prime minister had laid a wreath at a FYROM monument bearing a map depicting territories that were part of Greece.

Doukas pointed out that such actions were not in FYROM's own interests and that Greece had succeeded in "including a suggestion toward the neighbouring country in all official EU documents that it avoid any sort of action that might have negative repercussions on good neighbour relations".

He also stressed that Athens informed its partners in the European Union and elsewhere about all such incidents.

"You can be sure, therefore, that our European partners are fully informed about these actions and that they are not at all pleased," he added.

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