Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 16-09-08

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

CONTENTS

[01] PM Tsipras to receive EU's Mediterranean leaders in Athens on Friday

[02] Italy's Gentiloni to ANA: Greece and Italy's EU partners should not 'stand apart' in refugee crisis

[01] PM Tsipras to receive EU's Mediterranean leaders in Athens on Friday

Introducing a Mediterranean perspective into the European Union's agenda and developing a new European vision for dealing with joint challenges relating to migration, security and the economy are the two main goals of the EU Mediterranean member-states leaders' meeting in Athens on Friday.

An announcement issued by the office of Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, who has called the meeting, said it would seek to enhance coordination and cooperation of Mediterranean EU member-states ahead of the informal European Council in Bratislava on September 16.

In addition to the Greek prime minister, the meeting will be attended by Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades, French President Francois Hollande, Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, Maltese Prime Minister Joseph Muscat and Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa, while Spain's acting prime minister Mariano Rajoy will be represented by the country's State Secretary for the European Union Fernando Eguidazu.

The programme for the summit meeting is as follows:

12:45-13:00 Leaders and delegations are received by Greek PM on their arrival at the Zappion Megaron in Athens.

13:00-14:45 First working session

15:00-15:15 EU Med leaders 'family photo'

15:15-16:30 Working lunch

16:45-17:15 Joint statements to the media

17:30-18:30 Visit to Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Centre (SNFCC)

[02] Italy's Gentiloni to ANA: Greece and Italy's EU partners should not 'stand apart' in refugee crisis

"Italy has proposed a plan. Let us hope that the European Union launches this as soon as possible," he added.

Gentiloni also noted that every European country had to share in the commitment for the reception of refugees and "not raise a small wall at its borders." Countries such as Greece and Italy, that were now first reception countries, should not see the rest of Europe stand apart, as though the issue concerned only one or two countries, he added.

"Hospitality must be joint and investment surrounding the causes of this refugee crisis must be much more serious. This is what we will ask for at the summit in Bratislava this month," Gentiloni said.

Asked about the initiative undertaken by Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias in Rhodes, the Italian minister said it was important to have a meeting focusing on the positive aspects of the Mediterranean, not just its problems.

"It is a very important idea that today the Mediterranean is at the centre of our crises and this is natural. It is important to think on the basis of the opportunities there are in the Mediterranean, for dialogue and cooperation, between countries of different regions. I therefore greatly appreciate the fact that this idea is behind this conference. To not look only at the wars and crises but to also look at the opportunities for cooperation between European countries, certain Arab countries and Mediterranean countries generally," Gentiloni commented.

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