Athens News Agency: News in English, 05-02-04

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

CONTENTS

[01] Foreign minister opens Mediterranean conference for development and business in Athens

[02] Greek govt urges for closer cooperation in Mediterranean region

[03] Greece to participate in satellite programme HELIOS-2

[01] Foreign minister opens Mediterranean conference for development and business in Athens

The minister stressed Greece's determination to develop economic and trade ties around the Mediterranean on stable foundations, saying that a trip by Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis to Egypt in November was also part of this effort.

He said the conference would also help further a strategy for linking the Mediterranean with the Balkan and Black Sea regions, especially in the energy, transport, tourism, trade, and financial services.

[02] Greek govt urges for closer cooperation in Mediterranean region

Addressing a Ministerial Business and Development Conference for the countries in the Mediterranean Basin, the Greek minister stressed the country's strategic geopolitical position and the emphasis to be given in the sectors of transport, construction and services, while he underlined that tourism was a preferential action field.

Folias urged for the immediate energizing of all bilateral agreements and the abolition of trade hurdles, expanding sea transport between the region's big ports, promoting trade relations on a mutual benefit basis, increased Greek participation in international trade fairs in the Mediterranean, supporting business visits, establishing and expanding the Euro-Mediterranean cooperation to include new EU member-states.

[03] Greece to participate in satellite programme HELIOS-2

Specifically, according to an announcement issued by the Greek defence ministry, Greece will participate in the space observation satellite programme HELIOS-2, as member of the European consortium BOC (Besoins Operationelles Communs).

Negotiations on this issue had begun in 1998 and were suspended in 2001. Negotiations were resumed when the ministry's new political leadership came into office last March, resulting in the signing of Friday's agreement.

The other countries which comprise the consortium are France, Spain, Italy, Germany and Belgium.

Greece's financial contribution, as a member of the programme, will amount to 2.5%, which is estimated to equal â¬80 million over the next 10 years.

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