Athens News Agency: News in English, 05-02-23

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

CONTENTS

[01] Greek PM Karamanlis meets NATO member-state leaders on sidelines of Brussels summit

[02] Alexandroupolis-Moscow air link as of May

[03] Conference on investing in Black Sea region Feb 24-25

[04] Minister, MP present book on Greek national security strategy

[01] Greek PM Karamanlis meets NATO member-state leaders on sidelines of Brussels summit

Karamanlis also had talks with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, as well as Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen and Luxemboug premier Jean-Claude Juncker on the sidelines of the summit.

Afterward, the Greek premier said that he intended to begin a round of visits to European countries that had been confirmed during Tuesday's contacts, beginning with Luxembourg, Germany and France, while in the next few months he will be visiting the U.S. and Britain.

He said the foreign visits will focus on issues of mutual interest, both European and bilateral, while he stressed the need to boost close ties with natural partners and allies.

Regarding his meeting with Erdogan, Karamanlis said they had agreed to meet at the next summit since Erdogan's party had become an observer at the European People's Party (EPP).

Asked if he had received an official invitation to visit the U.S., the Greek premier said it had been discussed informally during his talks with Bush and that both sides had expressed interest in a meeting and visit, to be arranged via diplomatic channels.

During an earlier meeting between the 26 NATO leaders with newly-elected Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko, Karamanlis said that Athens was in favour of "honest and open" dialogue between NATO and the Ukraine and congratulated Yushchenko on his recent election victory.

He said that Greece also looked to the development of balanced and friendly relations between the Ukraine and other countries and counted on it to show a constructive stance toward settling regional crises, while praising the Ukraine's contribution to peace-keeping missions.

Yushchenko had expressed the Ukraine's desire to join NATO while noting, for Russia's benefit, that it did not wish to disturb its relations with neighbouring countries.

Karamanlis also took questions regarding the briefing earlier on Tuesday of the European Commission's director general for internal market affairs Alexander Schaub on the government's "primary shareholder" bill by three government ministers, stressing his belief that the new law was necessary to impose transparency.

"We believe, as do the overwhelming majority of citizens, that rules of transparency must be imposed and this is what we are trying to do, this is the policy that we have served with consistency and steadiness."

"We have briefed the Commission, unlike the previous government, and the results will soon be apparent," he added.

Addressing press speculation that the Commissioned considered the new law incompatible with EU rules, meanwhile, Karamanlis merely noted "that my information appears to be different from yours".

[02] Alexandroupolis-Moscow air link as of May

The new route will operate from May 14 until September 18, with four weekly flights between the two cities, while the addition of an extra flight is being considered by the Greek side from Alexandroupolis to Moscow.

The new tourism package will be presented at an event which will be held in Moscow on March 10 in the presence of 150 guests, 90 representatives from travel agencies, ministries, large companies, as well as journalists.

Announcing the Moscow-Alexandroupolis air link, Evros Prefect Nikos Zampounidis on Tuesday said:"By establishing four weekly flights [between May and September], our aim is to bring 10,400 Moscovites to Evros during this period and for this to continue into the next season, even in the winter."

[03] Conference on investing in Black Sea region Feb 24-25

Keynote speaker at the conference will be Deputy Foreign Minister Evripidis Stylianidis, organisers said in a statement on Tuesday.

The event has been arranged under the aegis of the foreign ministry by the organisation's Greek Business Council, and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development's Development Centre.

More than 200 delegates from member states of the Black Sea cooperation group are to take part, including representatives of the World Bank, European Investment Bank and the European Union.

[04] Minister, MP present book on Greek national security strategy

The book concerns models for the coordination of policies for security, defence and diplomacy, while all speakers stressed the need to review older models in light of a new situation. The presentation was coordinated by journalist Alexis Papahelas.

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