Athens News Agency: News in English, 06-02-23

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

CONTENTS

[01] Greece working for European prospects of Balkans, PM tells SEECP conference

[02] PASOK: 'Able F' incident due to wrong handling

[03] Cyprus Parliament's EU Affairs Committee in Athens

[04] Behrakis elected mayor of Athens

[01] Greece working for European prospects of Balkans, PM tells SEECP conference

Addressing the ministers taking part in the conference, Karamanlis stressed that the wider region of SE Europe has all the prospects for making a leap in economic growth, adding that Greece looked to further development of collaborations in the economic as well as the scientific, cultural and educational sectors.

Referring more particularly to Greece's role, Karamanlis stressed that the country has a significant presence in the countries of the wider Balkans region, with 3,500 Greek companies active in the region as well as 800 branches of Greek banks in operation. At the same time, Greece comprised one of the biggest investors in the region, with invested capital estimated at 8 billion euros, while Greece was the top investor in Albania, FYROM and Serbia-Montenegro, second-largest investor in Bulgaria, and third-largest investor in Romania, Karamanlis said, adding that Greece could also serve as a gateway to SE Europe for business concerns.

Turning to the Greek economy, the prime minister stressed that fiscal adjustment was being achieved gradually, while important results were being produced, and outlined the steps taken in 15 individual areas of the economy, referring in particular to the taxation reform, the country's new developmental law, the new generation of denationalisations, the new operational framework for public corporations and organisations, the liberalisation of the energy and natural gas markets, and the strengthening of the country's economic diplomacy relations.

Karamanlis particularly stressed that a substantial reduction in taxation rates on physical entities was being prepared.

The Greek prime minister further emphasised the reforms taking place in the countries of the wider region of SE Europe, noting that this was the only responsible and forward-looking choice for the region's development. He noted, however, that the pace of the reforms was not always satisfactory, but added that the solutions would be provided by the individual countries themselves.

Taking part in the conference are the economy ministers of the 10 SEECP member countries -- Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, FYROM, Greece, Romania, Serbia-Montenegro, and Turkey, while Moldova currently has observer status but is slated to be offered full membership at the SEECP summit to be held in May, marking the end of the Greek chairmanship of the group, which will be assumed by Croatia. Also participating as guests are representatives of the current Austrian presidency of the European Union and the Office of the SE Europe Stability Pact Special Coordinator.

Greece's economy minister George Alogoskoufis will hold a press conference to present after the meeting to present the results of the conference.

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[02] PASOK: 'Able F' incident due to wrong handling

PASOK Political Council member Christos Papoutsis demanded to know how the Greek foreign ministry intended to respond and when Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis had learned of the incident, among others.

According to foreign ministry spokesman George Koumoutsakos, Bakoyannis telephoned her Cyprus counterpart George Iacovou as soon as she learned of Turkey's refusal to allow a ship flying a Republic of Cyprus flag to dock at the port of Mersin on Wednesday.

He said the Greek foreign ministry was informed of the incident on Wednesday evening at 18:30, by the Greek Embassy in Nicosia and the media.

He also stressed that Bakoyannis had not been aware of the incident during her meetings with Iacovou or with Turkish Minister of State Ali Babacan on Wednesday afternoon, at which time the affair was not yet known.

Koumoutsakos rejected suggestions of a "different tone" in the announcements issued about the incident by Nicosia and Athens or that either side had been aware of the problem during Bakoyannis' meetings on Wednesday.

The "Able F" had departed from Italy and had requested permission to enter the Turkish port of Mersin in southern Turkey to unload 16 containers, but the Turkish authorities declined to grant permission. The ship anchored two miles off the coast.

Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesman Namik Tan confirmed that the Turkish authorities declined to grant the Cypriot-flagged ship to enter the Turkish harbour, asserting that the ship's intention is ''to create a fait accomplis against the international regulations.''

The Cyprus government on Wednesday accused Turkey of violating the EU-Turkey Customs Union agreement recently signed by Ankara, which extends customs union to the 10 new members of the EU and among others calls for opening Turkish ports and airports to Cypriot planes and ships.

PASOK: 'Able F' episode highlights government's wrong handling of foreign policy

According to main opposition PASOK, the incident with 'Able F' highlighted both Turkey's continued intransigency in fulfilling commitments to the EU, as well as the repercussions of the government's wrong handling of foreign policy.

PASOK Political Council member Christos Papoutsis, in charge of foreign policy, security and defence for the main opposition party, stressed that the government "did not exploit the two big, historic opportunities it was given to establish a clear framework for Turkey's progress toward the EU, with explicit commitments, guarantees and time schedules."

With New Democracy's policies, the country will be constantly caught between concessions and tension and there was a risk of continual glitches and questioning of European legality, which will create these tensions, he added.

He called on Bakoyannis to clarify whether she had raised the issue of Turkey's refusal to allow Cyprus-flag ships to dock at its ports during her meeting with the Turkish minister in charge of Turkey's accession course and to explain what moves the government had made to avert such an incident, as well as how it planned to respond.

Papoutsis also urged Bakoyannis to raise the issue with the European Commission and at the next EU foreign ministers' meeting.

"Once again, we want to stress that Turkey is obliged to implement the Protocol of Customs Union with the EU with all member-states, without exceptions. The Greek government must categorically refuse Turkey's efforts to link the implementation of its European obligations with the de facto recognition of the occupation regime on Cyprus," he underlined.

Papoutsis also called for an end to inaction regarding the Cyprus problem, saying that the government should support all efforts to resolve the Cyprus issue within the framework of UN resolutions, European treaties and the Community acquis.

ANA-MPA Copyright © 2004-2005 All rights reserved.

[03] Cyprus Parliament's EU Affairs Committee in Athens

Papoulias thanked the delegation for the hospitality and welcome he received during his recent visit to Cyprus, and recalled his references to the Cyprus issue in his recent address in Ioannina and the message directed "to our friend and neighbour that Greece may at some point become tired of its games" (referring to Turkey).

Earlier, the committee had met with Greece's main opposition leader, PASOK president George Papandreou.

In greeting the Cypriot MPs, Papandreou said his main desire was to hear their thoughts and assessments on the Cyprus Republic's course in the European Union.

Referring to PASOK's positions, Papandreou said that "we express our absolute respect for the volition of the people of Cyprus, as expressed in the referendum".

Turkey, Papandreou continued, must fulfill its obligations to the EU, and opined that two important opportunities in Greek-Turkish relations had been lost "which could have resolved many things".

ANA-MPA Copyright © 2004-2005 All rights reserved.

[04] Behrakis elected mayor of Athens

Behrakis received 14 of the 25 votes and his opponent Angelos Moschonas received 10, while there was one blank ballot. A third candidate withdrew from the race shortly before it began.

The vote was held after the elected mayor Dora Bakoyannis resigned her post in order to join the government as foreign minister, during a recent cabinet reshuffle.

ANA-MPA Copyright © 2004-2005 All rights reserved.

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