Athens News Agency: News in English, 06-03-11

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

CONTENTS

[01] Greek FM Bakoyannis says clear message given to W. Balkans for European prospects

[02] 'Every day truths are revealed'

[03] ND Secretary Zagoritis meets prefects

[04] 'Kozani saffron: The gold of Greek earth'

[01] Greek FM Bakoyannis says clear message given to W. Balkans for European prospects

The Greek foreign minister added:"The Council of Ministers sent a message of prospects to the peoples of the Western Balkans, which is particularly important. This was the first time, at the initiative of the Austrian (EU) presidency, that the foreign ministers of the region also came and expressed their views and concerns. The essence of the matter, which was also recorded by the communique, is that the course from the European Council of Thessaloniki until the Council of Ministers in Salzburg, was successful. On the principles of Thessaloniki, the European Union continues the effort for the support of democratisation, of stable and good neighbourly relations, of the prospects of the Balkans in a large European family."

Bakoyannis further said that the Balkan countries ask of Athens to support their European prospects in the framework of the European Union, as some partners express reservations. "Greece on this issue is extremely clear in its positions. For stability in the broader region of Europe, the Balkans must not be confronted as a further obligatory tool for enlargement, but as a prospect which will be to the benefit of Europe itself," she noted, and stood in support of the facilitation of contact between the peoples of the Balkans and the rest of Europe.

Referring to the issue of Kosovo, Bakoyannis said it was a sensitive moment for the broader region and stressed that the will of all is for the implementation of the criteria to be supported, so as to also safeguard the rights of the Serbs and at some moment to proceed in further discussion. "I do not have the feeling that at this moment there is complete unanimity on the speed of the procedure," she clarified.

Regarding the recommendation which the Austrian EU presidency asked Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul to submit to the Council on Dialogue of Cultures, following the crisis caused by the publication of cartoons about Prophet Mohammed, Bakoyannis clarified that it does not concern mediation by Turkey. "The European Union was clear. Turkey's mediation is not asked for, neither is Turkey called on as a mediator, but as a country which has to submit an opinion, which in any case, it submits in various fora," she said.

On the sidelines of the sessions of the Council, Bakoyannis briefed her Cypriot counterpart George Iacovou on the meeting she had with Gul on Friday night. She also met her Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) counterpart Dr. Ilinka Mitreva whom she thanked for the letter of congratulations she sent her on the occasion of her new duties as foreign minister, while with Albanian Foreign Minister Besnik Mustafaj, Bakoyannis discussed the possibility of her visiting Tirana.

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[02] 'Every day truths are revealed'

Addressing, the student secretaries, Papandreou said:"We are here for PASP, for the student movement, to give emphasis to a new course for our country's education. For us, education is the future and we want with the student faction of PASP to open new roads, because we believe in a Greece which will give value to people, which will invest in this and not in cheap labour."

Papandreou added:"We believe that PASP can be a protagonist, this is why we have an open dialogue with the student faction for us to have these student elections with a large section in the student movement, because we want a creative student movement which will dispute creatively, but will also submit progressive proposals."

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[03] ND Secretary Zagoritis meets prefects

The ND Secretary will begin tours throughout the country's prefectures, starting with Ioannina.

Finally, a nationwide meeting on Local Government will be held on April 7.

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[04] 'Kozani saffron: The gold of Greek earth'

The event was attended, among others, by Agricultural Development and Foods Minister Evangelos Basiakos and Deputy National Economy and Finance Minister Christos Folias.

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