Athens News Agency: News in English, 06-07-04

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

CONTENTS

[01] PASOK official on foreign policy

[02] Kazakhstan expresses interest in Burgas-Alexandroupolis oil pipeline

[01] PASOK official on foreign policy

Papoutsis said that "Greece's message must be clear regarding the obligations of Turkey which, as he said, is obliged to proceed with the extension of customs union with the 10 new member-states of the European Union, including Cyprus, "as soon as possible".

"This also applies to the other obligations of the neighbouring country, such as of good neighbourliness with Greece, the consolidation of religious freedoms, from which the obligation on the reopening of the Halki School and the recognition of the universal role of the Patriarchate emanates," he added.

Papoutsis also made special reference to the implementation of the acquis communautaire with a specific timetable and without deviations.

Lastly, commenting on the issue of Cyprus, he said that "one must not forget that it is a problem of illegal Turkish invasion and occupation of the northern part of Cyprus, a member-state of the UN and the European Union."

[02] Kazakhstan expresses interest in Burgas-Alexandroupolis oil pipeline

He said that Kazakhstan had expressed a desire to participate in the project, either through a joint venture or by supplying the pipeline with oil from Kazakhstan, during his meeting on Tuesday morning in Astana with local Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Baktykozha Izmukhambetov and the chairman of the state oil company KazMunaiGaz National, Uzakbay Karabalin.

Stylianidis noted that the prospect, if agreed, would ensure that the pipeline was both viable and competitive. According to the minister, boosting cooperation with oil-rich Kazakhstan was part of a "strategy of opening toward this rapidly developing country".

He said Monday's agreement sought to pave the way for Greek construction and engineering firms to enter Kazakhstan's market at a time when the country was in the midst of a frenzy of construction to build its new capital city.

Also present at the meeting were the director of the DEP SA-Thraki SA joint venture for the pipeline Christodoulos Dimas and DEP board member Mihalis Myrianthis.

During a meeting on Tuesday afternoon with Kazakhstan Parliament speaker Oral Mukhamedzhanov with MPs in Parliament's Greece-Kazakhstan Friendship group, the Greek minister was also presented him with an invitation from Greek Parliament President Anna Psarouda-Benaki to visit Athens, which Mukhamedzhanov accepted.

The Greek minister also thanked him for Kazakhstan's support of Greek positions concerning the Cyprus issue and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and pledged Athens' support for Kazakhstan's bid for the OSCE presidency, in addition to support the country's efforts to join the World Trade Organisation.

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