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Athens News Agency: News in English, 07-05-26Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>CONTENTS
[01] Greek Prime Minister Karamanlis concludes Australia tour with visit to DarwinGreek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis concluded a six-day official tour of Australia on Saturday with a visit to Darwin where he met with Northern Territory Chief Minister Clare Martin. Darwin has a Greek community of 10,000, of which about 70 per cent originate from the Greek island of Kalymnos. Karamanlis, who received a warm welcome by the Greek community, said in a brief speech that "my visit in this city marks the end of a very successful visit to Australia, during which we had the opportunity to reconfirm the historical bonds between the two countries, to further develop bilateral relations and meet with the Greek-Australian communities." Karamanlis thanked Australiaâs Hellenism, stating that "I want to confirm that upon my departure, I feel even more proud and more optimistic about the Greeks everywhere." He described as "very important" the Greek communityâs contribution "to the economic, social and political life in Australia's Northern Territory."The Greek prime minister reminded that the first Greeks from Kalymnos and Kastelorizo arrived in Darwin in the early 20th Century, saying that in the early 21st Century, distinguished Greek-Australians served in senior political posts, including in the position of governor and ministers in local government. "All these factors honor Greece in the great and friendly country which hosts you and makes us proud of all of you. Itâs particularly important that the bonds between modern Greece and the northern regions of Australia are being strengthened from generation to generation. The fact that Kalymnos had been twinned with Darwin since 1982 has symbolic but also practical importance. Itâs a firm basis of friendship and cooperation, which is continuously strengthened," Karamanlis concluded in his address. Martin later hosted a reception in honor of Karamanlis. At noon on Saturday, the Greek prime minister, who was accompanied by Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis and Deputy Foreign Minister Theodoros Kassimis, departed Darwin for Hanoi, Vietnam. Caption: ANA-MPA file photo of Greek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis. Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |