Athens News Agency: News in English, 07-07-10

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

CONTENTS

[01] Inner Cabinet to discuss foreign policy on Thursday, prime minister meets with FM

[01] Inner Cabinet to discuss foreign policy on Thursday, prime minister meets with FM

Meanwhile, Karamanlis had separate meetings on Tuesday with foreign minister Dora Bakoyannis and interior minister Prokopis Pavlopoulos.

PM Karamanlis confers with FM Bakoyannis

Prime minister Costas Karamanlis met Tuesday with foreign minister Dora Bakoyannis, to discuss the upcoming visit of German Chancellor Angela Merkel to Athens and Karamanlis' planned visit to Paris in late June, where he will meet with new French president Nicolas Sarkozy.

Replying to press questions after the meeting on whether she will be a candidate for the ruling New Democracy (ND) party's parliamentary council in the relevant elections to take place on Friday at the first meeting of the new ND Central Committee that arose from the weekend's ND Congress, Bakoyannis said she did not discuss the issue with the prime minister during their meeting, adding that she has not yet decided whether to submit candidacy for the parliamentary council.

Meeting with Interior minister

Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis met with Interior Minister Prokopis Pavlopoulos on Tuesday and discussed the continuation of the dialogue with the Central Union of Municipalities and Communities (KEDKE) and the Greek National Union of Prefectural Local Authorities (ENAE) on administrative reform in view of the meeting their boards will have with the prime minister next week.

The issue concerning the continuation of the political party dialogue on the draft law on the absentee voting rights of overseas Greeks was discussed, with Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis also in attendance. Pavlopoulos commented that the draft law in question will be introduced to parliament after the summer recess.

Political parties will have to reach a consensus allowing parliament to pass legislation regulating voting rights issues for overseas Greeks, said Pavlopoulos, underlining that it is important for the Greek expatriates to have a say in political developments in Greece.

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