Athens News Agency: News in English, 07-11-14

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

CONTENTS

[01] FM Bakoyannis visiting Paris

[01] FM Bakoyannis visiting Paris

According to a briefing by foreign ministry spokesman George Koumoutsakos, Bakoyannis mentioned during her address the excellent cooperation existing between Greece and France, underlining at the same time policies aiming at strengthening cooperation in the Mediterranean.

The Greek minister expressed Greece's support for the initiative by French President Nicolas Sarkozy on the creation of a Mediterranean Union. She said that this initiative must be based on simple procedures and concern the promotion and implementation of specific programmes, such as sustainable development, energy, sea transportation, the management of water resources. Lastly, she stressed the need for it to function in a supplementary fashion in relation to existing initiatives and programmes.

Referring to Turkey, the minister expressed support for the prospect of its accession to the European Union, on the necessary precondition of lifting the "casus belli", protecting the rights of minorities and recognising the Ecumenical Patriarchate, as well as ending occupation in Cyprus.

Bakoyannis pointed out that the Sarkozy initiative on the creation of a Mediterranean Union should not be considered a substitute for Turkey's European prospect, annulling its accession process in this way.

Bakoyannis will be meeting French Foreign Minister Kouchner late on Wednesday night.

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