Athens News Agency: News in English, 07-12-04

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

CONTENTS

[01] PASOK's Papandreou meets Turkish FM

[01] PASOK's Papandreou meets Turkish FM

Papandreou reiterated his support for the European course and for Turkey's future accession to the European Union on condition that Turkey honours and implements all the terms and preconditions set by the EU.

The PASOK leader also raised issues related to the functioning of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Halki School of Theology and to the rights of the Greek minority in Turkey as being basic preconditions that must be implemented on the part of Turkey on its European course.

On his part, Babacan briefed Papandreou on the reformist plan of the new Turkish government, as well as on its determination to proceed with the implementation of preconditions set by the EU.

Also discussed during their meeting were developments in the Middle East and the Balkans with Papandreou reiterating PASOK's steadfast position on a solution to the issue of Cyprus, "as it constitutes an important international problem", while also calling for the implementation of customs union protocols as an obligation of Turkey towards the EU.

Babacan said that the results of the presidential elections in Cyprus are being expected and expressed Turkey's readiness to move for a solution to the issue of Cyprus within the parametres adopted by the UN.

Earlier in the day Papandreou had a cordial one-hour meeting with Egyptian visiting President Hosni Mubarak in Athens.

The talks focused on the Middle East issue in the wake of the Annapolis Conference, the preconditions for a solution to the Palestinian issue and Egyptās role in the Middle East.

Papandreou briefed President Mubarak on his initiatives within the framework of the Socialist International, in his capacity as the organizationās president, while the Egyptian President remembered earlier visits to Greece and the friendship he had shared with late PM Andreas Papandreou.

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