Athens News Agency: News in English, 08-07-11

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

CONTENTS

[01] Valinakis holds talks in Paris

[01] Valinakis holds talks in Paris

The leaders of 40 heads of state and government, including the 27 European Union leaders and those of southern Mediterranean countries are expected to congregate in Paris over the weekend to discuss the "Barcelona Process: a Union for the Mediterranean".

The name given to the meeting indicates the compromise between the existing Barcelona Process and the new proposal by French President Nicolas Sarkozy for a Mediterranean Union.

Greece will be represented at the summit by Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis, who will be accompanied by Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis and Valinakis. In addition to the summit meeting, there are also plans for separate meeting of the foreign ministers and European affairs ministers of the countries taking part.

On Saturday night in the city of Brest in Bretagne, Valinakis will attend a European affairs ministers' meeting with European Commissioner for Institutional Relations and Communications Strategy Margot Wallstrom to continue a discussion begun nearly three years ago on relations between the EU and its citizens and ways to reduce the 'gap' between the two.

"We, the Europeans, are proceeding with the ratification of the [Lisbon] Treaty and at the same time we are being very careful and monitoring the reactions after Ireland's 'no' with great sensitivity," Valinakis said.

He said the reactions were both legal and political, stressing that there was expectation that the ratification process will be completed and that the Irish will be able to propose solutions for ending the stalemate by the October summit as agreed.

Greece and European policy for the seas

On Sunday morning, while Brest hosts the International Festival of the Sea, the 27 EU ministers for European affairs and the European Commissioner for maritime affairs Joe Borg will discuss European maritime policy, which is also expected to be one of the fundamental areas of action for the Mediterranean Union.

Greece hopes to play a leading role in this area, beginning with the ministerial meeting organised in Rhodes last year.

"The French are now taking the baton and making maritime policy a priority of their [EU] presidency and a basic axis for action by the Mediterranean Union," Valinakis said.

He said the talks would cover all aspects of maritime policy, including the environment, transport, shipping, illegal immigration, tourism and managing the EU's external borders. On the last issue, he also reminded Greece's proposal for a European coast guard, adding that there was close cooperation with the French side for setting up such a body with the collaboration at first of the Mediterranean countries.

Other areas emphasised by Greece are the creation of maritime avenues to promote the link between Greece's ports and those of the eastern Mediterranean. Combined with new road links that have been constructed or are under construction in Greece, this is expected to make Greece a combined transport hub and a commercial, investment and tourist portal for SE Europe.

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