Athens News Agency: News in English, 08-01-25

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

CONTENTS

[01] PM: Bilateral relations based on European values

[02] Athens Newspaper Headlines

[01] PM: Bilateral relations based on European values

Addressing the Forum, Karamanlis said that the expediency of such meetings was not limited to the purely economic level, stressing that the development of economic and commercial relations and promotion of investments formed the groundwork for broader, mutually beneficial, cooperation between the two countries and peoples.

"I believe that our economic collaborations pave the way for greater rapprochement between us and highlight in the most expository way the lost gain that tension and friction cost us. In that sense, they lay the groundwork for constant deepening of our bilateral relations," Karamanlis said.

The prime minister said that a substantial institutional framework of cooperation has already been formed, but added that he looked forward to its expansion to all sectors of mutual interest, so that there will be no ambiguity or uncertainty over the legal framework regulating bilateral economic relations.

He said that the dialogue on advancing the economic relations between the two countries must be continuous, and noted the Greek side's proposal that the 11th conference of the Greek-Turkish Cooperation Group on Trade and Economic Cooperation be convened in Athens in early February, while the 4th conference of the Greek-Turkish interministerial economic committee was due to be held in Turkey in the first quarter of 2008.

Karamanlis said that the volume of trade between the two countries reached 2.7 billion dollars in 2006, and expressed hope that the various obstacles arising in certain instances in Greek exports to Turkey would soon be eliminated in the framework of a manifestation of a spirit of smooth cooperation between the two countries.

He also said that a substantial improvement has been observed in the field of investments, with the Greek capital invested in Turkey having reached 5.5 billion dollars.

Karamanlis made specific note of the investments by Greek banks in Turkish banks, and described as interesting the investment initiative of Turkey's Ziraat Bank to operate branches in Greece.

He also referred to the example of the cooperation between Greek and Turkish construction firms in Amman, noting that similar actions could follow in such sectors as tourism and renewable energy sources.

Karamanlis placed particular emphasis on cooperation in the tourism sector, adding that he looked forward to an increase in tourism from Turkey to Greece.

On land-based transports, Karamanlis noted that the relevant interministerial committee's 14th conference would take place in end-January, and described as a positive development the annual issue of transit passes exchanged between the two countries.

Karamanlis further noted the jointly agreed construction of a second bridge at the Kipoi-Ipsala border crossing between Greece and Turkey and the need for the designation of additional air transports by the two countries.

The Greek prime minister also made special reference to bilateral cooperation in the energy sector, noting in particular the natural gas pipeline and the imminent completion of the electricity grids of the two countries.

In closing, Karamanlis stressed that the prospects for Greek-Turkish cooperation were positive, and the results to date were substantial, but added that "relations among states progress, in essence, only from within a stable and friendly political framework".

"Greece's steadfast aim, always, is full normalization of Greek-Turkish relations, and in order for our relations to proceed substantively, actions that contravene international law or cause tension must cease. The basis of our relations must be the European values, the principles of the European Union," Karamanlis said.

Karamanlis winds up his visit in the early afternoon on Friday, departing for Athens soon afterwards.

Caption: Greek prime minister Costas Karamanlis (L) and his wife Natasha Karamanlis (R) leave from the patriarch building after a meeting with Greek Orthodox Ecumenical patriarch Bartholemew I in Istanbul, Turkey on 24 January 2008. Karamanlis is in Turkey for 3 days official visit for first time after 48 years.ANA-MPA/ EPA/TOLGA BOZOGLU EPA/EPA/TOLGA BOZOGLU

[02] Athens Newspaper Headlines

Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis' visit to Istanbul, during a 3-day official visit to Turkey, and his meeting with Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos, the examining magistrate's decision on which individuals will be charged in connection with the Zachopoulos affair, due in February, main opposition PASOK's in-party developments and the perpetuation of the internal crisis following a meeting on Thursday between party leader George Papandreou and former leadership candidate Evangelos Venizelos, and the rise in the general index of the Athens Stock Exchange (ASE), dominated the headlines on Friday in Athens' dailies.

ADESMEFTOS TYPOS: "Thousands of unlicenced buildings to be legalised - 112,000 stremma (28,000 acres) to be registered in the Town Plans".

APOGEVMATINI: "Pilgrim in Constantinople (the former capital of Byzantium, present-day Istanbul) - Emotion and contemplation during Karamanlis' visit to the Ecumenical Patriarchate and Istanbul".

AVGHI: "Public Power Corporation (PPC) plans a nuclear plant - Development Minister's denial is belied".

AVRIANI: "Full steam ahead for (early) general elections in March - Prime Minister wants to avert the formation of a new political party (by a splinter group from PASOK headed by Venizelos)......and George (Papandreou) agrees".

CHORA: " Let's follow a common path - Karamanlis stresses: We must not allow to past to hamper our future".

ELEFTHEROS: "Venizelos sends clear-cut message to Papandreou: I will not leave the party on my own volition, expel me".

ELEFTHEROS TYPOS: "Ultimatum before the rift - Impasse in Papandreou-Venizelos meeting - The formation of a Group by Venizelos a 'cause of war' for Papandreou".

ELEFTHEROTYPIA: "The cohabitation hanging on a thread - The rift between Papandreou and Venizelos is unbridgeable".

ESTIA: "The future of the political landscape-The two mainstream parties (ND and PASOK) in a free-fall".

ETHNOS: "Postponement of 'divorce' in PASOK - Papandreou, Venizelos avoided the split at the last minute".

KATHIMERINI: "Crisis in PASOK widens- Papandreou sends ultimatum to Venizelos on Group foundation"

LOGOS: "In February the names of the individuals (to be charged) for implication in Zachopoulos affair"

NIKI: "Ideal suicide - PASOK falls into electoral void".

RIZOSPASTIS: " Primary healthcare tailor-made for profit".

TA NEA: "Last-minute truce - Venizelos-Papandreou relations on the edge".

TO VIMA: "Stockmarkets' ups and downs - 8% record-rise on Thursday on ASE- Specialists advise people to be cautious until June - Spectacular reversal in stockmarkets after the 3-day dive".

VRADYNI: "The mess in PASOK - On the verge of split, due to Venizelos' 'Think Group' ".

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