Athens News Agency: News in English, 09-02-25

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

CONTENTS

[01] Clinton welcomes Greek FM

[02] EU's Hubner in Athens

[01] Clinton welcomes Greek FM

Welcoming Bakoyannis at their first meeting for talks, Clinton said: "I am very glad welcoming a friend in Washington and at the State Department. She is not a stranger neither to the city nor to the Department. It is an honour for me to welcome you here in my new capacity."

On her part, Bakoyannis thanked Clinton and expressed her joy "being in Washington again and looking forward to our cooperation."

Bakoyannis will address the UN's Security Council on Friday afternoon (Greek time) and she is expected to refer to the 2009 Greek chair of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe's (OSCE) priorities.

Before her speech, the Greek foreign minister is expected to meet Security Council President, Japan's UN Ambassador Yukio Takasu.

On Thursday night (Greek time) Bakoyannis will be meeting with Matthew Nimetz, the UNSG's special mediator on the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia's (FyRoM) name dispute, before holding talks with U.S. UN Ambassador Susan Rice.

[02] EU's Hubner in Athens

Hubner said a Third Community Support Framework program would end in June this year, giving Greece enough time to fully absorb EU funds, while she stressed that the EU was focusing on green economy and supporting small- and medium-sized enterprises amid a severe economic crisis.

The Commissioner urged Greek enterprises to invest on innovation and expressed her satisfaction over progress of a government-sponsored program to offer financial support to SMEs.

Speaking to reporters, the Greek minister said the government would not spare ?one single euro? from EU funds and underlined the significance of efforts made by Greek SMEs to use technology and adopt innovation.

Earlier, Hubner expressed her satisfaction over Greece's high absorption rates of European funds during a meeting with Interior Minister Prokopis Pavlopoulos.

The EU commissioner, who was also received by Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis, will next visit Ioannina in Epirus, northwestern Greece.

CAPTION: Greek Development Minister Kostis Hatzidakis and EU Regional Policy Commissioner Danuta Hubner in Athens on Wednesday (ANA-MPA photo)

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