Athens News Agency: News in English, 09-06-26

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

CONTENTS

[01] Papandreou in Albania on Friday

[02] Gov't: Claims by Christoforatos' lawyers' ludicrous'

[03] Corfu OSCE ministerial meeting

[04] Papoulias continues Syria visit

[01] Papandreou in Albania on Friday

On Saturday, Papandreou will be in Belgrade, where he is invited to attend a working luncheon hosted by Serbian President Boris Tadic, to be followed by a meeting with Socialist Party of Serbia President and Interior Minister Ivica Dacic.

On Sunday, Papandreou will be in Montenegro to chair a Socialist International (SI) meeting focusing on the international economic crisis, climate change, illegal migration and regional crises.

[02] Gov't: Claims by Christoforatos' lawyers' ludicrous'

"The Greek government has taken all necessary actions to shed light on this case," Antonaros stressed.

"The Greek justice system and the state have done and continue to do everything legally necessary to have the case investigated in depth," he stated.

[03] Corfu OSCE ministerial meeting

The NATO-Russia Council (NRC) will convene on Saturday for the first time after the conflict in Georgia, while the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) informal ministerial meeting will take place on Sunday with the participation of all 56 member-states, and chaired by Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis.

The Greek foreign minister will hold successive bilateral meetings with outgoing NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov, US deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

The bilateral agreements scheduled to be signed between the US and Greece are expected to clear the way for Greece's participation in the US visa waiver program and to establish closer cooperation in combating terrorism and organised crime.

As regards the major issue of European security, the Greek side seeks the launch of a new dialogue within the framework of which will be defined in the OSCE ministerial meeting in December that will mark the end of the Greek OSCE Chairmanship.

[04] Papoulias continues Syria visit

Speaking to the public television while exiting the Christian Orthodox church of Prophet Elijah, where he was received by Metropolitan Bishop Pavlos, he underlined that bilateral relations between Greece and Syria are an example of cooperation, friendship and solidarity.

"Greece is Syria's window to the European Union," Papoulias stated, and referring to the presence of Hellenism in the country, stressed that they constitute a proof of historical continuity by the two nations. He also said he invited Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to visit Greece.

On Greece's role to the progress and the solution of the Middle East problem, Papoulias stated that "we have always appreciated its contribution to the efforts aimed at finding a permanent and fair solution to the Middle East issue."

He added that Israel should realise that the creation of a Palestinian state will serve its own interests, underlining, at the same time, we never discounted Israel's right to live peacefully and in cooperation with its Arab neighbors.

"The first step Israel can make is to withdraw from the Golan Heights as a goodwill gesture, thus contributing to a comprehensive peace," he added.

Papoulias will visit the St. Simeon Monastery outside Aleppo and the Bimaristan Hospital, which dates back to the 13th century.

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