Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 17-03-03

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

CONTENTS

[01] Pavlopoulos: EU risks dissolution if European integration is not achieved

[02] Kotzias, Bushati discuss bilateral issues, cooperation on energy

[03] UNWTO head: Growth in Greek tourism the result of serious efforts, coordinated national policy

[01] Pavlopoulos: EU risks dissolution if European integration is not achieved

"If European integration is not achieved, the ensuing stagnation leads deterministically to the risk of dissolution of the European Union, starting from the core, the eurozone. This is because the survival and overall perspective of the European Union and the Eurozone depends not only on economic and monetary progress, but primarily on the strength of the institutions of the European edifice which, by their nature, are the only ones which can guarantee - beyond stability – the European integration itself, both as a target and as a process," he said.

[02] Kotzias, Bushati discuss bilateral issues, cooperation on energy

The two ministers focused on setting up committees to discuss separate issues affecting the two countries, diplomatic sources told the Athens-Macedonian News Agency. Committees set up last June discussed military cemeteries, school books and consular issues. Kotzias and Bushati also discussed cooperation on energy, which concerns the progress in the construction of the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP), and developments in the wider Balkans.

[03] UNWTO head: Growth in Greek tourism the result of serious efforts, coordinated national policy

"The almost 28 million visitors is a truly impressive number," he told journalists at the end of the one-day conference on tourism titled "Destination Greece 365 days - The role of sustainable tourism development".

"Two-three years ago Greece was about to collapse. Nobody would bet on Greece's future. Today nobody talks of a collapse. You have done a lot of things. And as was the case in many other Mediterranean countries, tourism contributed significantly in that direction," he added.

Rifai said the positive results are due to the correct choice of issues on which the tourism policy is based: extending the tourism season, the opening to new markets, the weight placed on connectivity and thematic tourism and the emergence of new tourist destinations. A second reason is the improvement of the country's image abroad and a third is the strong desire of the government and the private sector to allow tourism to play a major role in ending the economic crisis.

"It's not that you're doing well because Turkey, Egypt and Syria are doing badly. On the contrary, if these countries were doing well, you'd be doing even better," he said.

Rifai is on official visit to Greece since February 28 and is expected to leave on Friday.

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