PM Papandreou holds talks with Turkish counterpart

Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan highlighted the further boosting of Greek-Turkish relations in talks he held with Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou here on Wednesday, on the sidelines of a SouthEast European Cooperation Process (SEECP) summit that took place here.

Erdogan mentioned the importance of the implementation of the agreements signed during his visit to Athens last May and the utilisation of the economic possibilites and opportunities appearing.

Papandreou said after the meeting that discussed among other things were the latest developments on the Gaza blockade and that he had the opportunity of presenting Erdogan with the decisions taken by the Socialist International (SI) unanimously two days ago and in which both the Israelis and Palestinians are represented.
Erdogan also referred to concern being created in Turkey by the latest upsurge in violence with the attacks by the PKK and the bombing acts taking place in big cities in Turkey.

Erdogan also assured Papandreou that Turkey will implement the recent decision by the European Court of Human Rights  and will return to the Ecumenical Patriarchate the historic building of the Principos orphanage. The Turkish prime minister had already announced last August that Turkey will implement unequivocally the court's decision and reiterated this position on Wednesday during his meeting with Papandreou in Istanbul.

Lastly, the Greek prime minister also held a private meeting with Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski.

Papandreou received by Gul in Istanbul

Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou was received here on Wednesday by Turkish President Abdullah Gul, who expressed strong support to the strengthening of bilateral cooperation.
Gul underlined the importance of the agreements reached in Athens during a recent visit of Turkish PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan and referred to the “very good relations” between Greek and Turkish entrepreneurs. He also cited existing cooperation in the energy infrastructure sector.
Finally, Gul thanked Athens for the assistance provided to Turkey in its course toward the EU and underlined Turkey’s will to reciprocate by supporting Greece to deal with the ongoing economic crisis.
The Turkish president told Papandreou that “Turkey had faced similar problems in 2001, possibly even tougher ones, because it did not have the European support but (the country) managed to overcome them."

George Papandreou: The Future of SE Europe lies in EU

The future of southeast Europe lies in the EU, Prime Minister George Papandreou stressed on Wednesday, calling for a new momentum in the accession process for Balkan countries.
He made the statement while addressing the SouthEast European Cooperation Process (SEECP) summit taking place in Istanbul.
Papandreou also highlighted the special help given by Greece to Turkey's candidacy to join the EU.
The Greek premier said that Europe's relations with the Balkans have been high on the daily order of business during the past nine months, noting that this was extremely positive. He also pointed to high-level meetings that had taken place in recent months, especially that of Sarajevo.
"The EU repeated its commitment to the European prospects of the Western Balkans and, of course, the road to the EU is a road full of challenges, a difficult Odyssey toward Ithaca," Papandreou said.
He also pointed to developments such as the abolition of visas that both facilated the European course of Balkan countries and helped develop relations within the region.
"The legacy of the Cold War that kept up us divided, the many years of national rivalries, especially in the previous century, the lack of respect of both borders and minorities have broken up the Balkans into fragments and made us appear like puppets compared with the greater powers of the world, so that the word 'Balkanization' became synonymous with decay," Papandreou said. "Today we are moving toward integration and this is why the European family and the EU are so important, since they create a safe framework for accession and are becoming a true peace

PM Papandreou visits Ecumenical Patriarchate

Prime Minister George Papandreou met with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew at the Phanar on Wednesday and told him that "for us in Greece your words and your support are always useful, something that gives us courage."
The Greek prime minister added that "they give us courage because we are in a crisis. A crisis that we shall overcome with pain, with sacrifices. But Greece shall overcome the crisis" and that "we already observe the results of the difficult measures and the changes that were necessary, in steadfast and positive steps."
Welcoming the prime minister, the Ecumenical Patriarch mentioned that "our prayer is for Greece to overcome the difficulties that it is facing and to return to the regular paces of its life and course."
Before the meeting with the Ecumenical Patriarch, Papandreou met with a delegation of the Greek community that had gathered at the Phanar to welcome him.

Source: ANA-MPA