Athens News Agency: News in English, 05-02-09

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

CONTENTS

[01] Greek govt discusses ways to boost competitiveness

[02] FM Molyviatis attends NATO ministerial council, meets with US State Secretary

[03] Greece to send updated EU economic plan to parliament

[01] Greek govt discusses ways to boost competitiveness

Development Minister Dimitris Sioufas, presenting his ministry plans, stressed the low performances of both the country's competitiveness and its macro-economic figures and underlined that the adoption of a new aggressive economic policy the government would be able to reverse this trend. Sioufas said emphasis would be given to structural reforms aimed to boost enterpreunship and attract new investments in the country.

"We change gears to recover lost ground," the Greek minister said adding that "we draft a new course with optimism and national self-confidence". Sioufas said that the government's policy would lay the foundations for economic growth and social cohesion.

Tourism Minister Dimitris Avramopoulos said that Greece was opening its wings with a new vision and noted that the government's initiatives were aiming to hit the very roots of past problems.

[02] FM Molyviatis attends NATO ministerial council, meets with US State Secretary

Foreign Minister Petros Molyviatis represented Greece at the meeting and told reporters afterwards that he had had the opportunity to briefly meet with US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice. During this brief encounter, Molyviatis said that Rice reiterated the US' invitation for Molyviatis to visit Washington, perhaps before summer.

Regarding Iraq, Rice and UN Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer urged NATO members to secure a greater international participation in the training of Iraqi security forces. Molyviatis said that Greece would be contributing funds totalling â¬300,000, an amount that will be added to a special fund created for this purpose and which currently stands at â¬3.5 million.

As for the situation in the West Balkans, the Greek foreign minister reiterated the great emphasis Greece places on the region's stability and security, emphasising the need - particularly in the case of Kosovo - for the cooperation of all interested parties so as to avoid destabilisation. Specifics about Kosovo's status were not discussed during the meeting, but further developments are expected after July when a comprehensive evaluation of the region's political situation will be complete.

[03] Greece to send updated EU economic plan to parliament

"This is so there will be detailed discussion and processing within both Greece and the European Union," Alogoskoufis said following the release earlier in the day of the EU Commission's recommendations to the bloc's ministers on Greece's fiscal deficit procedure.

The Commission's recommendations were fully compatible with the government's strategy on eliminating the excessive fiscal deficit by the end of 2006, the minister told a news conference.

"The fiscal problem is major and critical. The government is resolved to tackle it, faithfully implementing the 2005 budget and lowering the deficit to below 3.0% of gross domestic product by 2006 at the latest," Alogoskoufis noted.

"This will be stated in the updated growth and stability programme, and we are seeking the greatest possible level of understanding and consensus with everyone - the public, social groups, political parties and our partners in the EU," he said.

The government was working to restore the country's credibility in the EU, and to establish fiscal transparency through a mild, two-year fiscal adaptation plan in the wake of a high deficit and public debt created by the former Panhellenic Socialist Movement government (PASOK), the minister added.

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