Athens News Agency: News in English, 06-06-14

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

CONTENTS

[01] Papandreou holds telephone talks with Cyprus President

[02] Athens cites de jure recognition of Montenegro

[03] Government's digital strategy aspires to five targets

[01] Papandreou holds telephone talks with Cyprus President

Papandreou and former Finland president Paavo Lipponen jointly preside over the group which functions in the framework of the European Socialist Party.

The group will have a meeting and discussion with the EU's relevant Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn on Thursday morning.

According to a statement by PASOK's spokesman, Nikos Athanassakis, Papandreou briefed the Cyprus President on his participation in the procedures of the European Socialist Party and President Papadopoulos briefed him on the work of the General Affairs Council in Luxembourg over the weekend.

Asked whether PASOK agrees with the submission of a veto by Cyprus, Athanassakis said that "governments participate in the sessions," while pointing out that "if the Greek government had followed a different policy we would currently be in a different process."

Athanassakis added that the PASOK leader had a new telephone conversation on Wednesday with the head of the International Atomic Energy Committee, Mohammed El Baradei, on the issue of Iran's nuclear weapons.

Papandreou was briefed on latest developments on the issue and on efforts being made to achieve a peaceful solution to the problem to which, as he told Baradei, he is adhering to and stressed that "we must all struggle for a peaceful solution".

[02] Athens cites de jure recognition of Montenegro

Spokesman George Koumoutsakos unveiled a relevant draft statement by the foreign minister, in which it was noted that after the formal declaration of Montenegro's independence by the country's Parliament on June 3, Montenegro is an independent state.

Greece, the statement continues, "recognises the independence of the Republic of Montenegro and welcomes it to the family of sovereign states," while adding that from now on, bilateral relations will develop as inter-state relations.

Bakoyannis also congratulated the people of Montenegro for achieving their national aspiration, while she reaffirmed that Athens is willing to further strengthen traditionally friendly bilateral ties and to assist the country in its efforts to integrate with European institutions and to strengthen regional cooperation and stability.

[03] Government's digital strategy aspires to five targets

The first target was to promote the use of information technologies in business enterprises, while the second target was to promote use of technolgoy in the public sector, the minister said.

The third and fourth targets were the reinforcement of entrepreneurship in every branch, particularly in the areas where technology is utilised, and coordination of the branches of new technologies, while the fifth target was a more dynamic exploitation of the new technologies by citizens, on a daily level, Alogoskoufis continued.

In tandem, the government was aiming at the development of digital services, which, he said, saved time and provided new abilities for tackling bureaucracy. The new digital strategy responded to the European developments, was compatible both with the new European policy on the Information Society, and the new action plan 'Jobs and Growth', the minister added, as well as being totally compatible with the targets of the Lisbon Strategy.

Alogoskoufis further said that the 'digital Greece' strategy was part of the wider framework of reforms aimed at a new developmental model, which envisioned a dynamic, competitive, productive and outward-oriented Greece.

The Greek economy, Alogoskoufis said, was moving ahead with self-confidence, and the indications were positive. Unemployment was de-escalating, growth was accelerating, the deficits were being contained, while exports and tourism were recovering impressively and the investments were givig a dynamic boost to the economy, he concluded.

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