Visit the Sites Mirrored on HR-Net Read the Convention Relating to the Regime of the Straits (24 July 1923) Read the Convention Relating to the Regime of the Straits (24 July 1923)
HR-Net - Hellenic Resources Network Compact version
Today's Suggestion
Read The "Macedonian Question" (by Maria Nystazopoulou-Pelekidou)
HomeAbout HR-NetNewsWeb SitesDocumentsOnline HelpUsage InformationContact us
Thursday, 28 March 2024
 
News
  Latest News (All)
     From Greece
     From Cyprus
     From Europe
     From Balkans
     From Turkey
     From USA
  Announcements
  World Press
  News Archives
Web Sites
  Hosted
  Mirrored
  Interesting Nodes
Documents
  Special Topics
  Treaties, Conventions
  Constitutions
  U.S. Agencies
  Cyprus Problem
  Other
Services
  Personal NewsPaper
  Greek Fonts
  Tools
  F.A.Q.
 

Athens News Agency: News in English, 07-12-11

Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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

CONTENTS

  • [01] Gov't on EU Reform Treaty

  • [01] Gov't on EU Reform Treaty

    The European Union Reform Treaty will help the 27-nation Union and Greece, individually, advance, Deputy Foreign Minister Yiannis Valinakis told Parliament on Tuesday.

    "The Reform Treaty takes the EU but also our country, forward. Consultations have been difficult and laborious, but we have waged the battle so as to guarantee issues of particular Greek interest, such as the clause on mutual assistance, reinforcement of external frontiers and special policies supporting our country's interests," Valinakis told Parliament's Foreign and European standing committees joint meeting, which debated the signing of the EU's Reform Treaty by the Union's leaders in Lisbon on Thursday.

    "The final text is a product of a positive compromise. in the framework of which the institutional and substantial reforms and innovations of the Constitutional Treaty are mostly preserved so as to satisfy the positions of the great majority of the EU member-states," Valinakis added.

    Ruling New Democracy (ND) deputies voted for endorsement of the Reform Treaty, while main opposition PASOK deputies voted in favour, with some reservations. The Communist Party of Greece (KKE), the Radical Left Coalition (Syriza) and the Popular Orthodox Rally (LAOS) voted against, demanding, at the same time, the holding of a referendum.

    The deputy foreign minister said the government "moved according to a plan and with a vision" during the EU's consultations "for a stronger Europe."

    Regarding the clause on mutual assistance, Valinakis underlined that "for a country who finds itself in the most sensitive region of the Union ... it (the clause) acquires a particular military, political and diplomatic weight, especially and in the framework of a possible permanent structured cooperation between member-states."

    Responding to opposition criticism on national issues, Valinakis said:

    "We have a vision and a plan in our foreign policy. We know where we want to go. We are a country that believes in a strong EU. But this does not mean that when a serious problem arises, like that of Skopje, our country will not express its disagreement, even if we know that we will be isolated."

    PASOK deputy Panos Beglitis said the government should not hurry to sign the Treaty because "difficult days" are ahead in foreign policy issues.


    Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article
    Back to Top
    Copyright © 1995-2023 HR-Net (Hellenic Resources Network). An HRI Project.
    All Rights Reserved.

    HTML by the HR-Net Group / Hellenic Resources Institute, Inc.
    ana2html v2.01 run on Tuesday, 11 December 2007 - 19:30:25 UTC