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Sunday, 24 November 2024 | ||
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Athens News Agency: News in English, 10-10-25Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>CONTENTS
[01] Greece asks for Frontex assistance on eastern bordersANA-MPa/ Greece has asked the EU for the immediate deployment of Rapid Border Intervention Teams (RABITS) and the EU Agency for the Management of the Operational Cooperation at the External Borders (FRONTEX) operational means on its eastern borders to stem the mass influx of undocumented migrants, in letters sent by Citizens Protection Minister Christos Papoutsis to EU Internal Affairs Council chairman Annemie Turtelboom and Home Affairs Commissioner Cecilia Malmstroem.Papoutsis, on behalf of the Greek government, sent letters to Turtelboom and Malmstroem on Sunday stressing that "a mass influx is noted daily on Greece's external land borders with Turkey of third-country nationals who attempt to illegally enter Greek territory with the aim of accessing other EU countries". The minister also stressed in the letters that "the increasing pressure of the illegal migrant flows at the Greek borders is a clearly European problem and requires a corresponding European solution in the context of EU solidarity". In a quick reply, Malmstroem said on Monday morning that RABITS teams, coordinated by FRONTEX, "will be deployed at the external border and will ensure mutual assistance between Member States of the European Union; they will act under the authority of Greece and will be in place for a limited period of time", in the first activation of the RABITS since their creation in 2007. More details on the subscriber's page of APE-MPE | Subscription request form [02] 4th Greece-Turkey InterministerialAnkara (ANA-MPA/A. Ambatzis) -- The 4th meeting of the Greece-Turkey Interministerial Committee opened in Ankara on Monday with deputy foreign minister Spyros Kouvelis representing Greece and minister without portfolio Egemen Bagis, who heads Turkey's delegation at the accession negotiations with the EU, representing Turkey.Kouvelis and Bagis had a private meeting before being joined by their respective delegations. Speaking to the press afterwards, Kouvelis noted Turkish prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's visit to Athens last week for the Mediterranean Climate Change Initiative (MCCI) conference hosted by Greek premier George Papandreou -- and sideline talks between the two prime ministers -- saying "that shows who closely we are working". "Today," he added," we are here for the further development of our economic relations and, at the same time, also observe growth in our diplomatic relations as well." Kouvelis refused to comment on press speculation of an imminent agreement between Greece and Turkey on the Aegean, stressing: "We do not comment on informal statements on such issues. What the prime ministers, ministers and officials of the two countries are doing at this stage is as follows: Resolution of the issue of the Aegean and other problems in the best and permanent way, and increase in contacts. In that direction, very serious steps are being made in the recent period. We are here for that very same reason, in the context of the meeting of the Joint Inter-Ministerial Committee. Together with Egemen Bagis, we will examine ways to enhance our relations, how to move further ahead". More details on the subscriber's page of APE-MPE | Subscription request form Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |