Azer Tag, Azerbaijan State Info Agency
June 22 2004

SPEECH BY KONSTANTIONOS STEPHANAPOULOS, PRESIDENT OF GREECE
[June 22, 2004, 18:15:18]

Mr. President,

I thank you very much for your kind words and I would like to assure
you of my hearty feelings that reflect the feelings of the Greek
people for the people of Azerbaijan. I would also like to thank you
warmly for the cordial hospitality you extended to all of us, your
Greek guests participating at the first state visit by a Greek
President of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

There had been contacts between Greek and the population of this
region in Antiquity. However, today’s relations are all the more so
important; we must serve them in a spirit of confidence in the value
of our friendship. Permit me to remind that Greece hailed the
independence of Azerbaijan as early as 1991 and forthwith established
diplomatic relations with the then new country of yours.

Today’s talks corroborated the conviction of how necessary is our
cooperation as well as the fostering of a climate of mutual respect
and trust, which will help our bilateral cooperation move forward in
all fields.

Greece opened its Embassy in Baku as early as 1993, which does
reflect the importance we attach to the development of our relations
with your country. Its operation gave a strong impetus to the
progress of Greek-Azeri relations.

I take the opportunity to say how delighted we are with your
decision, adopted by the Azeri Parliament, to open an Embassy in
Athens soon; the Embassy of Azerbaijan in Athens will constitute a
live connection between Athens and Baku.

Mr. President,

In the context of this visit, it was deemed constructive to set up a
business meeting, which aims at further expanding the existing good
economic relations between Greece and Azerbaijan. Our delegation is
thus composed also of a group of prominent Greek businessmen who are
currently exploring the prospects of further cooperation in various
sectors of the economy and trade. We trust their presence here and
their contacts with their Azeri counterparts will further enhance our
economic relations.

The success of this visit in the economic field is underscored by the
signing of three very important economic bilateral agreements that
constitute the springboard for further growth of business and
investment activities.

Our relations in the energy sector are already close and I am
confident that in the near dimension will e added thanks to the
forthcoming cooperation involving the energy corridor linking
Azerbaijan with Western Europe. This link will strengthen even more
the geo-strategic and geo-economic position of your country standing
between Europe and Asia.

I would also like to welcome good progress in our cultural relations.
The implementation of the first Program of Cultural Exchange in the
framework of the Educational Agreement of 1994 ushered in an ear of
exchange in the field of cultural activities.

Cooperation between our universities is of paramount importance. This
cooperation is taking shape in the form of agreement between Greek
and Azeri Higher Education Institutions that have already been signed
or are to e signed soon.

Part of these efforts is the foundation of the Center of Modern Greek
Language and Civilization in the local Slavic University that will be
inaugurated tomorrow, in conjunction with a scholarship program
granted by the Greek government.

Mr. President,

The recent enlargement of the Europe Union constitutes a historical
leap forward for the entire European Continent; Greece specifically
welcomed the integration of Cyprus among the European family.

Said enlargement constitutes a unique opportunity for further
promoting the relations of the Union with its neighbors to the East
as well as to the South. In fact, the acknowledgement that, in the
wake of the enlargement, closer cooperation with its new neighbors
would be more than necessary, recently led the Europe Union to the
adoption of the European Neighborhood Policy (ENP). The ultimate goal
of said policy is strengthening cooperation between the European
Union and the new neighbors in the fields of political dialogue of
trade and the internal market, of justice and home affairs as well as
in other sectors.

We are particularly pleased that a few days ago the European Council,
on the basis of a Greek proposal submitted under Greek Presidency,
decided to admit Azerbaijan in the European Neighborhood Policy. This
is the vindication of a Greek policy since our country has always
held the position that all three countries of the Caucasus must
become part of this policy as soon as possible end, in fact, at the
same time.

May I also remind that the decision to appoint a Special
Representative of the European Union for Southern Caucasus and to
launch the energy dialogue with Azerbaijan was also made under Greek
Presidency.

Mr. President,

Greece follows with particular interest the course of your country
and encourages every efforts in the direction of promoting political
and economic reform and strengthening democratic institutions and the
rule of law.

My country wholeheartedly supported the accession of Azerbaijan to
the Council of Europe that took place in 2001.

Greece considers existing cooperation in International Organizations
as very satisfactory. I take this opportunity to thank Azerbaijan for
having supported the Greek candidacy for the United Nations Security
Council for the period 2005-2006.

Greece attaches great importance to the initiatives undertaken by the
Azeri government to achieve a political settlement for the Nagorny
Karabakh problem. My country, as well as the Europe Union, supports
the direct negotiations between the President of Azerbaijan and
Armenia as well as the mediation efforts of the Minsk group in order
to achieve a just and viable solution of this issue. To this end it
is necessary to respect the International Law and to refrain from any
action that could endanger peace in the region.

Mr. President,

Greece considers southeastern Europe among the top priorities of its
foreign policy. We strive to enhance relations with neighboring
countries on a bilateral and a multilateral basis, aiming at securing
and maintaining pace in the region. A region that, unfortunately, is
not free of all risk of a flare up. We believe that the firm decision
of the countries of southeastern Europe to join the Europe Union and
NATO contributes to strengthening peace and cooperation in the region
as well as to the prosperity of its peoples. Greece does its utmost
to assist them in their European path; my country’s genuine interest
for its region, the Balkans, has been reflects, as we all known, at
the Saloniki Summit (21 June 2003) that put Western Balkans on the
road of accession to the European Union.

Our country also pursues its initiatives and efforts to improve
Greek-Turkish relations through cooperation in issues of common
interest. We aspire through cooperation in issues of common interest.
We aspire to more Greek-Turkish relations into a framework of good
neighborly relations governed by the rules of international law. We
hope that the sincere governed by the rules of international law. We
hope that the sincere aspiration of ours will be reciprocated by our
neighbor in the same earnest spirit. The recent visit by Prime
Minister Erdogan in Athens strengthened our hope as well as
willingness of the two countries to cooperate.

Mr. President,

The outcome of the referendum in Cyprus reflects the quasi-unanimous
conviction of Greek Cypriots that the Plan they were called the
evaluate neither secured the balance between the two Communities not
provided the necessary guarantees for the future evaluation of their
relations. I should like to assure you that Cyprus, like Greece, are
earnestly committed to achieving the reunification of the islands
through a just and functional settlement on the basis of the plan of
the United Nations Secretary General and in the context of the
Community acquis and of the fundamental principles of the Europe
Union. The accession of Cyprus has ushered in a new dynamism in view
to the forthcoming settlement of the Cyprus issue. What remains to e
done are some essential clarifications and improvements of the Plan
of the Secretary General of the United Nations that will benefit both
sides.

In concluding, may I dwell on the top global athletic event, the
Olympic Games and Greece will showcase to the world in two months,
with knowledge-legacy of our history-and with rightful pride. We
aspire to host Games that will be characterized y the quality of
organization and the sense of measure. We are doing whatever is
humanly possible in this direction and we are confident that in this
effort we will be successful. We also hope that the ideal of the
Olympic Truce during the Games, an idea revived from Antiquity, will
solidify peace and cooperation between peoples.

Mr. President,

I trust that our talks today will constitute a solid foundation for
further developing relations and deepening the cooperation between
our countries. It is in this spirit that I would like to thank you
again for your warm hospitality and raise my glass to propose a toast
wishing health and happiness to you and your wife as well as progress
and prosperity to the friendly people of Azerbaijan.