KAROLOS PAPOULIAS: "CAUCASUS IS PART OF EUROPE IN REALITY"
By Ara Martirosian

AZG Armenian Daily #122,
29/06/2007

International

The President of Greece Karolos Papoulias, who is on a three-day
visit to Armenia, was the guest of Yerevan State University on June 27.

After the rector of the university Aram Simonian’s historical
excursion, which embraced the whole history of Armenian-Greek relations
from the 4th century B.C.

to our time, the President of Greece took a speech.

Karolos Papoulias mentioned that Greek and Armenian peoples are
similar in their cultural and historical past and destiny. "I am a
great admirer of the Armenian culture", said the honorable guest of
the Yerevan State University.

The most important issue in the speech of the Greece president was
about Caucasus-Europe relations. He mentioned that Caucasus had always
been a bridge between East and West, Europe and Asia, but "in reality
Caucasus is part of Europe, and it’s time to give a political meaning
to it".

The speech of the Greece President was based on the following issues:
Europe should deepen its economic cooperation, technical assistance and
political dialogue with the states of Caucasus. The "New neighbors"
project is a right approach, but Europe should review the direction
of the deepening relations.

He also gave an importance to the peaceful settlement of the conflicts
in the region.

At the end of the meeting the rector of Yerevan State University read
the decision of the Scientific Council of the University to award
a gold medal to the President of Greece Karolos Papoulias and title
him Honored Professor.