PRESS CONFERENCE
TO CNN
FRIDAY 20th OF MAY 2005
Mrs. :
U.S. President welcomed to the Greek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis to the White House at Friday. George W. Bush said the nations partnership with Greece is important to the spread of freedom. But the two countries have not always seen eye to eye only shoes and that includes Iraq. Earlier I spoke to mister Karamanlis about a variety of issues and I begun by asking him what he thought of the situation in Iraq.
Mr. KARAMANLHS:
Well I believe that we have certainly a new reality not only in Iraq but in the broader region. Which means that in Iraq were elections, a newly elected President and Prime Minister, there is a good effort undergoing to establish civil Government.
So I would stress the point that everybody has to help out so that we have the full democratization of the country and of course this goes hand in hand with effort to reconstruction dimensional eventual prosperity.
Mrs. :
Greece also helps in Afghanistan to agrarian degree, what differentiates that assistance from the aid and assistance you give to Iraq and why?
Mr. KARAMANLHS:
Well in the initial face in Afghanistan it was a case, which was under the … of the United Nations all over.
But as I said before the case is that today we need to work all together, so us to promote stability and democracy through out the broader region. And by enlarge I would say that this is a very big participation in all these efforts to promote piece and democracy.
For the size of Greece and it’s a budgetary problem to spend more than two hundred and fifty thousand million dollars to these kind of endeavors is a very large sum.
Mrs. :
Speaking of budgetary measures unemployment in Greece is rising into a certain degree inflations has also being higher. How do you balance and offset that with your obligations as a member of the European Union to cut the budget deficits?
Mr. KARAMANLHS:
Well, we need and we are doing a very big job at this point of time and are very hopeful that we will be successful on the one hand to diminish our deficit and on the other hand to make the greek economy much more attractive in investment and particularly in foreign investment.
And let me just add one thing here. After having these excellent Olympic Games last year we believe that we have sent the message throughout the world that Greece is a very safe orientation and we expect a upside in tourism in this union in the years to come.
Mrs. :
Indeed Greece’s image has changed with the success of the Olympics. Has that been sustained since the Games happened in September August last year?
Mr. KARAMANLHS:
Well, that’s the basis on which we have to build upon and that’s what we are trying to do. And I think that Greece has all the capabilities of doing it in the very near future and that’s the main focus of all Government.
Mrs. :
Let me move on to your long-time arrival in the region tack you welcomed Turkish membership of the European Union. What do you see that membership status now and how do you see those talks going particularly I am thinking of the issue of Cyprus.
Mr. KARAMANLHS:
Well, we are not yet are talking about membership.
Well, we support this Turkish European perspective and that’s a very clear decision we’ve made because we believe that the European Turkey or European nice Turkey is a Turkey which will gradually adopt all the European standards and criteria of behavior will be to the benefit of all. The Turkish people first of all, Turkish neighbors and the whole Europe. So this is a policy, which we very consensus made and stack upon.
This however doesn’t mean that we make the decisions by ourselves. Its for Turkey to decide whether really wants to Europeanize. And among others this means that it will adopt a way of contact particularly in its international relations, which is compatible with European standards.
Which means that military activities and these kind of things should gradually get out of the picture.
Mrs. :
Alright, there we have to leave Prime Minister, thank you very much for joining us.
Mr. KARAMANLHS:
Thank you very much.
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