Athens News Agency: News in English, 06-09-28

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

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

CONTENTS

[01] PM briefed on 2007 budget to be tabled on Monday

[02] FM analyses trans-Atlantic relations at Georgetown

[01] PM briefed on 2007 budget to be tabled on Monday

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Alogoskoufis stressed that the target of containing the 2006 deficit at 2.6 percentage points of GNP have been met, while the target for 2007 was to further contain the deficit at 2.4 percentage points of GNP.

Alogoskoufis stressed that the fiscal adjustment applied by the present government was a success, given the substantial reduction of the deficit from the 7 percentage points of GNP inherited from the preceding government.

Contributing to the decline in the deficit were the high growth rates and the increase in real revenues, Alogoskoufis explained.

Replying to questions, he said that the revision of the GNP and its increase by 25 percent was due to the tertiary sector, in other words, the increase in trade, services, construction and tourism. Alogoskoufis further clarified that the original figures had been calculated with 1988 as the base year, while in the revised figures the base year was 2000.

Questioned on the black economy, Alogoskoufis said that it accounted for 0.7 percentage points of the 25 percent increase in GNP.

[02] FM analyses trans-Atlantic relations at Georgetown

Speaking at the University's Gaston Hall in an event organised by the BMW Center for German and European Studies and the Greek embassy in Washington, Bakoyannis first referred to the prejudices, disfunctions, lack of understanding as well as lack of knowledge that often divides the peoples and the politicians on the two sides of the Atlantic, citing Henry Kissinger, who had once asked: "If I want to speak to Europe, what number do I call?"

The European Union, despite the difficulties it faces in its integration, nevertheless constitutes a major achievement, since it has succeeded in uniting countries that were once enemies and in averting clashes throughut the world, Bakoyannis said, adding that the EU also assisting in cementing democracy and prosperity in Spain, Portugal and Greece.

The EU created the largest economy in the world with a GDP that exceeded 12 trillion dollars in 2005, and constitutes the biggest commercial power in the world, Bakoyannis said, adding that the EU of 25 (currently) or 27 (after the expected accession of Bulgaria and Romania as of January 1, 2007) countries was trying to face the challenges of its enlargement, in which Greece was a protagonist, and to eliminate the democratic deficit in the function of its institutions. The European Constitution and its rejection (in referenda) in France and the Netherlands was another outstanding issue in the course towards EU integration, so that Europe can one day speak with one voice to the entire world, she said.

The prospect of Turkey's accession to the EU has divided the Europeans, given that its 75 million Muslim population is considered by many a threat to the social and, chiefly, the cultural substance of Europe, Bakoyannis said, adding that she did not know what the outcome would be of the dialogue on the future nature of the EU, but expressed hope that it would achieve a synthesis of the views for a new institutional framework that will allow the Union to be at the same time more democratic and more efficient.

Greece, she said, was at the core of the countries waging the battle for greater incorporation. It was already a participant in the euro-zone, the Schengen Treaty, and the common European Defence and Security Policy, while Greece was also one of the countries that have ratified the proposed Euro-Constitution, the foreign minister continued.

On US-Europe relations, Bakoyannis stressed the common effort against nazism and for freedom and human rights throughout the world, despite their occasional disagreements. Whether within or outside NATO, the US and Europe faced together the challenges of World War II, the Cold War, and every other crisis, securing the stability and economic prosperity of their peoples, she said.

Europe and the us could, together, effectively face the regional challenges, Bakoyannis said, and for this reason Europe must develop its own military potential. This necessity was of vital importance for the regions in which Europe was more easily accepted as an intermediary force, she said, adding that this had become crystal clear during the recent crisis in the Middle East.

The US and Europe could also guarantee, together, safe access to energy sources and manage crises such as the development of nuclear weapons by Iran, Bakoyannis continued.

A Europe that has achieved synthesis of views internally can better determine its relationship with the US and develop it more effectively, Bakoyannis concluded.

ANA-MPA file photo of Bakoyannis.

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