Athens, 21 December 2006

Mr. G. Koumoutsakos: Good morning.

Regarding the programme of  the leadership of the Foreign Ministry, Foreign Minister Ms. Dora Bakoyannis is scheduled to be in Bulgaria on 1 January for the accession celebrations, and Bulgaria and Romania will become formal members of the EU. There is nothing else for the next two weeks.

With regard to the activities of the UN Security Council, the relevant information handout will be distributed to you. I just want to note the UN mission to Cyprus, to the UNFICYP.

Your questions.

Mr. Gilson: The first is what the Foreign Ministry’s comment is on UK Prime Minister Tony Blair’s statements in Ankara, calling for direct flights to occupied Cyprus. And the second is whether you have any comment regarding the incident at Brussels airport yesterday with the Prefect of Piraeus, Mr. Mihas, and whether representations have been made to the Belgian government, and whether explanations have been forthcoming.

Mr. G. Koumoutsakos: Regarding your first question, though it’s a little out of date, there is a statement from the Foreign Minister. Progress on the solution of the Cyprus problem is made within the framework of the United Nations, based on the relevant Security Council resolutions. These resolutions are valid and formulate international legality. The UK has had a hand in the formulation of the resolutions and has adopted them, as a permanent member of the Security Council.

Mr. Gilson: So you reject direct flights.

Mr. G. Koumoutsakos: I think I was clear.

Regarding yesterday’s incident at the airport in Brussels, what I can say is that as soon as we were informed, our diplomatic authorities in Brussels went into action. The Foreign Minister spoke with Ms. Gennimata. There was a meeting at the Foreign Ministry in Brussels at an official level, and there was a detailed discussion and briefing on all the details of this unfortunate incident. With the clear picture we now have, we will make the appropriate representations.

Mr. Dimitriadis: First of all, a technical question. Will the Foreign Minister be going only to Bulgaria?

Mr. G. Koumoutsakos: Only to Bulgaria, as far as I know.

Mr. Dimitriadis: And can you tell us where the Burgas-Alexandroupoli negotiations stand following Mr. Platis’ visit to Moscow?

Mr. G. Koumoutsakos: I don’t have anything detailed regarding the course of the Burgas-Alexandroupoli negotiations. I know that there was a Development Ministry announcement yesterday. The Development Ministry is the competent Ministry, and I won’t add anything on that. We are moving toward the signing of the agreement at some point early in the year.

Ms. Kolliopoulou: I wanted to ask about the Greek position on the Holocaust conference in Teheran. 

Mr. G. Koumoutsakos: I think that the EU – and Greece as a member of the Union – has expressed particular concern regarding this conference that took place in Teheran for the purpose of creating scepticism with regard to the issue of the Holocaust.

I want to remind you here that Greece – in a law passed by the Hellenic Parliament – has designated 27 January as Holocaust remembrance day. We have also co-sponsored the relevant Security Council resolutions on this issue.

Mr. Meletis: Has the Ministry received a letter from the so-called advisory committee on the issue of the election of a pseudo-mufti?

Mr. G. Koumoutsakos: No, I am not aware of anything specific. What I want to stress regarding this issue is that there are religious leaders of the minority. They are the elected, legally recognized muftis, who carry out their religious and other duties – judicial duties – in full.

Mr. Gilson: Elected or appointed?

Mr. G. Koumoutsakos: I was referring to the legal ones; the ones legally recognised.

Mr. Meletis: Is there a mufti issue, in your opinion, within the framework of bilateral relations with Turkey?

Mr. G. Koumoutsakos: How Greece handles and acts on the issue of the rights of the Muslim minority is well known and clear. I don’t think that it is an issue in our country’s relations with Turkey.

Mr. Meletis: I assume that within this framework we should answer the question of whether a tour by Mr. Gul of the area would be considered welcome, given that this “election” will take place in the interim.

Mr. G. Koumoutsakos: The fact that the Greek state is neither concerned nor worried with regard to foreign visitors visiting any regions whatsoever of the country is further confirmation that we do not consider the issue of the Muslim minority, its present and its future, an issue in bilateral relations with any state.

Ms. Kourbela: Have you been in contact with the German Presidency, Mr. Koumoutsakos?

Mr. G. Koumoutsakos: That is a given. Germany will have Greece’s support for the basic priorities of the German Presidency. I am referring in particular to the issue of the need for there to be substantial progress on institutional issues, the future and institutional strengthening of the European Union. I am referring specifically to the European Constitution.

Ms. Kourbela: Should we expect some initiative on the Cyprus . . .?

Mr. G. Koumoutsakos: What I know is that there is currently a specific procedure in progress that has been agreed upon by both communities. We hope that this process will move ahead and produce results in order to prepare the ground in the best possible manner for the potential opening of a full process of consultations regarding the settlement of the question.

Mr. Kapoutsis: Within the framework of the UN or the EU?

Mr. G. Koumoutsakos: I said earlier that the Cyprus issue is an issue being addressed and evolving within the framework of the UN.

Mr. Dimitriadis: Yesterday there was a move to open seven chapters in the negotiations with Turkey, and in the end it is starting with one. What blocs were formed? Can you give us that information?

Mr. G. Koumoutsakos: There was in fact a thought that four chapters could open in an initial phase and three more chapters could follow. At yesterday’s session of the Permanent Representatives, in the stances that were taken – and I think that in these stances an important role was played by the moves of the Greek Representation, of the Greek Permanent Representative Ambassador Mr. Kaskarelis – there were arguments advocating that the handling of matters by the European Union from here on in – that is, the days immediately following the recent results of the General Affairs Council – must be such as not to create direct or indirect impressions to the effect that the clear message sent on 11 December, the politically and institutionally clear message sent on 11 December, might be relaxed or altered.

Mr. Gilson: A comment on the recent report from the Council of Europe accusing Greece of instances of torture and abuse in Greek prisons.

Mr. G. Koumoutsakos: I am not aware of the particulars. This is outside my competency. So I can’t make a comment.

Thank you, and happy holidays to everyone.