Athens, 23 June 2009

Ms. D. Bakoyannis: Relations between Greece and the United Arab Emirates are excellent and regular contacts between the two sides on all levels confirm the mutual wish to further deepen them.

One of the main issues that we discussed today was the particularly competitive bid of the United Arab Emirates to host the headquarters of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) in Masdar City.

My counterpart stressed the comparative advantages of the UAE bid and I myself was given an opportunity to present the candidacy of a Greek professor, Mr. Arthouros Zervos, for the position of Interim Director General of IRENA.

I had a very interesting discussion with my counterpart on the prospects for our economic and trade relations. The United Arab Emirates are a very attractive market for Greek companies that rely on the quality of their products, ranging from oil to tourism and shipping.

Our discussion also focused on major political issues that are of concern to our region, such as the Palestinian issue. I was also given an opportunity to brief the Foreign Minister on issues that are of particular concern to our country, relations with Turkey, negotiations on the Cyprus issue, and the lack of progress on the Skopje name issue.

In closing, I would like to say a few words on energy and climate change. Greece continuously improves its comparative position on the energy map, by improving its infrastructure and strengthening its bilateral cooperation with significant players from the field of energy.

At the same time, Greece having experienced the dramatic impact of climate change is investing in new technologies and renewable energy sources, by increasing their part in its energy balance.

We consider the decision of the United Arab Emirates to invest in the field of renewable sources, a visual move that sets an example for everyone else and proves that the West does not hold the exclusivity on environmental issues.

I would like to thank Sheik Ben Zaid Al-Nayaham for our useful and pleasant first meeting, and I wish him a pleasant and productive stay in Athens.

Mr. Abdullah Ben Zaid Al-Nayaham: Your Excellency, dear colleague, I am extremely honoured to be received in Athens and have a very fruitful encounter this morning.

I just want to concur on everything you have mentioned, so I don’t go through them again, and we give more of a time for the journalists, although they are on strike today, to ask some questions, but I would also say that our relationship, Your Excellency, has improved. It’s been 20 years since you have opened a mission in Abu Dhabi, but at last we have kept our promise and opened a mission in Athens recently, and we would try to catch up, as I promised Your Excellency.

In the time which has been passed, we agreed on some steps that should be taken, and in doing so we believe that Greece is a great place for the UAE to invest in different sectors. Tourism and energy and renewables, Your Excellency, you mentioned. And we will be very much delighted in finalizing two very important agreements on avoidance of double taxation and protection of investment, so we can have our investment arms to look more positively in investing in Greece.

I also would like to thank you, Your Excellency, in looking your interest in our bid to host the headquarters of IRENA, and I also shared with you that your candidate for the DG is someone with great experience, and we would certainly both in the next few days look very closely to cooperate on this issue.

Of course we had the opportunity as well to talk about regional matters of importance for both of our countries.                 

Ms. D. Bakoyannis: Thank you. Are there any questions?

Mr. Abdullah Ben Zaid Al-Nayaham: Your Excellency, I hope next time I come there won't be a strike for journalists, and we’ll have more questions.

Ms. D. Bakoyannis: Thank you.