Karamanlis replies!

[Foti66]

ANA-MPA Copyright © 2008 All rights reserved.

PASOK leader address party's national council

Main opposition Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK) leader George Papandreou said on Friday that there was no need for Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis answering to a letter by Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) prime minister Nikola Gruevski "because it was clear that the Skopjan premier's aim was to create problems."

Opening the sessions of a national council meeting of his party in Thessaloniki, Macedonia, he said there was "only one issue" separating Greece and FYROM, that of the "name issue" of the landlocked republic, "whose resolution will be to the benefit of all, especially of our northern neighbours."

"Only through a resolution can the doors of NATO and the European Union can open for the neighbouring country," Papandreou underlined.

Regarding the Greek stance on the issue, the main opposition leader reiterated that "the red line proposed by PASOK should be maintained, that is one name for all uses and rejection of every idea for a double name" for FYROM.

Papandreou also charged the government was "responsible for Greece's absence from the international scene," adding that it did not eleborate a strategy "after a painless veto" regarding FYROM's NATO entry, which Athens tabled during the Alliance's Bucharest summit last April.

Turning to internal policy affairs, the PASOK leader said that "at present a responsible and courageous government is needed, which will unite Greeks, as the country is experiencing a great economic, political and moral crisis."

Papandreou criticised at length the government on the entire spectrum of its policies, while referring also to internal PASOK issues such as transparency in its finances.

Reiterating his party's proposals on the economy and proposing a development plan for norhtern Greece, Papandreou said that socialists should send "a message that we can all, together with the citizens, take Greece out of mud and crisis, leading it to a road where the black money will not guide politics and where financial agents will not rule."

[Foti66]

I did have enormous respect for Papandreou until I read this. What a silly man, trying to capitalize on this sensitive issue.

[Foti66]

ANA-MPA Copyright © 2008 All rights reserved.

FM to brief EU, UN on FYROM

Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis is expected to send letters to a handful of international leaders regarding the latest eyebrow-raising diplomatic developments in the still festering FYROM "name issue", on the heels of a written response this week by Greek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis.

[Drama]

Originally Posted by Mygdonia

This is incorrect by Athens.

Gruevskis letter broke the Interim Accord YET AGAIN.

All diplomatic relations should have stopped there and then, the borders permanently closed.

I do not understand the reasoning behind the continuing efforts to deal with these people??

You may as well discuss issues with a brick wall, at least a brick wall will make more sense than these fanatics.

Are you serious??
WE WANT THEM to change the name!
Closing the borders, stopping all talks about finding a new name would be the end of our name!

We are running out of time.. This issue had to be resolved 17 years ago... what happended? Nothing!!! But more and more countries recognized that country with "Republic of Macedonia"...

Nobody cares about our problems!! And the balkans changed... FYROM isn't relied to Greece for a better economy anymore.. Bulgaria became also EU member and enjoys a grood growth...

[Vasot]

Originally Posted by Drama

FYROM isn't relied to Greece for a better economy anymore..

WRONG

Actually it does...
1/3 of the industry inside Fyrom is GREEK INDUSTRY

[Red Spartan]

Originally Posted by Foti66

I did have enormous respect for Papandreou until I read this. What a silly man, trying to capitalize on this sensitive issue.

This is common in Greek politics. Whatever the opposing party does...Disagree with it, and try to discredit it.

[Tsontos]

Papandreou is an appeaser (he even looks like Chamberlain) and a muppet. But he is right in this instance. Karamanlis shouldnt have replied IMO.