Why Greece isn't sweating the U.S. anymore.

[zefs]

Listen bro, I am not here to be a spiritual advisor. However ,while I am the least religious of most Greeks ,this connection does resinate with many. Nothing wrong with using it. Didn't Constatine use it to his benefit. Our unofficial motto in Greece is God, Family, Country.

[pankration]

I trust the Russians less than I trust Skopje. The US foreign policy is a joke and there is no question that they have done little to help Greece in the last 30 years. But to dismiss the history they have had with Greece is shortsighted. Russia on the other hand has stirred up the shit in the Balkans for hundreds of years. They basically sponsored the Civil war in the north and they would turn on us in a second. As for our common religion...so what? The Russian Orthodox Church is basically powerless in a country that is mostly atheistic. At least the American people have the sense to know that Greece is a better ally than the others in the Balkans. They just need to convince their government.

[Victor]

The RUssian interferenc ein the civil war was more communist than RUssian(and led by a GEorgian) and STalin actually gave control of Greece to the west at Yalta,but the Balkan communist states supported the Greek communists and ignored STalin for most of the war.
Neither the Russians or the AMericans are going away so Greece should do business with both where it suits her interests.

[Truth Bearer]

And how do you people think that we beat the communists??Stalin sold them out........Totally controlled Zahariadis to the point that the poor malaka Zachs changed his battle plan and got wiped out within 6 months.Vafiadis knew this and was expelled lucky to survive with his life.....

[zefs]

INTERVIEW-Greece agrees to join South Stream pipeline-Minister
Tue Apr 15, 2008 9:08am BST
More Business & Investing News... By Karolos Grohmann

ATHENS, April 15 (Reuters) - Greece has agreed to join the Kremlin-backed South Stream gas pipeline project, further boosting energy ties with Russia, Greece's Development Minister Christos Folias said on Tuesday.

The pipeline, which will be jointly built by Gazprom (GAZP.MM: Quote, Profile, Research) and Italy's ENI (ENI.MI: Quote, Profile, Research), will eventually take 30 billion cubic metres (bcm) of Russian gas a year to southern Europe, with Greece becoming a transit state on the southern arm of the pipeline pumping gas to Italy.

Analysts have said the project, which aims to link Gazprom's Siberian gas fields with Europe and is seen as a competitor to the EU, U.S.-backed Nabucco pipeline, will cost around 10 billion euros ($15.82 billion).

"We have agreed to be part of the South Stream project," Folias told Reuters in an interview. "We are now discussing technical details to formulate a document that we can then sign. The political will is there from both sides (Russia and Greece). That is a given."

Folias said he did not view the long-stalled Nabucco pipeline, designed to eventually pump 25-30 bcm a year from Turkey to Austria, as a competitor to the South Stream project, which will run from Russia via a 900-km underwater pipeline across the Black Sea to Europe.

"I don't want to see them as athletes competing against each other," he said. "I would say they are complementing each other and are offering Europe multiple energy providers, which is good."


Fellow Balkan nations Serbia and Bulgaria, as well as Hungary, recently joined the South Stream project.

But Washington, fearful of Russia's tightening grip on the European energy market, has urged countries, including Greece, to diversify their energy providers to avoid depending too much on Russia.

Folias, who has also had talks on gas provision with several other countries, including Azerbaijan and Algeria, said he did not think Greece was increasing its energy dependence on Moscow by joining South Stream.

"Russia is a very big energy player and the positive ties we currently enjoy can only be a good thing," he said.

Folias said a 950-million euro Russian-Bulgarian-Greek oil pipeline, agreed on last year after 14 years of negotiations, would also soon enter its construction phase.

"By the end of the year the studies, the planned route and the tender for its construction will be completed," Folias said of the Burgas-Alexandroupolis pipeline.

This 280-km (174 miles) project aims to bypass the traffic-clogged Turkish Straits, pumping oil into the Aegean port of Alexandroupolis from the Bulgarian Black sea port of Burgas.

"This project is now on its way," Folias said. "The company has been set up, it is operating and this project does not need governments any more." (Editing by James Jukwey)
http://www.phantis.com/

[pankration]

When the USA supports Greek oil claims in the northern Aegean and tells Turkey to back off their illegal claims then maybe the Greeks can look to American interests in the region. Until then, Greece should go into this pipeline with eyes wide open but go in nonetheless.

[johnalexis]

Originally Posted by akatanomastos

Paradox...Greeks expect Slavs (Russians) to "help" them against Slavs (Skopians) and Americans (our true allies) to support Slavs against us...what a fckg sittuation!

When exactly were the Americans our true allies?

Perhaps when Thomas Jefferson was in power. This man was highly intelligent and a Greek scholar. But BUSH???

An unintelligent crook whose brain cells have been burned by drugs?

Or how about Kissinger? What about Cyprus? And don't forget about the dictatorship Greece suffered through..... although the Karamanlis, Mitsotakis and Papandreaou dynasties have killed us.

[zefs]

Energy on Russian agenda

PM’s Moscow trip to focus on South Stream project as countries boost ties
Growing energy ties binding Greece and Russia are expected to top the agenda of talks between Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis and Russian President Vladimir Putin next week when the Greek leader visits Moscow.

Tuesday’s visit will also be among Putin’s last meetings as president as he prepares to hand over his position to Dmitry Medvedev on May 7.

“The two countries support with their policies peace and stability in the Balkans and in the broader Southeast European area,” Karamanlis said in an interview with Russian news agency Itar-Tass yesterday. “We have mutual interests in the area of growth and prosperity and similar views on many international issues,” added Karamanlis, who also described Putin as being a friend of Greece and a great European leader.

Ties between Greece and Russia have become stronger recently as the two nations share political views on a number of issues, such as Kosovo.

Joint steps in Europe’s energy map, involving natural gas and petrol projects, have also resulted in frequent visits being made by Karamanlis and Putin to each other’s country. The latest venture is the South Stream pipeline, which will take 30 billion cubic meters of Russian gas a year to Southern Europe, with Greece becoming a transit state on the southern arm of the pipeline.

Development Ministry officials have been busy working on the final details of the South Stream agreement with their Russian peers so that the two leaders can sign the deal on Tuesday.

The project is seen as a competitor to the EU, US-backed Nabucco pipeline.

According to sources, Russia businesses are also eyeing stakes in Greek energy companies. A 950-million-euro Russian-Bulgarian-Greek oil pipeline, agreed upon last year after 14 years of negotiations, is also moving ahead and expected to enter its construction phase soon.

Karamanlis is also scheduled to meet with Medvedev during his one-day visit.

kathimerini.com

[zefs]

Greece, Russia sign deal on South Stream natural gas pipeline
The Associated PressPublished: April 29, 2008



MOSCOW: Greece and Russia on Tuesday signed a deal on Greece's participation in a gas pipeline project that will help strengthen Russia's grip on energy exports to Europe.

The agreement for the 900-kilometer (550-mile), €10 billion (US$15 billion) South Stream pipeline was signed at a Kremlin ceremony attended by Greek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis and Russia President Vladimir Putin.

At a news conference after the ceremony, Putin again focused on Russia's growing position as Europe's dominant supplier of gas and oil, and pooh-poohed efforts to find alternatives — both sources and conduits.

"Realizing the South Stream project doesn't mean that we are fighting some other alternative project," Putin told reporters. "Please, if someone can find some other similar project under economically acceptable terms that can guarantee products of a sufficient volume for these gas systems, we will only be glad."

The European Union, with the United States, has pushed another pipeline called Nabucco, but that project lags far behind South Stream, which will run under the Black Sea from Russia to Bulgaria, where it could branch off in several directions.

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Putin said the project could double gas consumption for Greece.

"We guarantee this volume for Greece itself and upon realizing this project Greece will become an important link in the energy politics for all Europe. Without a doubt, it will help guarantee Europe's energy security," he said.

"If Greece needed some sort of common goods — watches, underwear or ties — then it could buy them just about anywhere, say, for instance, China, Sweden or even Italy. But you can count on one hand the countries that are in a position to be the primary supplier of energy at the required volumes and at competitive prices for Europe," Putin said.

Greece also is working with Russia on an oil pipeline designed to bypass Turkey's crowded Bosporus — a project whose technical details Putin said would be worked out soon.

Karamanlis also was expected to discuss possibly buying Russian aircraft or weaponry during his visit to Moscow.

The Greek premier was to meet with Putin's successor, Dmitry Medvedev, later Tuesday.
phantis.com

[Megale]

Originally Posted by pankration

I trust the Russians less than I trust Skopje. The US foreign policy is a joke and there is no question that they have done little to help Greece in the last 30 years. But to dismiss the history they have had with Greece is shortsighted. Russia on the other hand has stirred up the shit in the Balkans for hundreds of years. They basically sponsored the Civil war in the north and they would turn on us in a second. As for our common religion...so what? The Russian Orthodox Church is basically powerless in a country that is mostly atheistic. At least the American people have the sense to know that Greece is a better ally than the others in the Balkans. They just need to convince their government.

Stalin gave little support and abandoned the Greek communists. I disagree with the Skopians being less trustfull than the Russians. After all its the Skopjians who are attcking Greek interests rather then the Russians. And Tito got involved in Balkan affairs rather than Russia since WW2.