There is very little information coming out in English, and on North American anarchist blogs, with news or direct communication from Greece or about the Greek protests. This is what I have found thus far:

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So far, the blog with the most active coverage is ON THE GREEK RIOTS, news direct from Greece, in English. Today’s posting is as follows:

ATHENS: “These are Alexis’ nights”
Tuesday, December 9, 2008

UPDATE 18.58: POLICE SHOOT TENS OF SHOTS AGAINST THE STUDENTS IN PALAIO FALIRO – CONFIRMED.

A short eye-witness report

Daytime in Athens was relatively calm. High school students attacked, once again, the riot police units outside the parliament on Syntagma Square. Eksarhia, through which we walked during the day, resembled a battlefield in limbo: burnt cars blocking off its main streets; Stournari Ave is completely smashed up, barricades constantly burning across it.

Most groups have retreated in the universities (NTUA and the University of Economics). Assemblies were held there during the day, to plan out the next few days. However – a group of up to 400 people is still in the southern suburb of Palaio Faliro, where Alexis’ funeral was held this morning. They are quite literally rioting their way into the city centre. There, it is assumed that they will try to join either the occupations of the NTUA or the University of Economics.

The breaking news is that the police have shot at least ten times against demonstrators in Palaio Faliro. Meanwhile, at the University of Economics, at least four units of the riot police are encircling the campus and trying to push the demonstrators inside.

A beautiful slogan is echoing across the city: “ο λαός θα πεί την τελευταία λέξη/ αυτές οι νύχτες είναι του αλέξη” – “the people will have the last word/ these are Alexis’ nights”.

*this is the last report for a few hours – need to go back on the streets! will send more info as soon as that is possible*

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Also an excellent source is libcom.org:

See their overall Greece Unrest page, plus:

Video of the shooting of a teenager by police in Athens, 2008

Film footage of the incident in which 15 year old Alexandros Grigoropoulos was shot dead by police in the Exarchia area of Athens.

Athens Polytechnic occupation publishes communique

“On Saturday December 6, 2008, Alexandros Grigoropoulos, a 15-year old comrade, was murdered in cold blood, with a bullet in the chest by a cop in the area of Exarchia.

“Contrary to the statements of politicians and journalists who are accomplices to the murder, this was not an “isolated incident”, but an explosion of the state repression which systematically and in an organised manner targets those who resist, those who revolt, the anarchists and anti-authoritarians.

“It is the peak of state terrorism which is expressed with the upgrading of the role of repressive mechanisms, their continuous armament, the increasing levels of violence they use, with the doctrine of “zero tolerance”, with the slandering media propaganda that criminalises those who are fighting against authority.

“It is these conditions that prepare the ground for the intensification of repression, attempting to extract social consent beforehand, and arming the weapons of state murderers in uniform!

“Lethal violence against the people in the social and class struggle is aiming at everybody’s submission, serving as exemplary punishment, meant to spread fear.

“It is part of the wider attack of the state and the bosses against the entire society, in order to impose more rigid conditions of exploitation and oppression, to consolidate control and repression. From school and universities to the dungeons of waged slavery with the hundreds of dead workers in the so-called “working accidents” and the poverty embracing large numbers of the population… From the minefields in the borders, the pogroms and the murders of immigrants and refugees to the numerous “suicides” in prisons and police stations… from the “accindental shootings” in police blockades to violent repression of local resistances, Democracy is showing its teeth!

“From the first moment after the murder of Alexandros, spontaneous demonstrations and riots burst in the center of Athens, the Polytechnic, the Economic and the Law Schools are being occupied and attacks against state and capitalist targets take place in many different neighborhoods and in the city centre. Demonstrations, attacks and clashes erupt in Thessaloniki, Patras, Volos, Chania and Heraklion in Crete, in Giannena, Komotini and many more cities. In Athens, in Patission street -outside the Polytechnic and the Economic School- clashes last all night. Outside the Polytechnic the riot police make use of plastic bullets.

“On Sunday the 7th December, thousands of people demonstrate towards the police headquarters in Athens, attacking the riot police. Clashes of unprecedented tension spread in the streets of the city centre, lasting until late at night. Many demonstrators are injured and a number of them are arrested.

“We continue the occupation of the Polytechnic School which started on Saturday night, creating a space for all people who fighting to gather, and one more permanent focus of resistance in the city.

“In the barricades, the university occupations, the demonstrations and the assemblies we keep alive the memory of Alexandros, but also the memory of Michalis Kaltezas and of all the comrades who were murdered by the state, strengthening the struggle for a world without masters and slaves, without police, armies, prisons and borders.

“The bullets of the murderers in uniform, the arrests and beatings of demonstrators, the chemical gas war launched by the police forces, not only cannot manage to impose fear and silence, but they become for the people the reason to raise against state terrorism the cries of the struggle for freedom, to abandon fear and to meet -more and more every day- in the streets of revolt. To let the rage overflow and drown them!

State terrorism shall not pass!

We demand the immediate release of all those arrested in the events of 7th-8th December.

We are sending our solidarity to everyone occupying universities, demonstrating and clashing with the state murderers all over the country.

- The Occupation of the Polytechnic University in Athens

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Contra Doxa is a Romanian anarchist blog, in English, that is beginning to talk about the Greek riots.

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For those who can read Greek, see the following:

IndyMedia Greece

]]> http://zeroanthropology.net/2008/12/09/rage/ Tue, 09 Dec 2008 07:13:17 +0000 Maximilian Forte http://zeroanthropology.net/2008/12/09/rage/

Mannequins burn during riots in the northern Greek town of Thessaloniki December 8, 2008. Protesters set fire to a major department store in central Athens and torched the city's giant Christmas tree outside parliament.

“Rage is what I feel for what has happened, rage, and that this cop who did it must see what it is to kill a kid and to destroy a life”

a student in Athens told reporters Monday.

Good things come in threes:

Three government buildings were torched by protesters in downtown Athens on Monday, as well as three offices of the ruling conservative political party of Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis.

Try this for Greek Philosophy:

• Burning a Ford dealership in Athens
• Taunting the police in Athens
• Demonstrating in Berlin with an anarchist flag

Love is also a burning thing…

—

Some media are calling these “riots” by “extremists,” while others insist on speaking of “self-styled anarchists” (as opposed to officially incorporated and state-recognized anarchists?) — I prefer to see these events as a transnational festival of insurgence that targets some of those insititutions that embody and breed violence locally and internationally: the police, the state, and transnational capital. Internationally, a wikipedia page on the current Greek riots has already gone up, while the Greek protest spreads to Berlin and London, and The Telegraph warns investors that they are “wrong to ignore the Greek riots”:

That may sound like a little local difficulty. But the tensions created by unemployment, marginalised youth and incompetent governments are far from exclusively Hellenic….

and this gem of incisive analysis, there is a “social risk” to the inequality and social injustices of capitalism,

…Events in Pakistan and India have brought geopolitical risk back onto investor’s radar screens. They should now also be thinking about social risk.

The events, which were “sparked” by the police shooting to death 15-year-old Alexandros Grigoropoulos in Exarchia, Athens, on Saturday, December 6, then erupted into full scale rioting in Athens, across Greece with at least 11 cities seeing protests and several schools and at least two universities taken over, and has now moved into London and Berlin where Greek diplomatic missions have been the targets of capture by protesters. Anarchists have been at the forefront of this action.

The government of the right wing New Democracy Party, under Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis, is in jeopardy. Like its Conservative counterpart in Canada, it has barely been able to keep a grip on power (the Canadian government has a minority of seats in parliament, while the Greek government has a one seat majority), and has also been pursuing neoliberal policies that have deepened inequality. What seemed to be provoked by what even the Greek interior minister believes was an unjustified shooting of a youth, has mushroomed into a large scale social protest.

According to The Guardian, events planned for today and later this week include:

The Greek Communist party announces a mass rally in central Athens for tonight and the socialist Pasok opposition calls for peaceful mass demonstrations. University professors start a three-day walkout and many school students stay away from class in protest.

Cars and pedestrians return to the streets of Athens as Greeks go back to work, but with a 24-hour general strike scheduled for Wednesday against pension reforms and the government’s economic policies, many Greeks fear the demonstrations could last for days.

See the timeline of events on The Guardian.

More news from The Guardian on this, the third day of protests.

See also “Anarchists’ Fury Fuels Greek Riots,” The Christian Science Monitor, Dec. 8.

See the impressive photo gallery of the protests on the Sky News website.

Videos:

December 8

ITN News: “Protestors have battled with police in Patras, angry after a 15-year-old boy was shot dead on Saturday night”

December 8

ITN News: “More riots planned in Greece…Protests are continuing in Greece after a 15-year-old was fatally shot by police at the weekend.”

December 7

AL JAZEERA

Students riot in Piraeus

Students riot in Piraeus, 2

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Where I am writing from, in Montreal, a similar police shooting of a 17-year-old boy, Freddy Villanueva, in a predominantly immigrant neighbourhood with many Latin American and Caribbean families, also led to violent protests against police, with riots and the torching of police cars and businesses on August 9 (see the photo gallery). That case also continues to be at the centre of controversy, with no plausible or acceptable answers provided by the Montreal police as to why one of its men murdered a young and unarmed boy at close range. Indeed, police brutality is itself the target of annual demonstrations by students and others, and ironically sometimes the police show up to prove the point made by the protesters. Everywhere, as economic crisis deepens and political crises erupt, we will see the true face of the police state that is the modern nation state.

Sphere Related Content

Commenting on the role of the SEECP, Karamanlis greeted the evolution of the organisation into a firm institution such as the Regional Cooperation Council, which would be based in Sarajevo and housed in the Greek-Bosnian Friendship building, constructed with funds from the Greek Plan for the Reconstruction of the Balkans. In addition, the prime minister announced an initiative for establishing a regional development centre in the northern Greek city of Thessaloniki. 

Athens News Agency: PM stresses FYROM dispute at SEECP summit; Greek News Agenda: Greece and Southeast Europe 

Athens News Agency: PM calls for front against profiteering, adulteration and fraud; Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation (ERT): The Greek Economy’s Objectives; Kathimerini daily: Inflation in sights of party leaders 

Fitch Ratings: Greece – “A” Positive Outlook

Fitch Ratings yesterday affirmed Greece’s foreign and local currency “Issuer Default ratings” (IDR) at ‘A’ with Positive Outlook and the “Short-term foreign currency IDR” at ‘F1′. The “Country Ceiling” is affirmed at ‘AAA’, reflecting Greek membership of the European Monetary union.

According to Fitch, the factors underpinning the Positive Outlook remain in place but more progress is needed on the public finances to translate this into an upgrade. The Positive Outlook reflects sustained and strong GDP growth, which is approximately double the euro area average in the last 10 years and is moving income per head towards EU15 levels. The economy is focused on services, especially shipping and tourism, and Greek business has successfully taken advantage of the rapid growth in southern Europe and the Balkans as well as the expansion of world trade. The banking system remains relatively strong. This is significantly better than the majority of its rated peers and in line with most developed countries and despite continuing rapid credit expansion. 

Greek News Agenda: The Greek Economy-Pointers

See also Greek News Agenda: The Greek Economy-Pointers

ECB Keeps Rates at 4%

European Central Bank President Jean Claude Trichet on Thursday said policymakers had decided unanimously yesterday to leave interest rates at 4%, as the bank grapples with high inflation while economic growth is lagging. In his statement during a news conference, Trichet said the ECB’s current policy position would help it achieve price stability, although inflation was likely to remain high for some time due to turbulences in the world markets. Eurozone inflation eased moderately in April to 3.3% from the previous month’s, but remains well above the ECB’s 3% ceiling.

Kathimerini daily: ECB unanimous on keeping rates at 4%; Athens News Agency: ECB president on inflation; European Central Bank: Jean-Claude Trichet, President of the ECB, Lucas Papademos, Vice President, Athens, Greece, May 8 2008; Vice President of the ECB: Lucas Papademos

Anlaşma, Moskova’da Rusya lideri Vladimir Putin’le Yunanistan Başbakanı Kostas Karamanlis tarafından imzalandı. Sibirya doğalgazını Avrupa’ya taşıyacak Güney Akım Boru Hattı, Karadeniz’in altından geçerek projeye daha önce dahil olan Bulgaristan’a ulaşacak.

Projeye şu ana kadar katılan diğer ülkeler ise Sırbistan ve Macaristan… Avusturya veya Slovenya’nın da projeye dahil edilmesiyle hat, İtalya’ya kadar uzatılacak.

15 milyar dolara mal olacağı tahmin edilen 900 kilometrelik boru hattından yılda 30 milyar metreküp doğalgaz taşınması hedefleniyor.

NTV-MSNBC 30 Nisan 2008

Referring to the Burgas-Alexandroupolis oil pipeline project bringing Russian oil to the Greek Aegean port from the Bulgarian Black Sea one,  Folias said that the company has been set up, “it is operating and the project does not need governments any more.”

Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis is expected to visit Moscow by the end of this month after an invitation of President Vladimir Putin. It will be his second visit to Russia over the past four months.

Reuters: Greece Agrees to Join South Stream Pipe Line; Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Energy Affairs, Greek News Agenda: Karamanlis to Visit Moscow & Greek-Russian Bonds; Secretariat General of Information: About Brand Greece, Energy Policy of Greece ; The Bridge Magazine: South Stream gas pipeline checkmate?

Three opinion polls published in Sunday papers clearly show an overwhelming majority of Greeks ranging from 90% to 95% approving the government’s handling of the issue at the NATO Summit. At the same time a very high proportion of citizens, around 77%, believe that Greece must work to boost ties with FYROM.

An off-the-agenda debate on the issue is going to be held in the Greek Parliament on Thursday, April 10 between party leaders.

Athens News Agency: PM Karamanlis to brief President on NATO summit; Kathimerini daily: PM gets veto boost

Melina Merkouri singing Manos Hadjidakis’ song “Ta pedia tou Pirea” with English subtitles , Dassin’s Obituary in Washington Post by Adam Bernstein; Secretariat General of Information: About Greece, Greek Cinema  

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA) 

Greek Parliament: 4th Plenary Session of the Mediterranean Assembly  & Parliamentary Diplomacy; Secretariat General of Information: About Greece, Greece and the Mediterranean; Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Greek Mediterranean Policy & European Policy, Euro Mediterranean Dialogue

European leaders agreed to launch the second three-year cycle of the Lisbon Strategy on Growth and Jobs, reached agreement on a set of measures on climate and energy, as well as on measures to ensure greater stability of financial markets. The 27 leaders also approved the  Mediterranean Union plan promoted by France with a view to upgrading the existing Barcelona Process.

Karamanlis, speaking during a press conference in Brussels, stressed that Greece’s economy has already reaped significant benefits from the reforms adopted under the Lisbon Strategy, preserving high growth rates while reducing public deficit and unemployment. On combating climate change, Karamanlis stressed the need to promote renewable energy sources and cut down carbon emissions and said that achieving an international agreement on protecting the climate was of primary importance.

The premier emphasised that Greece has from early on aimed to enrich Sarkozy’s proposal for a Union for the Mediterranean with its own ideas, in order to contribute to its formulation, adding that this prospect would reinforce the already existing structures of Euro Mediterranean cooperation.

EUROPA: Brussels European Council -13/14 March 2008- Presidency Conclusions; Slovenian EU Presidency: www.eu2008.si

Greece and the Mediterranean Union idea: Athens News agency, Greek PM hails presentation of Med Union proposal at EU Summit; Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Greek Mediterranean Policy; The Bridge magazine, Sarkozy’s Mediterranean, A dream or an implementable agenda?

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)    A new reiterated in Brussels round of UN-sponsored talks between Greece and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) on the latter’s “name issue” begins in Vienna today. Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis has has Greece’s position regarding the issue saying that a composite name for the land-locked republic containing a geographic marker could put an end to a nagging problem that has had a negative impact on regional stability and cooperation.

A brief review of the long history of the Macedonian area, compiled by Kathimerini daily with the help of historian Evangelos Kofos, a former ambassador with expertise on Balkan affairs, shows how the “Macedonian issue” arose. More detailed analysis is available at the www.macedonian-heritage.gr website.

Kathimerini daily: Nine answers to the “Macedonian”question (17.3.2007); FYROM and the name dispute (26.9.2007)

Macedonian Heritage: Greece’s Macedonian Adventure: The Controversy over FYROM’s Independence and Recognition; Athens-Skopje An Uneasy Symbiosis (1995-2002); Greek Opinion on Balkan Developments; Frequently Asked Questions

Kathimerini daily: FYROM anxious but still uncompromising; UN mediator seeks a just solution; FYROM is ready for next round

Greek Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis and leaders of Greek political parties called Christofias to congratulate him for his election as President of the Cyprus Republic.

Cyprus’ Presidential Elections 2008: Official Results; Republic of Cyprus, Press and Information Office: Demetris Christofias, the new President of the Republic

Athens News Agency: Greek leaders congratulate new Cyprus President; Kathimerini daily: Christofias win sparks hope for reuninification

Tens of thousands of mourners lined the streets of Athens through which the funeral cortege arrived on foot at the cemetery where Christodoulos was buried. Over four days of national mourning, large crowds stood in line for hours in order to pay their respects to Christodoulos, as he lay in state in the Cathedral.

The Holy Synod of the Church of Greece will convene on February 7 to elect a new Archbishop of Athens and All Greece.

On Cyprus, Karamanlis said: “The time has come to break down Nicosia’s last dividing wall in Europe. Greece and Turkey should work together with the people of Cyprus to restore its independence, sovereignty and unity.” He further emphasised Greece’s preparedness to help. “We are ready to contribute to this effort so that all citizens of Cyprus are able to enjoy the benefits of European integration,” he said, adding that ”the way ahead will be long and difficult but the cost of not moving ahead will be immense.”

In a sign of good will, Karamanlis laid a wreath at the tomb of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, Turkey’s national founder. Referring to the historical meeting between Ataturk and the Greek premier Eleftherios Venizelos who reached a peace pact in 1930, after the bitter fighting between the two countries in Asia Minor in the early 20s and the exchange of populations in 1923, Karamanlis wrote in the visitor’s book at the mausoleum the following: “Ataturk and Venizelos had the political courage … not to let conflicts of the past to become an obstacle to building a better future.”

Karamanlis met yesterday with President Abdulah Gul, as well as the main opposition leader Denis Baykal and then flew to Istanbul where later in the day he met the Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomaios (www.ec-patr.org) and discussed the problems of the Greek minority in Turkey. The Greek premier said that in the struggle to protect the rights of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the active and lasting support of the Greek state must be taken for granted. Concluding his visit today, the premier is going to address a business forum together with Erdogan.

See also: Secretariat General of Information, World Media on Greece – Latest Reports; The Wall Street Journal, The Unorthodox Patriarch

 PM Karamanlis holds talks with Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos

 ISTANBUL (ANA-MPA/A. Panagopoulos) Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis, currently on an official three-day visit to Turkey, held talks with Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos on Thursday, stressing that the reopening of the Halki School of Theology is a top priority.“In the struggle to defend the just causes of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the values that it stands for, in the struggle that is taking place with the weapons of logic and persuasion as well as of common interest I assure you that we shall not waver and we shall not back down. You can consider as a foregone conclusion the active and continuous support of the Greek state in this effort. In this spirit, the reopening of the Halki School of Theology is a top priority for us. We shall work with determination and consistency, together with all those who share our values in Greece, Turkey, and all over the world, to enable you to continue unimpeded the work that you are carrying out, and which is liked by God, for the fulfillment of the major mission of the Patriarchate,” the prime minister said, addressing the Ecumenical Patriarch.Karamanlis said he was deeply moved to be visiting the Fanar, the seat of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, an institution that, as he said, has constituted the religious craddle of the nation for 17 centuries.The prime minister praised the role played by the Ecumenical Patriarch, stressing that the Ecumenical Patriarchate, with the inspired guidance of Vartholomeos has assumed a substantive role in the face of international challenges.“You have been the first international leader to embrace the message of saving the environment and you have proclaimed its importance. Your initiatives have met with international acceptance and they highlight the modern-day role of the Patriarchal throne in absolute agreement with your theological mission. There is no doubt that through such initiatives the universality of the institution is underlined in the strongest of ways and its international presence is boosted,” the prime minister said.He also referred to the defending of human rights and institutions through the initiatives assumed by Vartholomeos, noting that the Ecumenical Patriarch’s views have a universal appeal.Karamanlis further pointed out that Vartholomeos is the voice of eastern Christianity, being the first among equals on the firmament of Orthodox Churches, in the effort to defend these values, adding that the western Church has also been mobilised in this effort.Lastly, the prime minister said that Vartholomeos remains in a longstanding sense the firm European voice in Turkey, despite whatever adversities and disappointments.Welcoming Karamanlis, the Ecumenical Patriarch expressed his satisfaction for his visit to the Ecumenical Patriarchate’s seat, terming his visit to Turkey and to Istanbul as being of historic significance, since hopes are being created for the promotion of relations of friendship and cooperation between the neighbouring countries.He also expressed satisfaction because the prime ministers of Greece and Turkey are stuggling with all their strength for greater rapprochement between the two peoples and for their closer cooperation on the basis of all elements that unite them.“We congratulate you wholeheartedly for this effort of yours since the Ecumenical Patriarchate always aims at the building of harmonious and peaceful relations between those living in the same geopolitical area, the peoples of Turkey and of Greece and believes that both can always live peacefully and fraternally under the same sky which we hope will never be overshadowed by clouds of conflicts,” he said.The Patriarch further said that the Patriarchate is working for unity and peaceful cooperation among all Christians and people regardless of gender, race and religion.“Therefore, strengthening the role and the work of the Patriarchate is in the interests of all, which is a source of blessing for Turkey, as well as for the whole world,” Vartholomeos said.The prime minister and his wife Natasha were to attend a private dinner later on in the evening with his Turkish counterpart and his wife Emine. Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis, Minister of State Theodoros Roussopoulos and the rest of the official Greek delegation were to attend a dinner hosted by Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan.On Friday morning, the prime minister will be addressing a business forum in Istanbul, together with his Turkish counterpart, and he will be concluding his visit with a meeting with expatriates at the High School. 

Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis arrived in Turkey on Wednesday for the first official visit by a Greek Prime Minister in nearly half a century. The last Greek PM to visit Turkey was his uncle, Konstantinos Karamanlis, in May 1959.Karamanlis met with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. During a joint news conference, the Greek Prime Minister spoke of his determination to work towards resolving long-standing disputes and improve bilateral relations. “It is time to turn a new page,” he said, calling for the full normalization of Greek-Turkish relations. “This is the only road towards essential progress that will allow us to exploit future opportunities within a European framework,” he stressed.  Greece’s PM urged Turkey to respect its commitments as candidate member of the European Union and normalize relations with Cyprus. He reaffirmed Greece’s support for Turkey’s EU accession “provided Turkey continues on the reform path and meets EU criteria. Europe must accept it as a full member of the European family.” “Full compliance, full membership,” he emphasized. 

As far as the core difference between the two countries is concerned, the delineation of the continental shelf in the Aegean Sea, Karamanlis reiterated Greece’s position that the dispute should be settled through the International Court of Justice in The Hague. 

On Cyprus, Karamanlis said once more that time has come to reunify the island, which was divided due to the invasion of the Turkish army in 1974. “Now, a last opportunity lies ahead to tear down the last wall in Europe,” he said. “We have to make an effort on that.”

Karamanlis also urged  Erdoğan to improve rights for Greek minority living in Turkey, primarily by reopening the Theological School of Chalki, based on an island near Istanbul. “Protection of minority rights is among the most important criteria for joining the EU,” he stressed. The School, which trained generations of Orthodox leaders, including current Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, was closed to new students in 1971 by Turkish authorities and its doors in 1985. Turkey has come under intense pressure from the United States and the European Union to reopen the School. 

The Ecumenical Patriarchate in Istanbul (www.ec-patr.org) dates from the 1,100-year-old Greek Orthodox Byzantine Empire. Turkey does not recognize Bartholomew’s international role as spiritual leader of hundreds of millions of Christian Orthodox worldwide and rejects his use of the title Ecumenical (Universal). 

Relations between the two countries have improved dramatically over the past decade through a series of confidence-building measures, not least a recent agreement to expand military ties with high-level visits, joint missions in NATO and overseas peacekeeping duties. A hotline between air forces and armies has been set up.

Ties have also improved in trade, energy and tourism. Bilateral trade’s volume reached $2.8 billion in 2007, up from $223 million in 1990. Last November, Karamanlis and Erdoğan inaugurated a pipeline project to transport natural gas between the two countries and eventually link Caspian Sea gas supplies through Greece to EU countries. “Our systematic efforts have had the first tangible results and great opportunities appear in the future,” Karamanlis said. 

Today, Karamanlis visited the mausoleum of the founder of the Turkish Republic, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, and met President Abdullah Gül, as well as the main opposition leader Deniz Baykal. He  then gave a lecture at Ankara’s Bilkent University, before flying to Istanbul to meet with the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I. Later on today, both leaders and their wives will seat at a private dinner at the invitation of Erdoğan. Tomorrow, Karamanlis will conclude his landmark visit to Turkey by addressing a business forum together with Erdoğan.

However, Karamanlis noted that Turkey had a long way to go before reaching this target, and expressed hope that it would succeed in meeting EU criteria. “It must, also, settle its relations with Cyprus and recognise it,” Karamanlis underlined. Asked to state his message to the Turkish people during his visit, the Greek premier said his message was crystal clear: Greece desires to fully restore relations with Turkey: “The two countries must make efforts to resolve their differences peacefully and on the basis of international law,” he said, expressing a hope that Ankara would reach out to the “hand of friendship extended by Greece.”

Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Foreign Policy – Turkey