Cyprus-Forum.com

[Lit]

PM meets Netanyahu, promises peace initiatives

http://www.ana-mpa.gr/anaweb/user/showp ... &service=6

TEL AVIV (ANA-MPA) Prime Minister George Papandreou held a joint press conference here on Thursday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, after a meeting between the two prime ministers in Tel Aviv. Papandreou is carrying out the first visit to Israel by a Greek prime minister since the country was formally recognised by Greece in 1993.

The Israeli premier joked about this to reporters, in fact, saying that they were still trying to decide whether this was the first official visit or not.

Papandreou, on his part, thanked Netanyahu for his willingness to support the actions of the Greek government to emerge from the economic crisis and referred to the strong bonds and close relations that have developed between the two countries over the course of time.

The Greek premier also referred to a further development of cooperation in tourism, agriculture, trade and technology.

Concerning the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip, Papandreou praised the Israeli government's decision to relax the blockade but stressed that a series of measures would now be necessary for a final solution to the problems.

He also expressed hope and conviction that indirect talks on the Palestinian problem would lead to direct talks in the near future.

The Greek premier indirectly replied to articles in the Israeli and foreign press concerning the timing of his visit, saying that the strengthening of relations was a standing policy for Athens and underlining his intention for more initiatives to promote the peace process.

"We are neighbours, we live in the same region, we desire peace and we do not take advantage of conflicts in the area. We are taking and I will take further initiatives, including with Turkey, for a peaceful dialogue in order to proceed with building a peaceful neighbourhood for the benefit of all," he stressed.

The Greek prime minister invited his Israeli counterpart to visit Greece, an invitation that Netanyahu accepted, promising to carry out the visit in the near future.

On his part the Israeli premier stressed the many things that Greece and Israel shared in common, which he said arose from a shared set of values and principles.

He said that their talks had focused primarily on the peace process negotiations, establishing peace in the region and peace with neighbours, adding that this "could not be different".

"We exchanged views on how this could be achieved. We had a constructive dialogue that came to supplement all that we had first discussed during our chance meeting some time ago in a restaurant in Moscow," Netanyahu said.

He said the two sides had also explored ways of extending existing economic ties in the fields of technology, know-how, trade and agriculture.

The Israeli premier went on to express concern at the Iranian government's desire to develop a nuclear programme and praised the stance adopted by U.S. President Barack Obama on this issue. He also asked Papandreou, who was due to meet Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in a few hours, to convey the Israeli side's sincere desire to both negotiate and come to an agreement.

"Both sides know how to and desire to reach a compromise," he stressed.

The Greek premier, accompanied by Alternate Foreign Minister Dimitris Droutsas and government spokesman George Petalotis, on Thursday met Netanyahu, Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman and Israel's main opposition party leader Tzipi Livny.

After meeting Israeli officials, Papandreou was to meet the family of abducted Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit and then depart for Ramallah for talks with the Palestinian Authority leadership.

[Gasman]

final solution

Slightly unfortunate choice of words there.

[thegame24]

lol

[Lit]

Greek leader George Papendreou seeks title to honest Mid-East broker

JERUSALEM – In an official visit to Israel and the West Bank last week Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou presented the leaders with his government’s newly-balanced positions in a move to step into the peace process where Turkey has apparently disqualified itself as an honest broker.

http://www.vancouverite.com/2010/07/25/ ... st-broker/

[Lit]

Israeli FM pushes for more comprehensive Gaza disengagement

Israel would rescind the three-year-old naval blockade, provided cargo ships first dock at Cypriot or Greece ports for inspection of cargo to ensure no war materiel was delivered into Gaza.

Read more here: http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/w ... 423024.htm

[Lit]

PM to visit Greece today

By TOVAH LAZAROFF
08/16/2010 01:20

Netanyahu will become the first Israeli prime minister to visit Greece.

http://www.jpost.com/Israel/Article.aspx?id=184873

Binyamin Netanyahu will become the first Israeli prime minister to visit Greece when he heads to Athens on Monday for a 36-hour trip, along with his senior staff.

Netanyahu will meet with Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou, senior Greek officials and members of the Jewish community.

The two leaders met last month in Jerusalem, when Papandreou became the first Greek premier to visit Israel in 18 years.

As part of Israel’s shifting ties in the greater Mediterranean region, its links with Greece has recently grown stronger, just as its relationship with Greece’s adversary Turkey has deteriorated.

Monday’s visit is the latest sign of the new closeness between the two countries.

An Israeli official said that “the relationship has warmed in the last [few] months” and that Netanyahu was looking forward to expanding the bilateral relations with Greece in a series of areas: defense, diplomacy, economic trade and the environment.

Greece is interested in Israeli technology, particularly as it relates to environmental issues such as water shortages and solar energy.

Papandreou has chartered a much more moderate policy toward Israel than his predecessors since taking office in October.

In the past, Greece has been considered one of Israel’s harshest critics.

[Lit]

Israel and Greece seek to expand military ties

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSLDE67G1FV

Tue Aug 17, 2010 3:35pm EDT

* Netanyahu is the first Israeli PM to visit Greece

* Expanding military ties during at high-level talks



By Allyn Fisher-Ilan

ATHENS, Aug 17 (Reuters) - Israeli and Greek leaders discussed expanding military ties on Tuesday including sharing military know-how and holding joint war games, officials said.

Israel has been keen to expand ties with Greece as its relations with Turkey -- another strategic Mediterranean partner -- soured since an Israeli raid on a Turkish-backed aid flotilla to the Gaza Strip in May.

As he wrapped up his two-day trip to Greece, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu -- the highest ranking Israeli to visit the country -- said the two nations were "opening a new chapter".

He told reporters that he and Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou had discussed military cooperation.

An official in Netanyahu's entourage told Reuters these discussions "explored establishing greater cooperation between both countries' military industries and armies".

A Greek official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed they "talked about new forms of cooperation on defence and security issues" including the expansion of joint military exercises and sharing technological knowledge.

In a symbolic gesture, Papandreou hosted Netanyahu on a trip to an island off the Athens coast on Tuesday, setting sail on a missile boat Israel sold to Greece eight years ago.

Papandreou told a joint news conference with the Israeli leader on Monday that they were looking at expanding strategic ties. Israeli officials said a team of experts on security and trade ties would soon meet to map out further details.

Netanyahu has said he wants to mend fences with Turkey and that upgrading relations with Greece could further that goal.

Greece is Turkey's long-standing rival in the Mediterranean. The came to the brink of war at least twice in the 20th century.

Israel sees Greece as more ready to build ties with it because it senses that Athens' traditional Arab allies seem less opposed than in the past, due to shared fears of Iran which many in the West believe is seeking to make a nuclear bomb.

"Relations are now developing at great speed due to our common interests," another senior Israeli official told reporters on the sidelines of the trip.

Netanyahu is the first Israeli Prime Minister to visit Greece, which only forged full diplomatic ties with the Jewish state in 1990, later than other European countries. Israel and Greece signed a defence cooperation agreement in 1994. (Additional reporting by Ingrid Melander and Renee Maltezou; Editing by Maria Golovnina)

[Bananiot]

Some hints as to why the Greek state did not have full diplomatic ties with the Jewish state:

1. In 1917 a huge fire raged in Salonica. It started on a Saturday when the Jewish shops were shut. The wind conveninently blew from the north. It is called Vardaris in northern Greece. The number of homeless reached 80 000. Half of them were Jews. The rest, Armenians and Ottomans. There were only very few Greeks.

2. After 25 years, in 1942, the Greeks gave to the Germans the remaining Jews on a plate. The church played a key role, for the Jews committed the worst sin, they killed Jesus! On July 11 1942, freedom Square in Salonica was bursting at the seams, with 50 000 Greek Jews stigmatised with the yellow star od David.

3. On October 11 1821, the rebellious Greeks of Kolokotronis, entered Tripolitsa. For 2 days people were slaughtered like lambs and if you think that only the Turks were put down, you are wrong. The Jewish population of Tripolitsa was also decimated. These atrocities led to a number of foreign fighters that were fighting with the rebellious Greeks against the Ottomans to leave Greece in disgust.

[Oracle]

Thanks, Lit, for the latest update on the present and possible future positive prospects for our region.

Don't let Bananiot harping back to Jesus Christ deter you ...

[Bananiot]

Can someone tell me why all the fascists of this forum are now waving the Israeli flag on which they were spitting upon only recently?