Kranidiotis talks with Israeli leadership focus on trade, military cooperation

JERUSALEM (ANA - A. Makridis) - Alternate Foreign Minister Yiannos Kranidiotis held separate meetings here yesterday with Israeli Foreign Minister David Levy and Minister to the Premier's Office Chaim Ramon for talks focusing on joint business prospects a nd bilateral military cooperation.  Mr. Kranidiotis is the first Greek government official to visit Israel after Labour leader Ehud Barak's recent election victory. The Greek minister said he discerned a "clearly upgraded" spirit of cooperation under the new Israeli government compared to  the previous administration.

Specifically, the issue of a joint committee to study prospects for trade cooperation and the creation of various joint ventures wasdiscussed. In addition, Mr. Kranidiotis reportedly secured the participation of his interlocutors at an Israeli-Palestinian meeting totake place in Athens in early September, while he received reassurances regarding the visits of Israeli President Ezer Weizman and Mr. Barak to Greece in the near future.

According to reports, both sides agreed over the possibilities for improved and closer cooperation in the military sector, with the Israeli navy chief set to visit Athens this month to be followed by National Defence Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos' visit to Israel in September. In a related development, Israeli officials reiterated that Israeli-Turkish military cooperation is not directed against either Greece or Cyprus.

Mr. Kranidiotis stressed that Athens placed particular emphasis on the promotion of a peace process in the Middle East, especially since this could lead to a defusion of tensions and the downgrading of various military "axes and anti-axes" in the region. Referring to a Cyprus solution, the Greek official said "a united Cyprus constitutes a factor for peace, while a divided Cyprus could constitute a source of anomaly with unpredictable consequences." According to sources, Israel wants to improve relations with Cyprus within the framework of Euro-Mediterranean cooperation as well as in light of Cyprus' EU accession talks. Finally, Israeli
officials briefed Mr. Kranidiotis on progress in the peace pro cess and the problems faced. 

Mr. Kranidiotis also met with former premier Simon Peres and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.