Gov't: EU decision to base reconstruction agency in Thessaloniki binding  Kranidiotis in Brussels

The government stressed yesterday it would fight to prevent the European Union from reversing its recent decision to base an agency for Balkan reconstruction in Thessaloniki.
Government spokesman Dimitris Reppas confirmed that there were "circles in the European Union" trying to move the agency to Pristina. European Union leaders meeting in Rio de Janeiro last week decided to base the agency in the northern Greek port of Thessaloniki."The decision taken by the 15 (EU members) in Rio will not be changed," Mr. Reppas said.
He added that the issue would be brought up for discussion tomorrow at the COREPER council in Brussels, where Athens will respond "in a convincing manner" to those opposed to the choice of Thessaloniki.

BRUSSELS (ANA - M. Spinthourakis) - Alternate Foreign Minister Yiannos Kranidiotis, meanwhile, held consultations with EU External Affairs Commissioner Hans van den Broek and other Commission officials on the issue of the agency's location. Mr. Kranidiotis made it clear that Greece is not willing to make any concessions on the issue, and expects the Commission to respond positively to the political decision of the "15" Union leaders. In expectation of the Commission's response, Athens has not yet agreed on the issuing of a regulation regarding the Stability Pact, also agreed to in Rio.The issue is expected to be discussed here tomorrow by the Union's Committee of Permanent Representatives (COREPER). If there is no positive response from the Commission the decision made before the Rio summit - according to which the new organisation would be responsible only for the reconstruction of Kosovo and would be based in Pristina - could be changed by the Council of Ministers.However, this would be an unusual development, as decisions reached at summits are usually carried out without further discussion.
Meanwhile, the Commission yesterday announced that 40 EU experts have been in Kosovo since July 1 in order to organise the first
activities for the reconstruction of the Yugoslav province, while they will submit their first report on the region's immed iate needs by
July 23. The Commission announcement makes no reference to the issue of the organisation's operation in Thessaloniki .