Athens News Agency: News in English, 08-07-22

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From: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>

CONTENTS

[01] Valinakis at EU ministers' council

[01] Valinakis at EU ministers' council

On the sidelines of the Council meeting, Valinakis held talks with French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner, whose country currently holds the rotating EU presidency, and European Commissioner for enlargement Olli Rehn concerning Gruevski's letter and Greece's positions as outlined in the reply sent by Greek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis.

The deputy minister stressed during the meetings that the United Nations has given instructions with a specific target, which was to find a mutually accepted solution to the name issue. He said that Greece was interested in finding a solution to the specific object of the negotiations so that FYROM's path toward the EU might truly open.

Regarding the arrest of former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic in Serbia, Valinakis said this was a "vindication of a steadfast European policy and tangible proof of the new Serb government's intention to fully cooperate with the International Criminal Tribunal at The Hague".

During his address to the council meeting, which was dominated by the issue of Karadzic's arrest, Valinakis said that Greece will continue to be a firm supporter of Serbia's European perspective and asked that the EU-Serbia Association and Stabilisation Agreement be ratified and that the Interim Agreement be immediately put into effect.

According to the minister, this line was also supported by the European Commission and the EU foreign ministers instructed their countries' permanent representatives to examine the possibility of implementing the Interim Agreement.

Caption: ANA-MPA file photograph of Deputy Foreign Minister Yiannis Valinakis.

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