Subject: Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 17-04-03 From: "HR-Net News Distribution Manager" CONTENTS [01] Foreign ministry: Greece shocked by the deadly blasts at the St Petersburg metro station [02] Alt. Environment Minister Famellos discusses Greece's energy planning with IEA delegation [03] Econ. Min. Papadimitriou, U.S. Ambassador Pyatt at meeting on 6th Greek Investment Forum --------------------------------------------------------------------------- [01] Foreign ministry: Greece shocked by the deadly blasts at the St Petersburg metro station Greece is shocked by the deadly blasts at the metro station in St Petersburg on Monday afternoon, the foreign ministry said in a statement issued shortly after the incident. "Greece stands by the people of Russia and their government, sends sincere condolences to the families of the victims and wishes a speedy recovery to the wounded," the ministry said. Greece's General Consulate in St Petersburg is monitoring developments closely in cooperation with the relevant Russian authorities. [02] Alt. Environment Minister Famellos discusses Greece's energy planning with IEA delegation Alternate Environment and Energy Minister Sokratis Famellos on Monday met an International Energy Agency (IEA) delegation visiting Greece. He presented aspects of government energy planning relating to energy security through a diversification of energy sources and greater penetration of renewable energy sources, energy efficiency, the fight against energy poverty and a smooth transition of the energy market to deregulation, as wel as stronger ties between Greece and supplier countries. Greece has already met its targets for renewables penetration for 2020 and is setting ambitious goals for 2030, Famellos said. "The transformation of the electric power market and support for RES is based on opening the market to producers/suppliers through a steady and transparency legislative framework, which will take into account the changing cost of various technologies without lead to phenomena such as the "photovoltaic explosion" of recent years and the creation of deficits in the Electricity Market Operator," he added. The minister also referred to efforts to reduce oil dependency on the Greek islands, international pipeline projects running through Greece, improvements at the LNG facilities at Revythousa and the construction of a new LNG terminal in Alexandroupolis. [03] Econ. Min. Papadimitriou, U.S. Ambassador Pyatt at meeting on 6th Greek Investment Forum Greece's Economy Minister Dimitri Papadimitriou and U.S. Ambassador in Athens Geoff Pyatt on Monday attended a working meeting organised by the Athens Stock Exchange and the American-Hellenic Chamber of Commerce. The meeting was held to coordinate action in preparation for the 6th Greek Investment Forum taking place in New York on June 21-22 and a trip to Washington that will precede this. Others attending the working meeting included the senior executives of firms listed on the Athens stock exchange, members of the chamber and representatives of the Hellenic Federation of Enterprises (SEV) and the Federation of Industries of Northern Greece (SBBE). The Greek Investment Forum is a joint initiative of the Athens stock exchange and the American-Hellenic Chamber of Commerce that began in 2012 in order to inform prospective U.S. investors of the business and investment opportunities available in Greece. The forum allows the U.S. investment community to carry out b2b meetings in New York with representatives of Greek firms and learn about their economic growth and prospects. There are also presentations on macroeconomic issues and the growth prospects of the Greek economy. In 2017, the forum will be combined with a visit by a business delegation to Washington on June 18-20 and the opportunity for the Greek business community to take part in the "2017 SelectUSA Investment Summit," as well as a series of meetings with bodies, such as the US Chamber of Commerce, US Council of Competiveness and others.