The following are excerpts from Alternate Foreign Minister Mariliza Xenogiannakopoulou’s address to the 30 March 2011 joint session of the Parliamentary Standing Committees on European Affairs and Defense and Foreign Affairs:
· “The main issues at the 24-25 March European Council were economic policy, Libya, North Africa, Europe’s overall policy on the Mediterranean, the critical situation in Japan, and the nuclear safety issue.”
- “The decisions taken mainly at the 11 March Eurogroup Summit – and ratified at the 24-25 March European Council – created the margins and improvements in the framework for implementing the memorandum that gives us a breath, fresh momentum, in the implementation not just of the programme our country has undertaken, but overall for the recovery and growth of our economy.”
- “The position expressed by the European Council on the Libya issue is agreement with the UN Security Council Resolution aimed at protecting civilians and calling for an immediate ceasefire, which will give a chance to the political/diplomatic process. And above all, the finding of a political solution that will guarantee democratic transition and the unity and national sovereignty of Libya. The European Union puts emphasis on the humanitarian aid facet, but also assistance and participation in support for the ‘day after’, which is the critical issue when there is a ceasefire and political developments can be put on track. That is our country’s pursuit, and we will contribute in this direction.”
- “The Prime Minister insisted in particular on the need for stricter safety regulations at nuclear facilities, and the Commission did in fact agree to draw up a relevant directive. And the critical issue for us, which was entered in the conclusions, is the planned nuclear facilities in our neighbouring countries. The Prime Minister referred in particular to the issue of Akkuyu, in Turkey, vis-a-vis the seismic nature of the region, nuclear safety and compliance with that, as part of the Community acquis, based on which every candidate country, including turkey, is monitored and evaluated on its course to EU membership.”
March 30, 2011