D. KOURKOULAS: For us, the Joint Interministerial Committee taking place means the jumpstarting of our relations with Russia so that we can capitalize fully on the opportunities in the economic sector, as well as in other sectors.
I would like to note the spectacular upward trend in commercial transactions and Greek exports to Russia, and the impressive rise in tourism, which we hope will this year surpass 1 million Russian visitors to our country.
I would also like to note the already existing, very significant, strategically important cooperation in the energy sector. We had in-depth talks on many important matters. In the protocol the Russian Transport Minister and I signed, we expressed our common positions on energy cooperation issues, on the Burgas-Alexandroupoli oil pipeline, on our decision to upgrade cooperation on rail, road and air transport.
Finally, I would like to welcome Russia’s assumption of the Presidency of the G20 this year, and to reaffirm the Greek side’s will to contribute during the Greek EU Presidency, in the first half of 2014, to the upgrading of strategic Russian-EU relations. As I said during my meeting with the Minster, our relations have to be upgraded, not just because of common economic interests and geographical proximity, but also due to the deep historical and cultural relations between the two peoples.
M. SOKOLOV: I would like to note that the proceedings of the 8th Greek-Russian Joint Interministerial Committee were completed constructively. Within the framework of the proceedings, we pointed up a broad range of further prospects for our cooperation.
Despite the fact that in 2012 we saw a 25% increase in our commercial transactions, there is still great potential to be capitalized on.
Together with the traditional areas in our cooperation – the energy sector, transport, agricultural economy – we talked about directions with great potential, including renewable and alternative energy sources, high technology.
We also talked about the potential for expanding the investment cooperation between our two countries, and this doesn’t concern just investments from the Russian side in Greek territory, but corresponding Greek investments in Russia.
Bearing in mind the growth dynamic in tourism activities, I can say that, in the near future, we won’t need to make do with one million expected Russian visitors to Greece, but that we can surpass two million visitors.
This obviously requires development of infrastructure and transport between our countries, as well as expansion of the range of our cooperation in all economic directions, which we discussed.
To sum up, allow me to point out that, despite the difficult time Greece is going through due to the crisis, we are convinced that there are great prospects for the recovery of the Greek economy and for cooperation between us.
We need to bear in mind the fact that every crisis is also a departure point for further growth, further prospects, and the excellent foundation of our bilateral relations can serve precisely this perspective, this growth.
Allow me, in concluding, to express my gratitude to all the members of the Interministerial Committee, to all the working groups, for the wonderful cooperation they had amongst them – cooperation that enabled us to draw up this protocol, which we signed today without the slightest disagreement, without the slightest objection.
Also allow me to congratulate the Russian Ambassador to Greece and the Greek Ambassador to Russia for their exceptional work in all areas of our cooperation: commercial, political, cultural.
JOURNALIST: What can you tell us regarding the various areas of energy cooperation you discussed?
D. KOURKOULAS: We talked about renewable energy sources, where there are prospects for even closer cooperation. Greece has a high level of know-how in this sector. We carried out a review of our very important relations in the oil sector and the natural gas sector. As I said, our cooperation is of strategic importance. Those were the three main sectors we discussed.
The two sides reaffirmed their desire for Greece to continue being supplied with gas from Russia. As you know, the current contract expires in 2016. Finally, the two sides reaffirmed their stance in favor of construction of the Burgas-Alexandroupoli pipeline, despite the fact of a negative stance from the third country.
M. SOKOLOV: Allow me to point out our intention, our political will for long-term cooperation. When you have such long-term strategic cooperation prospects, it allows for productive cooperation even in the tumultuous circumstances resulting from crises. We have precisely that kind of strategic cooperation. This indicates the partners’ mutual respect, even in those areas of plans that, for one reason or another, are not crowned with the anticipated success.
I would like in particular to note the investment cooperation, particularly in the energy sector, and to express our will for a Russian investment presence in various Greek programmes. We have the potential, the know-how and the economic dynamic – potential from the perspective of capital markets.
JOURNALIST: What exactly did you decide with regard to investments in the energy sector?
D. KOURKOULAS: The decisions on investments are not made by us, at the ministries, but by companies. It is well known that there is entrepreneurial interests from Russian companies in the privatization in the natural gas sector. We confirmed our firm position: that the process is and will be transparent, and the final decision will be taken according to European regulations in effect in this privatization.
M. SOKOLOV: It is exactly what we wanted to hear, and this is a fundamental prerequisite for moving ahead.
April 12, 2013