Prime Minister Karamanlis: We are going to put into action the minority programme

The Greek prime minister Kostas Karamanlis declared that the minority programme, which was announced before the parliamentary elections will be put into action. He assured this during a press conference on the occasion of the International Fair of Thessaloniki, where he also talked about the Turkish minority of Western Thrace.

The progress in the settlement areas of the minority in Western Thrace is the aim to achieve, said Karamanlis and explained this as follows: For Greece there is no cause for any concern in that score. Our country respects all of its citizens irrespective of their descent or religion. It is in our interest, that the Muslims participate in the national development. For this reason we are going to put into action the programme which was announced before the elections.

Turkish-Greek relationships

Kostas Karamanlis also talked about the relationships to Turkey and said, that the efforts of Turkey concerning the EU-membership will be supported. It will be an advantage for all parts if Turkey will join the European Union.

The prime minister noticed that he recently happened to hear very rarely the opinion that Turkey should stay outside of the European Union Of course I cannot speak on behalf of the EU. Clear information on that theme will be given in the essay of the European Commission which will be published in October and which will state if Turkey will meet the required criteria or not. My personal opinion is, that prime minister Erdogan has done the most serious efforts in this concern.

The continental shelf

Karamanlis does not share the opinion that the controversial theme between Ankara and Athens of the definitions of the Turkish continental shelf underneath the Aegean sea must have negative influence on the process of the rapprochement of Turkey to the EU. He also does not see that this question has to be solved until December, when the decision will be taken if the EU will start the membership negotiations with Turkey or not.

Both parties will continue to represent their respective theses concerning the continental shelf, said Karamanlis and explained his position as follows: Should a theme that keeps us busy for 30 years bring us to turn against the European option of Turkey? I reject this. Trusting in the common ownership(Aquis Communautaire*)and the criteria of the EU, on how states develop their international relations, I prefer to support the European perspective of Turkey.

*The Acquis Communautaire is the sum of all European principles, values and legal regulations which result from the common treaties, from the general EU-legislation, from the judgements of the European Court as well as from the declarations of the Council of the European Union and which are binding upon the member states.