Roundup: Greece supports integration of neighbors in EU and NATO under prerequisites: Greek President
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E-mail Xinhua, June 23, 2017
by Maria Spiliopoulou
ATHENS, June 23 (Xinhua) -- Greece warmly supports the integration of neighboring countries in the European Union (EU) and NATO as long as prerequisites are met, Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos said on Friday while welcoming Bulgarian President Rumen Radev in Athens.
Speaking on camera during their meeting both leaders noted that the fact that Radev chose to pay to Greece his first official visit abroad since the assumption of his presidential duties in January this year reflects the importance of good bilateral relations.
"Bulgaria and Greece are a model of good neighborly relations based on a common European perspective and common European values," the Bulgarian President said, according to an e-mailed statement released by the Greek Presidency.
Radev expressed Sofia's gratitude to the support that Greece provided for Bulgaria's accession to the European Union and NATO so far, and called for his country's accession also to the European visa free travel zone.
"Greece's support to Bulgaria's accession to Schengen is also of prime importance, as this is the only way to guarantee the effectiveness of our fight against human trafficking and terrorism. And it is time for the rest of the EU member states to understand it," stressed Radev, according to the press release.
On his part, Pavlopoulos underlined that Bulgaria has fulfilled all its obligations, and met the criteria and therefore according to Athens' point of view it would be better for the EU to conclude this accession process.
"We are in favor of the integration of our neighbors in NATO and the EU. We are in favor of the European perspective of our neighbors in the Balkans, but this prospect has certain prerequisites that nobody can ignore," the Greek president said.
Pavlopoulos stressed that those prerequisites include respect to the international law, to the European acquis and history and European culture.
On the agenda of discussions at the Athens Presidential mansion on Friday were also energy policy issues, migration flows and trade cooperation, according to Greek national news agency AMNA.
"We hope that gas interconnection between Bulgaria and Greece will be realized in the timetable set, because the gas transit pipeline will enable not only Bulgaria, but also the countries of central and eastern Europe to achieve diversification of both sources and routes," Radev stressed. Enditem
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