STARTS THE "NEW COMPROMISE" GREECE - TURKEY

Alternate Greek FM in Vienna

Vienna (ANA-MPA/D. Dimitrakoudis) -- The Greek government's intention to make use of the Greek initiative for a direct channel of communication between the leaders of Greece and Turkey was stressed by alternate foreign minister Dimitris Droutsas on Friday in Vienna, ahead of his meeting with Austrian federal president Dr. Heinz Fischer.

Droutsas also said that the government will reply to a letter addressed by Turkish prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan to his Greek counterpart George Papandreou in the next few days, in statements to ANA-MPA.

The alternate minister said that a responsible attitude was required by all sides and by everyone "because haste makes waste". Good preparation was necessary so that "the opportunity opening up before us will not be wasted".

Droutsas further noted the meeting n Athens on Thursday between visiting Turkish minister of state and chief negotiator for the EU Egemen Bagis and prime minister Papandreou, during which Bagis briefed Papandreou on "Mr. Erdogan's desire to accept prime minister George Papandreou's call".

He said that Thursday's meeting had been "useful" in view of the "crucial decisions on Turkey's accession course" in December when the EU will review Anara's progress in meeting EU requirements. "Greece clearly supports Turkey's European prospect. It equally clearly stressed that there will be no 'discounts' in the evaluation of Turkey," he added.

On foreign policy, Droutsas noted that the government has, from the beginning, declared that it wants to change page in the way foreign policy is exercised. "We want aggressive diplomacy, active political initiatives, but this does not alter the fundamental targets we week, the fundamental principles and values we serve," he explained.

Droutsas said that he was in Vienna "to take the next step in the Greek government's policy", taking the opportunity of the event being organised by Greece's Chairmanship-in-Office (CiO) of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) marking the 20th anniversary of the Berlin Wall..................

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