Brussels: Greece, it maintains its decision not to recognize Kosovo, said ANYPEX D. Droutsas General Affairs Council of EU

The Turkish activities in recent months in the Aegean, the developments in Kosovo, the results of the recent visit of Prime Minister George Papandreou in the Middle East and the Iran issue was the main issues mentioned by Deputy Foreign Minister Dimitris Droutsas today in Brussels, where represented Greece at the General Affairs of the EU in regard to Turkey, D. Droutsas, said to reporters, stressed to his counterparts that the behavior and actions of the Turkish side has a lack of credibility in the eyes of Greece , and the European Union, particularly in terms of its obligations to maintain good neighborly relations with European countries, as a candidate EU country.

The minister referred specifically to the reaction of the Greek diplomacy has been expressed that while the one in action and verbal communications, and on the other hand the demonstration against the Turkish calm challenges. D. The Droutsas also stressed that the Greek side has the will and the means to respond effectively when the same deems appropriate and emphasized the obligation of Turkey to comply fully with the international law of the sea, as already done by the 27 member countries of the EU conclusion, the minister said that the attitude of recent months Turkey on the substance of undermining the bilateral contacts in Ankara and Athens.

On the issue of Kosovo, the Deputy Minister stressed that despite the recent (advisory) ruling of the International Court of Justice, Greece, and other EU countries do not recognize Kosovo, insist on this stance. Mr. Droutsas stressed the intention of the Greek side to promote the European prospects of Balkan countries, as expressed by the so-called strategy of Thessaloniki mapped in 2003 under the Greek Presidency of the EU, but under the latest proposals of the Greek diplomacy.

Commenting on Kosovo he said that Greece is ready to assume its responsibilities to account for the Balkan country as an EU member, and to end will visit Belgrade and Pristina. Greece is a country that can be addressed in both Serbia and Kosovo and will exhaust every possibility to find mutually acceptable solution, said D. Droutsas, while stressing that the mild and serious attitude shown by the Serbian government estimated a positive EU and strengthening the European perspective of Serbia. Perspective, he said, Greece has strongly supported.