France will support Greece’s EU presidency, Fabius tells Venizelos

12:52 14/1/2014 - Πηγή: Matrix24

Speaking during a press conference after the end of the meeting, Venizelos told reporters he had the chance to present Greece’s main priorities, with a focus on growth, jobs, the social state, illegal migration, border protection, integration of economic governance and specifically the banking union, which would result in “a real single

banking market.”
Discussion between the two men also focused on a priority issue highlighted by Greece “on a horizontal maritime policy, expanding from the environment and energy to the delineation of sea zones, in accordance with international law, especially in the Mediterranean,” Venizelos said.
Referring to the crisis in Syria, he pledged that Greece’s EU presidency will work for a successful outcome at the “Geneva II” peace process, adding that Greece wanted to draw attention to the humanitarian aspects of the specific issue since “Syria is an ongoing humanitarian crisis.”
Venizelos also briefed Fabius on Greece’s diplomatic initiatives on environmental security in the Mediterranean during the operation to destroy Syria’s chemical arsenal.
Other issues discussed included Iran, the Middle East peace process, developments in Arab states, such as Egypt and Libya, and the Eastern Partnership with Russia and the Ukraine.
While Venizelos described Greek-French bilateral relations as “excellent”, Fabius also called for “a more active economic and investment presence by French businesses in Greece.”
Fabius: ‘France will be at Greece’s side’
In his own statements after meeting Venizelos, Fabius stressed that France will be “at Greece’s side” and support the country’s EU presidency, expressing certainty that this will be “exercised successfully”.
The French foreign minister underlined that the next six months will be very important, since there were a number of outstanding issues that had to be resolved, as well as being politically significant due to the upcoming European Parliament elections.
He said that Greek and French views “fully coincided” on many of the issues ahead, adding that priority must be given to growth and jobs, the banking union and labour issues.
With respect to international affairs, he said the discussion was dominated by events in Syria and the Geneva II talks to set up a transition government. The French side also raised the issue of the Central African Republic, where Fabius said that France hopes for greater European involvement in the issue, which is due to be discussed in Brussels on January 20.
Fabius described bilateral relations with Greece as “excellent in the cultural and economic sectors,” and accepted an invitation from Venizelos to visit Greece.

source: ΑΜΝΑ