Journalist : What are the new Greek government’s foreign policy priorities?

Mr. Droutsas: To give Greece a dynamic foreign policy again. To give Greece recognition, to strengthen the Greek voice, particularly in our immediate neighborhood, the Balkans – on this point I think Greece and Austria have many common interests.

It is our view that Greece must play a leading role in this region again; the role it should play, focusing in particular on the European perspectives of all of the countries of the Western Balkans. I would like to make the reminder here that Greece – during its 2003 EU Presidency – undertook an initiative for the region: the Thessaloniki Agenda, which offered all of these countries a specific accession perspective.

We think that the momentum generated then has died down somewhat in recent years, and it is one of Greece’s priorities to create new momentum for the European perspective and accession process of the Western Balkans.

At this point I would like to mention a specific proposal that Greece has already put forward. We are talking about the possibility or the desire for this new EU enlargement – with the countries of the Western Balkans – to take place in 2014. A year of great symbolic importance, 100 years after the outbreak of World War I. One might well argue that 100 years ago the governments of the Balkans had already come up against the roots of the conflicts and unresolved problems that we are facing today. The EU – the most successful peace project ever known – must act on this issue as well, in the Balkan region, and contribute to laying the foundations for peace and security.

Journalist: For 18 years now, Athens has believed that “Macedonia” should not be called “Macedonia”. Will an effort be made to bring Skopje and Athens together on this?

Mr. Droutsas: FYROM is our neighbour. It is a part of the region that I was just talking about. Our basic pursuit is for Greece to be the motor force behind the European perspectives of all our neighboring countries in the Western Balkans. This holds true for FYROM as well. But we say that a prerequisite for the opening of accession negotiations with Skopje is the resolution of name dispute, an issue that has unfortunately dragged on for many years. Greece – and the new government in particular – is going into this process with a very open stance. We would like another effort at rapprochement with Skopje, a policy that we have implemented as the government in the past as well. We have done a lot for our neighbour, FYROM, particularly in economic sectors. Greece continues to be the number one investor in FYROM.

Unfortunately, in recent years we have met with a very inflexible, I would say almost extremist, nationalistic rhetoric from Skopje; a rhetoric that has contributed to our to our relations’ not being able to develop further, to the level we would have liked. We are now starting these efforts afresh. Our positions are clear, and everyone knows what they are: We are in favor of a name that, with a geographical qualifier, describes the region clearly. And it is very important to us that the name we agree on should be for use by everyone and in all instances – erga omnes, as the terminology goes.

But at this point I would like to add that we have already undertaken an initiative to break the ice between our two capitals, Athens and Skopje. A few days ago, Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou invited his counterpart, FYROM Prime Minister Gruevski, to an unofficial, introductory meeting on the margins of the recent European Council in Brussels. And we hope that this gesture on our part, this initiative, will meet with the necessary response from Skopje so that we can really handle this problem with sincerity and find a good solution for both countries.

Journalist: Let’s look at another neighbour of Greece: Turkey. As far as the Western Balkans are concerned, Greece is in favor or EU accession. What about Turkey?

Mr. Droutsas: Greece’s position on Turkey has also been well known for many years now. We are in favor of Turkey’s full accession to the EU. This may sound a little strange to those with the stereotypical view that Greece and Turkey are two countries who share a turbulent past and still have issues pending between them. It is Greece’s view that through the accession process, the necessary reforms can be implemented in Turkey so that Turkey can really become a stable democratic country, with strong democratic institutions that are respected; a country where there is protection and respect for human rights, minority rights and – in particular – good neighbourly relations, which are very important to Greece. And naturally, in this way the Cyprus issue can be resolved.

We think that if Turkey carries out the necessary reforms and takes real steps forward in all the areas I mentioned, then it must be admitted to the EU.

I know that this issue has given rise to controversy here in Austria. I lived in Vienna for a number of years, and I am well aware of Austria’s internal debate and stance. But more than ever before, I believe that a reformed Turkey would be in the interest of the EU and of stability throughout the region. A Turkey – and I stress this – that meets all the criteria that the EU has set. I believe that such a Turkey can become a good partner in the European Union.