Athens, 20 November 2009

Mr. Droutsas: I am carrying our a short tour of the countries of the Western Balkans, today’s stop being here in Podgorica, Montenegro. I had the opportunity and pleasure to talk with Prime Minister Djukanovic. I think we agreed that Greek-Montenegro bilateral relations are at an excellent level, and our economic relations can always improve further.

There are already a good number of Greek investments here in Montenegro. We agreed that the two sides would make efforts to increase these economic relations in the immediate future.

I also expressed Greece’s satisfaction at the impending liberalization of the visa regime for Montenegro. I say this for a specific reason: because I believe that all of us must work for the good of our peoples, the citizens of our countries, and it is very important for the citizens of Montenegro to be able to travel freely in the European Union soon.

The European Union and Europe are the future of the region of the Western Balkans, including Montenegro, of course. And this was the main message that I wanted to pass on to the Prime Minister here in Montenegro.

You are aware that Greece – and Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou – has made a specific new proposal for the promotion of the EU accession course of the Western Balkan region. We are talking about a date on which we would like to see the European integration of all of the countries of the Western Balkans completed. The date we have chosen is 2014.

The year 2014, as a symbolic target date, a symbolic date, 100 years after the outbreak of World War I. We can see that problems we are facing here in this region today can be traced back to 1914.

So our message is simple and symbolic: The European Union, which for us is the most effective and successful peace project in Europe, needs to step up to its responsibilities in the Balkan region, as well. It needs fulfil its obligations and contribute decisively to peace and stability here in our region.

That is the thinking behind this proposal – this idea – and we hope, through this proposal, to again create the necessary momentum for the remainder of the course of the countries of the Western Balkans towards the EU.

I would like to mention that this proposal – this idea – is directly linked to Montenegro for a further, practical reason: because Greek Prime Minister Papandreou had the opportunity to first present this idea right here in Montenegro – in Budva, specifically – last summer, on the occasion of the meeting of the Socialist International held here in Montenegro.

So the simple message that we are carrying to the region and to Montenegro is that the future, the immediate future, of the region of the Western Balkans lies in the European Union – in the united Europe. And Greece can and wants to play the leading role in the achievement of this goal.

Thank you.

Journalist: Why hasn’t Greece ratified the Stabilization and Association Agreement yet?

Mr. Droutsas: As I had the chance to stress in our talks today, we are a new government – we took office just 40 days ago. As far as we can tell, ratification has been delayed in Greece due to bureaucratic process in the Hellenic Parliament. But – and I also stressed this to Mr. Djukanovic – this ratification is a top priority issue for the new Greek government, and we will address it immediately.

Journalist: During your meeting with the Prime Minister, was the Skopje name issue raised, perhaps? And did the Prime Minister perhaps mention Montenegro’s role in resolving this issue?

Mr. Droutsas: I had the opportunity during the talks to stress that Greece’s will to promote the European accession course of all of the countries of the Western Balkans is sincere, and this holds true, of course, for the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, as well.

In this regard, the European accession course means for all countries that there are criteria and prerequisites that have to be met. I reiterated and underscored once again Greece’s clear position: that prior resolution of the name issue is a precondition for Skopje’s European course; for the opening of accession negotiations between Skopje and the European Union.

This Greek position is very clear, as it should be. Everyone is aware of it, and we express our desire – and we are waiting – for the Skopje side to come to these efforts to resolve the name issue in a constructive spirit.

Journalist: (off microphone) Yesterday, Mr. Minister, Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan made a very specific proposal regarding the Cyprus issue. I would like you to comment.

Mr. Droutsas: There is but one process for resolving the Cyprus issue, and it is well known and in progress. It is the process under the aegis of the United Nations. It is the talks that have been under way for some time now between the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Mr. Christofias, and the leader of the Turkish Cypriot community, Mr. Talat. I think that all of us should focus on this process – which is the only right one – and that each of us should contribute to the best of our ability to a successful outcome for this process.

Thank you.