"Firm support for Serbia's European path"

ATHENS Greek President Karolos Papoulias has said that his country "firmly supports the European path of Serbia". Greece also "looks forward to the beginning of the accession negotiations between the EU and Serbia", he noted. "Firm support for Serbia's European path" Papoulias said that granting EU candidate status to Serbia was a big step on its road to Europe, according to the Athens News Agency (ANA). He added that ever since the 2003 Thessaloniki Summit, Greece had supported and continued to support the European perspective and full integration of the Western Balkans into the European family of nations, for the sake of peace, stability and prosperity in Southeast Europe. For this to happen, it is enough for countries to meet the requirements set down by the EU, said the Greek president. Papoulias said that the Western Balkan region went through a traumatic and turbulent past and that it should finally put away the old, bad name it had earned for being a source of turbulence. He stated that all the prerequisites were there for a closer and more productive multilateral cooperation with a view to bequeath to the coming generations a legacy of a peaceful and creative European future, pointing to the relations between Greece and Serbia as an example of such cooperation. Papoulias qualified the economic cooperation between the two countries as a mainstay in their relations. "I want to point out that we support the participation of Greek companies in international tenders that have to do with the privatization of enterprises and infrastructure building in Serbia, said papoulias. We are also very glad to see that these tenders have been timely called," he added. Papoulias and visiting Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic also discussed the dispute between Greece and Macedonia over the latter's name. According to ANA, Papoulas told his Serbian colleague he expected practical help from Serbia in resolving this, a national issue for the Greeks. Tanjug

"Firm support for Serbia's European path"

Papoulias said that granting EU candidate status to Serbia was a big step on its road to Europe, according to the Athens News Agency (ANA).

He added that ever since the 2003 Thessaloniki Summit, Greece had supported and continued to support the European perspective and full integration of the Western Balkans into the European family of nations, for the sake of peace, stability and prosperity in Southeast Europe.

For this to happen, it is enough for countries to meet the requirements set down by the EU, said the Greek president.

Papoulias said that the Western Balkan region went through a traumatic and turbulent past and that it should finally put away the old, bad name it had earned for being a source of turbulence.

He stated that all the prerequisites were there for a closer and more productive multilateral cooperation with a view to bequeath to the coming generations a legacy of a peaceful and creative European future, pointing to the relations between Greece and Serbia as an example of such cooperation.

Papoulias qualified the economic cooperation between the two countries as a mainstay in their relations.

"I want to point out that we support the participation of Greek companies in international tenders that have to do with the privatization of enterprises and infrastructure building in Serbia, said papoulias. We are also very glad to see that these tenders have been timely called," he added.

Papoulias and visiting Serbian President Tomislav Nikolić also discussed the dispute between Greece and Macedonia over the latter's name.

According to ANA, Papoulas told his Serbian colleague he expected practical help from Serbia in resolving this, a national issue for the Greeks.