Greece takes over EU Presidency from Denmark

”We want a European Union with a powerful presence in international developments, with a role and a say , on an equal footing with our strategic partner, the United States,” he said. Greece is taking over the Presidency during a period marked by
far-reaching changes in the EU. It is the fourth time that Greece holds the EU Presidency since joining the EU in 1981.
The EU summit in Copenhagen in December, approved the membership
of ten candidate countries. The signing of the Accession Treaty for the ten new EU members will be held in Athens on April 16. It will be the biggest enlargement in EU history increasing the number of member
states from 15 to 25 in the European club. Another key task for the Greek Presidency will be monitoring the work of the Convention on the Future of Europe — the body drafting a constitution for an enlarged EU. Ex-French President Giscard D’Estaing, who is chairing the Convention, is expected to present the new EU constitution to EU leaders in the northern Greek city of Thessaloniki in June. The Cyprus problem and Greece’s relations with neighbouring Turkey will also take prominent place during Athens’ Presidency. The southern Greek Cypriot part has been approved as a new EU member but Brussels has said it would prefer to see a united Cyprus as a new member. UN efforts to unite the divided island of Cyprus are continuing. ”For us, beyond the priorities of our six-month Presidency, the development of Greek-Turkish relations and a viable and practicable solution to the Cyprus problem will remain, in 2003, basic parameters of an overall strategy for peace, stability and cooperation in our region,” said Papandreou. Illegal immigration and terrorism will also be top priorities for the Greek Presidency. Thousands of illegal immigrants enter Greece, mainly from Turkey, every year. ”We can contribute to the fight against international terrorism, while at the same time confronting its precipitating causes by taking initiatives in regions with rising tensions, such as the Korean peninsula,” he said.”The European Union can mobilize the International Community to formulate effective solutions to international problems, such as immigration,” noted Papandreou. Greece is also expected to take initiatives to strengthen EU ties with countries like Iran. In statements made recently to IRNA, Papandreou said Athens will strengthen the process of dialogue which the EU has started with Iran ”We must strengthen our relations with the other countries of our neighbourhood, the countries of the Mediterranean, the Caucasus,
Russia, and lay the foundations for the making of our Europe,” said
Papandreou. Greece will hand over the Presidency to Italy after the EU summit
in Thessaloniki in June.