Discreet towards president Abbas

Mahmoud Abbas, the President of Palestinian Authority, has been in our country since yesterday. He will meet with the President of Democracy Mr Karolos Papoulias and PM Giorgos Papandreou. Diplomatic circles view this visit as remarkable, especially after the tightening of Greek/Israeli relations since last summer.

Mr Abbas will stay for 3 days and will have limited meetings according to his schedule. Today, Wednesday, the PM will welcome him at Maximou and an hour later the President of Democracy will receive him in the Presidential Court, where lunch will be served. Minister of Foreign Affairs Dimitris Droutsas will attend both meetings.

In the past, Mr Papandreou had repeatedly expressed Greece’s support for the negotiations between Israel and Palestine. About a month ago when Salam Fayyad, the PM of the Palestinian Authority, was here, Giorgos Papandreou said: «Our major concern in our area is the Palestinian issue. We fully support the systematic continuation of the negotiations, so as to arrive as quickly as possible at the creation of a viable and unified Palestinian state. This is the right of the Palestinian people, but also a guarantee for security in the region, and Israel’s security too, as it will send a loud message to the world that the political will exists to move forward and support peace and conciliation».

From fall 2009 to now, the Greek government has been looking for investors in both the Arab world and the Israeli side.

Mutual visits by presidents Papandreou and Netanyahu last summer created a positive climate, diminishing the year-long diplomatic coldness between the two countries. Two ministers were present during Papandreou’s visit, each for different reasons: Mr Pavlos Geroulanos and Mr Haris Pampoukis.  

In this context, the Greek government will maintain the friendly climate and close relations with the Palestinian Authority and the Arab world, investing on equal distances with Israel, without the excesses of the past.

President Abbas will be greeted at the airport by vice minister of Infrastructure, Mr Yiannis Magriotis, while in the departure ceremony the government will be represented by the vice minister of the Environment, Mr Giannis Moraitis.