Sarkozy arrives in Athens, addresses Parliament

[Ellinas]

French President Nicolas Sarkozy arrived in Athens shortly after noon on Friday, and was greeted at the airport by foreign minister Dora Bakoyannis, while French Prime Minister Francois Fillon is due to arrive in the Greek capital in the evening.

Shortly after his arrival, Sarkozy laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in central Syntagma Square, before heading to Parliament, where he was met by President of the Republic Karolos Papoulias, Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis and parliament president Dimitris Sioufas. Sarkozy is currently addressing Parliament.

Afterwards, Sarkozy will head to the Presidential Mansion for talks with his Greek counterpart, followed by a luncheon in his honor to be hosted by Papoulias.

In the afternoon, Sarkozy will have a private meeting with Karamanlis at the Maximos Mansion (government headquarters) before being joined by the Greek and French delegations, after which two texts will be signed: a joint declaration by Sarkozy and Karamanlis on defence and security, and a joint declaration by the Greek and French defence ministers in the area of flight training.

Karamanlis and Sarkozy are due to make statements after their meeting, while the foreign dignitary will later attend a reception in his honor hosted by the French community in Athens at the French embassy.

Bakoyannis is scheduled to meet with her French counterpart Bernard Kuchner, shortly after his arrival in the afternoon, during which they will sign an additional protocol to the Greek-French agreement on intellectual and cultural relations.

President Sarkozy and the French delegation are due to depart from Athens early on Saturday morning, headed for Lebanon.

ΑΝΑ

[Angelo]

Video of Nicolas Sarkozy speech at the Parliament


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