Greece will defend its sovereign rights

The Ministries of Defence and Foreign Affairs issued announcements concerning the sea surveys conducted by “Piri Reis,” a Turkish naval research ship in an area between the Greek island of Kastellorizo and Cyprus.

The Greek Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the “Piri Reis surveys an area outside Greek territorial waters, however, Athens has claimed the rights to potential undersea mineral and fossil fuel deposits.”

National Defence Minister Evangelos Venizelos said that “Athens is watching closely” and that “in any case, Greece will defend its sovereign rights.”

Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Differences with Turkey     [PHOTO]: Kastellorizo

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)

PM George Papandreou at the Council of Europe

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA) Prime Minister George Papandreou addressed the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe in Strasburg on Tuesday where he initially referred at length to globalisation and its effect on the world, before detailing Athens’ positions on a variety of issues of Greek and regional interest, including Greek-Turkish relations, respect of international rules, Turkey’s European orientation as well as the financial crisis, the Cyprus issue, human rights and the role of the European Council.  In his speech, Papandreou stressed the government’s steadfastness to face the economic crisis, stating that “we are determined to put our house in order.” Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe: Report (26.1.2010)

Children’s Rights in Greece

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)     On the occasion of the celebration of Universal Children’s Day (November 20) to commemorate the adoption of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, the National Children’s Rights Observatory of the Secretariat General for Youth and the Children’s Rights Ombudsman in Greece are jointly organising the conference “Children’s Rights in Greece of 21st century.” The conference will be held in Athens on November 22 – 23, 2008, as part of the campaign for the protection and reinforcement of children’s rights and for the promotion of the UN Convention. Secretariat General of Information: About Greece-Youth

Greece: Democracy & Human Rights

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)  With the opportunity of the publication of its second round of reports, JURISTRAS research project has launched its own webpage at: www.juristras.eliamep.gr. JURISTRAS, a Hellenic Foundation for European & Foreign Policy project, comparatively explores processes of human rights litigation in the European Court of Human Rights judgments, and its effects in national legislative reform and policy making in a number of EU member states and Associate Candidate States. Nine countries are selected as case studies: eight EU Member States (Austria, Bulgaria, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Romania, and the UK) and one EU candidate country (Turkey). Gateway of the European Union: europa.eu