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Greek foreign minister Dora Bakoyannis and US deputy secretary of state James Steinberg spoke of a "new air" in Greece-US relations after a bilateral meeting during which two accords were signed on the sidelines of a NATO-Russia ministerial meeting and an OSCE informal ministerial meeting on the Greek island of Corfu over the weekend.
Greece and the US signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and a cooperation agreement on tackling serious crime, which pave the way to Greece’s inclusion in the US Visa Waiver Program.
"There are just a few steps left, and some administrative actions, to complete this process," Steinberg said in joint statements with Bakoyannis after their meeting, adding that he expected completion of the process before the end of the year.
Based on reciprocity, the services of the Greek foreign ministry and the US state department drafted two texts that adopt high-level criteria and guarantees for the protection of personal data and adherence of legal procedures, Bakoyannis said, noting that the two accords comprised an essential step towards strengthening bilateral relations, particularly at the level of the Society of the Citizens.
She added that Greece and the US would work at a fast pace for completion of the process, and look forward to the positive effect that Greece’s participation in the visa waiver program will have on economic cooperation between the two countries, tourism and contact between the two peoples.
On recent high-level exchanges of visits with the US, Bakoyannis said that they were proof of the "new air" blowing in Greek-US relations.
On Sunday’s OSCE (Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe) meeting at foreign minister level, which is hosted by Greece as the 2009 chairman of the Organisation, Bakoyannis, who is the OSCE’s Chairperson-in-Office, said that Corfu Process "marks a new beginning for the role of the OSCE, dialogue and European security".
"I see that there is a will to change page. The OSCE is the appropriate forum to continue the dialogue in the spirit of Helsinki. The informal Corfu meeting provides an excellent opportunity for this dialogue to be placed on solid foundations. Today, our partners manifested their confidence in the Greek Chairmanship and support of the Corfu Process. This gives us optimism for achieving a step forward for European security. United, we can ensure peace for Europe," Bakoyannis said.
Turning to Steinberg, who is taking part in the conference in place of US secretary of state Hilary Clinton due to illness, Bakoyannis wished Clinton a speedy recovery and added that "we are expecting her in December at the OSCE conference marking the end of the Greek Chairmanship, in order to continue what we began here today on Corfu".
Steinberg, in turn, spoke of a ‘deepening of relations’ between the two countries and placed the signing of the two accords in that conference, noting that the strategic cooperation between the two countries was being advanced.
He also commended the Greek Chairmanship of the OSCE and Bakoyannis’ efforts on the issue of Georgia, adding that the OSCE was the appropriate forum for facing the modern-day challenges of terrorism and non-proliferation of weapons, as a practical step for the security and prosperity of the European citizens.
Steinberg noted that the meaning of the OSCE was encapsulated in collectivity, "that we all sit together at the same table", and that it embodied the vision of a united and free Europe.
The two sides discussed other bilateral issues, including finding ways for peace in the Balkans, how to help in achieving an agreement on Cyprus, and energy security in Europe, according to Steinberg.
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