Droutsas meets H. Clinton

Greek Alternate Foreign Minister Dimitris Droutsas met in Washington on Tuesday with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, saying afterwards that he had expounded on Greece’s positions on major national issues as well as Greece’s will to help, through initiatives in its broader region and primarily in the Balkans but the Middle East as well.
In statements to the press after his meetings with Clinton and Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg, Droutsas said:
“I met with the U.S. State Department’s leadership, with Secretary Clinton and Deputy Secretary of State Steinberg. It was a good opportunity for us to deepen our relations with the US again, to exchange views on all the issues of mutual interest, international developments, for us to also highlight the fact that Greece can play a role in these international developments, particularly in our direct neighbourhood. We have a role to play in the Balkns, we have a role to play and to offer in the region of the Middle East and the Arab world. This is the image that we want to present to the international community again. An image of Greece with a presence, a voice, a real role in international developments.
“It was also an excellent opportunity for me to reiterate Greece’s positions on the issues of particular Greek interest. On the issue of Cyprus we are again experiencing an important phase, in our relations with Turkey our effort for a new approach and cooperation with Turkey is known, on the issue of the name of FYROM Greece’s will and desire for a solution is known, as well as the Greek national red line on this issue is. It is important that the US also knows our positions on all these issues as well, for us to repeat them so that they will also know our approach, always in the framework of cooperatiopn between our two countries, cooperation on an equal basis between two allies and partners.”
(source: ana-mpa)