ON PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS AND THE FORMATION OF A NEW GOVERNMENT IN GREECE

Unofficial translation from Russian

PRESS RELEASE

Parliamentary elections were held in Greece on March 7. The New Democracy party won the victory in them.

Costas Karamanlis, chairman of the New Democracy party, is named the Prime Minister of the Hellenic Republic and the new government of the country, formed by him, has been sworn in.

Ties between Russia and Greece have a rich history and are characterized by positive dynamics. At the base of the onwardly developing cooperation between the two countries lie mutual trust and the identity or similarity of their approaches towards most of the pressing international problems.

A congratulatory message from Mikhail Fradkov, Prime Minister of the Russian Federation, to the new Greek Prime Minister expresses the confidence that the two nations' relations of constructive cooperation and coordination, based on strong traditions between the Russian and Greek peoples, will be further developed in the interests of both countries and of peace and security on the European continent.

March 11, 2004