Energy security: The Panama Canal

Location: Panama; connects the Pacific Ocean with the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean
Oil Flows (2004): Panama Canal 0.5 million bbl/d; Trans-Panama pipeline 0.1 million bbl/d
Concerns/Background: The Panama Canal extends approximately 50 miles from Panama City on the Pacific Ocean to Colon on the Caribbean Sea. The largest vessel that can transit the Panama Canal is [...]

Greek-Romanian economic relations

Product groups of Greek exports to Romania exceeding 2%:
Automobile vehicles, totalling 43.51 million Euro at 7.3%
Aluminium, totalling 42.50 million Euro at 7.1%
Telecommunications equipment totalling 41.49 million Euro at 7%
Iron construction, totaling 32.49 million Euro at 5.4%
Copper, totalling 25.56 million Euro at 4.3%
Fruit , totalling 22.54 million Euro at 3.8%
Plastic slabs and strips, totaling 21.83 million [...]

Greece achieves pension agreement with Australia

By George Megalogenis
AUSTRALIA will pay old-age pensions to Greeks returning to their homeland under a landmark agreement to be signed on Wednesday by John Howard and Greek Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis.
The two-way deal is one of the biggest of its kind and has taken more than two decades to negotiate.
Australia will calculate pension entitlements based [...]

Commission approves Greek-Italian request over gas pipeline

The European Commission on Tuesday conditionally approved a joint application tabled by Greece and Italy for the exclusive use of a Greek-Italian natural gas pipeline.
The regulation is foreseen in Article 22 of Community Directive (2003/55/EK) and safeguards, for Greece’s DE.PA (Public Gas Corp.) and Italy’s Edison, exclusive control and management of the natural gas pipeline.
The [...]

Contract signed for creation of International University of Greece

contract on the creation of the International University of Greece, as well as the utilisation of real estate belonging to the municipality of Nea Mihaniona, near Thessaloniki, was signed on Monday by the municipality and the State Real Estate Company, in the presence of Education Minister Marietta Yiannakou.
The signing of the contract in essence paves [...]

Greece signs a Memorandum on the promotion of the mission of Francophonie

Foreign Minister Ms. Dora Bakoyannis met in Paris, with the Secretary General of the International Organisation of French-speaking Communities (Francophonie), Mr. Abdou Diouf, and signed a “Memorandum on the promotion of the mission of Francophonie and the promotion of the French Language”.
After the signing of the Memorandum, Ms. Bakoyannis made the following statement:
“With particular satisfaction, [...]

“THE NEW EXTROVERTED FACE OF GREECE”: PRESENTATION BY SG OF INFORMATION, PANOS LIVADAS, AT WOODROW WILSON CENTER

Good morning Ladies and Gentlemen,
Let me begin by expressing my delight in speaking before such a distinguished audience! Mr. Sitilides, special thanks to you and all the staff at the Southeast Europe Project for having me. Everyone, thank you indeed for coming.
While in college here in the States (and, trust me, that was quite a [...]

Regional European summit to discuss Kosovo, U.S. missile defense

The presidents of 16 European countries meet in southeastern Czech Republic to discuss a planned U.S. missile defense system and Kosovo, an issue that one leader said Thursday has led to instability in the region.
The annual gathering, in Brno this year, brings together presidents from central, southern and eastern Europe. The three-day summit begins with [...]

Defense update in the Balkans

USA forces in Romania
According to the USA Ambassador in Romania, Mr. Nicholas Taubman, American military personnel presence has already been established in the Air Force base of “Mihail Kogalniceanu”. Since 2005 Romania and the USA have signed a defense agreement whereby the latter will construct four military installations, that will have a dual use, as [...]

Venezuelan, Chinese ties

Venezuela and China are deepening their economic and political ties. Recently Venezuela President Hugo Chavez and Chinese Communist Party Politburo members signed six cooperation agreements, mostly in the energy sector, and one to form a $6 billion binational investment fund.
The energy accords focus on JVs to explore for oil and gas deposits in both countries, [...]