Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis is expected in New York next week to take part in the 61st session of the United Nations General Assembly.The Greek delegation also includes Deputy Foreign Minister Yiannis Valinakis, foreign ministry officials and 15 Greek MPs led by Parliament vice-president Sotiris Hatzigakis.

The Greek foreign minister will have numerous meetings with her foreign counterparts while in New York, since Greece currently holds the rotating Security Council presidency for this month.

Among them is a meeting on September 18 with Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul at the offices of the Greek representation. The meeting is in line with the practice established in recent years of alternating meetings by the Greek and Turkish foreign ministers at the offices of their UN representations.

Meetings are also planned with Bakoyannis' counterparts from Egypt, Iran, Spain, Syria and others and participate in a meeting of her counterparts from NATO member-states next Thursday, as well as two separate meetings between the foreign ministers of the EU with their counterparts from Russia and the United States.

The Greek minister will be attending receptions given in honor of the diplomatic representations by U.S. President George Bush and United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

Following the start of the General Assembly on Tuesday, Bakoyannis is scheduled to address the opening of an exhibition entitled "Encomium to the Olive".
On Wednesday, as chair of the Security Council, Greece will organize a open session of the body at the level of foreign ministers and Bakoyannis will speak on the challenges in cooperation between the United Nations and regional organizations aimed at preserving international peace and security.

The aim of the discussion will be to examine the progress made since resolution 1631 was approved last October and study the problems and challenges that continue to exist in order to improve cooperation with regional organizations.
Later the same day, Bakoyannis will host a dinner for her counterparts on the Security Council.

The Greek foreign minister is due to address the UN Security Council on September 22.She will depart for Washington on September 25 for meetings with U.S. government officials and members of Congress, returning to New York on September 27 for meetings with representatives of the Greek-American community.

Her return trip to Athens is scheduled for September 29.

Source: Athens News Agency

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