Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis arrived here on Thursday afternoon for a two-day official visit to Bulgaria and was welcomed by his Bulgarian counterpart Sergei Stanishev in front of Aleksandr Nievski Cathedral.

After inspecting a guard of honor, Karamanlis laid a wreath and toured the Cathedral together with Stanishev. The church was completed in the early 19th century and is a gift by the Russians for the liberation from Turkish rule in honor of the czar Alexander. Karamanlis was given a painting with the "spirit of Bulgaria."

The prime minister was due to attend an official dinner at 8.30 in the evening, given in his honor by his Bulgarian counterpart.

An agreement is expected to be signed on Friday on the opening of a corridor for private persons at Kyprinos in the Evros region, as well as a joint friendship and cooperation declaration.

Bulgaria is interested in particular in the opening of many corridors along the borders to enable seasonal workers to have access and because it was ascertained that many Greeks visit border cities in Bulgaria which are turning, in essence, into trade centers.

As regards bilateral issues, the agenda is open and the possibility of the issue of better cooperation on timely warning when the level of waters in the Evros River increases cannot be ruled out.

Karamanlis is accompanied by Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis, Minister of State and government spokesman Theodoros Roussopoulos and Deputy Foreign Minister Evripidis Stylianidis.

Source: Athens News Agency

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