Greece–Russia relations refer
to bilateral foreign relations between Greece and Russia. Due
to the strong historical friendship and the deep cultural and religious ties
between the two nations, (the majority of Greeks and Russians practice the Eastern Orthodox faith), Greece and Russia enjoy excellent diplomatic
relations. Both countries also share common political views about the Balkans
and the world, with Greece being a strong supporter of Russia's stance on the Kosovo Unilateral Declaration of
Independence. Diplomatic relations
were established in 1828.[1] Both Greece and Russia are
full members of many organizations, including the Council
of Europe, the Organization
for Security and Co-operation in Europe and the Organization
of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation. According to a Pew Research Center opinion poll taken in 2013, 63% of Greeks view Russia
favorably versus 33% expressing a negative opinion.[2]
Economic relations[edit]
Burgas-Alexandroupoli pipeline[edit]
The Burgas-Alexandroupoli
pipeline was proposed
in 1993–1994 by several Russian and Greek companies.[3] In 1994, for construction of the pipeline Greece and
Bulgaria signed a bilateral agreement, followed by a memorandum of cooperation, signed by Greece and Russia.[4]
In February
1998, a Greek consortium for pipeline construction named
Bapline was established, and in May 1998, a memorandum of creation of the
Transbalkan Oil Pipeline Company was signed.[4] In 2000, a technical specifications and an economic
evaluation of the project were prepared by the German company ILF.[3] A joint protocol for preparing the pipeline's
construction was signed by the three countries in January 2005.[5]
The political
memorandum between both governments was signed on 12 April 2005. An
inter-governmental agreement on the project was agreed on 7 February 2007, and
it was signed on 15 March 2007 in Athens, by the involved ministers of the three countries, under
the presence of their leaders, Vladimir Putin (Russian president), Sergei Stanishev (Bulgarian prime-minister), and Kostas Karamanlis (prime-minister of Greece).[6][7]
The agreement
establishing the international project company was signed in Moscow on 18
December 2007 and the company, called Trans-Balkan Pipeline B.V., was
incorporated in the Netherlands on 6 February 2008.[8][9] Construction of the pipeline is scheduled to start in
October 2009, and is estimated to be completed by 2011.[10]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greece%E2%80%93Russia_relations
Comments
Greece borders Albania Bulgaria Turkey and Macedonia. If
Russia can benefit from an even stronger relationship with Greece and can fund
Greece through this cash-flow crisis, it could be the answer. The Greek government would still need to get
its act together and should maintain the cost cuts they have made, but they
should also press reforms, eliminate corruption and bureaucracy, collect the
taxes owed them and get out of the EU.
Norb Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea Party Leader
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