Greek Prime Minister Samaras+Government Spokeswoman Voultepsi to EuroFora on EU Energy Links+Sources

*Brussels/EU Summit/Angelo Marcopolo/- October 2014 EU Summit's decisions on Energy Links and own Resources come Timely for Greece's current development Strategy also to promote CO2-free indigenous Energy supplies' connections from Cyprus, Israel, and elsewhere, due to be transported Directly towards Central Europe, as the Prime Minister of the Country, and well known in Strasbourg former MEP in EU Pariament, Antonis Samaras, as well as his Government Spokeswoman, Sofia Voultepsi, replied to relevant "EuroFora"'s Questions in relation to his earlier Statements in a Press meeting with Journalists in Brusssels, including "EuroFora", but also to EU Summit's own collective, official Conclusions, (See Infra).

"EuroFora" asked both  Prime Minister Samaras, and his Government's Spokeswoman, if Greece would be acrively involved in the most relevant EU Summit's Projects for Energy InterConnections and/or Security, (Comp. Infra), and if they found them iimportant for Greece's Economic Development in a way which would also serve the General European Interest, given the Country's Strategic GeoPolitical location in this regard, particularly as far as Projects for Electricity-Gas Links and indigenous resources are concerned, (Comp. Infra).

Samaras , while saluting friendly "Eurofora", just replied initially with a simple "Yes", Smiling, after having exceptionaly shortened his usual Press Briefing at the conclusion of this Brussels' EU Summit.

But his new Spokesperson, the experienced former Journalist, Sofia Voultepsi, (who had inaugurated her new Responsibilities at EU Parliament's Plenary in Strasbourg last July, when Samaras had focused particularly on a succesful Summer Tourism wave, doubled even with a ...Wifi boost in a country which was during the previous Decades one of the less Web-friendly EU Member States : Comp. f.ex. : ....), was more eloquent and affirmative :

- "Certainly, yes. We (i.e. the Government of Greece) are going to carefuly Examine all those" new possibilities, Voultepsi clearly ensured, in reply to "EuroFora"s query.

 

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- Indeed, Greece, in general, "revendicates the Energy interConnection for the Supply of Central Europe", Samaras reminded earlier, and, in this context, f.ex. "a special mention made in (EU Summit's) Conclusion on Countries as Greece, Cyprus and Malta" (See Infra), as well as "the well known big Investment on TAP" pipeline, (etc), augments "the International GeoPolitical Dimension that we are developing", and "strengthens the very Important, from now on, role of the Country, certainly at the European Energy Map, I'd say even Global".

In such a context, the Greek Prime Minister pointed also at the recognition of the "Macro-Region of Adriatic and Ionian" Seas, by the October 2014 EU Summit, "after a Proposal made by Italy (current EU Chair) and Greece", which would have a particular importance for "access to various EU Funding Programs for Western Greece, the west of Peloponisos peninsula, Ipiros area and Ionian islands",  (i.e. close to where are located also other interested EU Member Countries, such as Slovenia and Croatia, as well as Candidates for EU Accession as Montenegro, Albania, etc).

+ "Moreover, it's Important" that this EU Summit "emphasizes Europe's Energy Safety by giving a greater Role in the development of <<Indigenous Energy Sources>> (See Infra), i.e. those which exist in (EU) Member States but haven't been exploited yet", because "Greece is currently Advancing Fast, after Delays of many Decades, to start, at last, exploiting our own Hydro-Carbon Resources", for which, "there are more and more Indications, as it's revealed also by a great Interest shown for these developments in Greece by many Big Companies in that field". Indeed, the aim to "Use its own Energy Sources" is both "a great National Ambition for Greece", and "for the entire Europe, an important Vital Need", which should be covered by Europe itself, he stressed in relevant preliminary Statements made previously to Journalists in Brussels, including "EuroFora".

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>>> This fits Timely Well with German Chancellor Angie Merkel's anounced Strategy about the forthcoming EU Commission's new President, former long-time Prime Minister of Luxembourg,  Jean-Claude Juncker's 300 Billions € Investments Plan for 2015-2017, that she preferred to focus mainly on the Content of Future Investments, particularly on Reforms for more Competitivenes, Digital industry, Research, Education, Innovation, InterConnecting EU Networks, etc. (Meanwhile, EU has already decided to facilitate f.ex. the "ReNovation" of Electricity Plants in certain low-income EU Countries, even in the framework of its Climat and Energy plans).

 - And "I think that Juncker was right to insist to reveal his (EU Investments') Plan - which is due to include a large part of EIB loans, etc.-  already since December 2014, instead of Waiting until January 2015", Merkel also pointed out on this matter, (while Samaras notoriously has important Institutional Rendez-vous inside Greece on March 2015, with the Election of a symbolic but crucial National President of the Republic).
Meanwhile, EIB's Head, Werner Hoyer, recently visited also Cyprus, including in relation with Strategic Gas New Tech. Infrastructural projects.
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In fact, the October 2014 EU Summit agreed that "Special Attention will be paid to ... Malta, Cyprus and Greece", as a key part of "Projects of Common Interest", whose "implementation" will be "Facilitated" by EU "Member States and the Commission", and which are to be "included .. in the upcoming 10-Year Network Development Plans" for "a fully .. Connected Energy Market", particularly by Boosting "adequate InterConnections of Member States with the European Gas and Electricity Networks", according to the official Conclusions.

+ At the same time, the Brussels' EU Summit decided, in parallel, to "Increase (EU's) Energy Security for both Electricity and Gas", "by having recourse to Indigenous Resources, as well as safe and sustainable Low-Carbon Technologies", (obviously including not only RES but also Natural Gas). In this regard, EU Heads of State/Government f.ex. "agreed" to "implement Critical Projects of Common Interest in the Gas sector", including "the Southern Gas Corridor and the promotion of a New Gas Hub in Southern Europe", as well as "for a better use of ReGasification and Storage capacity in the Gas system", urging the EU Commission to "Intensify its Support" for "Critical Projects of Common Interest" and "specific InterConnectors with relevant Member States".

Last, but not least, in this regard, and while Turkish Warships are notoriously harassing  this week Cyprus' peaceful Gas exploration in its exclusive economic zone by European/International Copagnies (See f.ex. : ....), EU Leaders also decided to "use EU and Member States' Foreign Policy Instruments to convey Consistent Messages related to Energy Security, in particular to Strategic Partners" (such as, f.ex. Turkey), etc.

Thus, concerning "indigenous Resources" inside EU's External Borders, and "Low-Carbon" Energy, as well as "Electricity and Gas InterConnections", but also "Energy Security for both Electricity and Gas", particularly via certain "Critical Projects" in "Southern Europe", which are "of Common Interest",

>>> it becomes obviously interesting to review the well-known Idea, promoted f.ex. by Israel's Prime Minister Netanyahu, during earlier Visits in Cyprus and Greece, to collect and transform the unfolding Gas Findings of Cyprus, Israel and Egypt, etc. not only in LNG for Ship Transports towards the EU, but also into Electricity due to be transfered to the EU via an UnderSea Cable, linking Cyprus to Greece, etc, (as "EuroFora" reminded, on this opportunity, to Prime Minister Samaras and his Spokeswoman Voultepsi : Comp. Supra).

Already as early as since 2001, on the occasion of an exceptionaly important European "Geo-Science" Mega-Conference in Strasbourg, (but based on various converging Scientiifc Research which had started at the End of the 1990ies), it had become clear enough that forthcoming mainly Gas Findings at the South-Eastern Mediterranean area, between EU Members Cyprus, Egypt, Israel, Lebanon, etc., could be Similar to those due to be discovered in a Geological area of the kind of the Gulf of Mexico, which, according to former US President G.W.Bush, might be able to provide in Future more than 52% of USA's Energy needs.

The subsequent and still on-going Gas Findings in Israel, Egypt, Cyprus, Lebanon, etc., are largely in the process of confiming such an Hypothesis, which, if it's fully proved true, would obviously boost considerably EU's Energy Independence and, therefore, Competitiveness and Growth potential in the foreseable Future.
A much needed prospect, particularly at this moment of Slow Growth in the EU, for which both Greece and Cyprus are naturally Strategically located in order to serve also in Ship Transport Networks, (where they notoriously hold an important role even Globally), leading Directly towards EU's center, without having to necessarily pass by any Foreign, 3rd Country, via any Dangerous, too Long, and/or Costly intermediary area before, but, on the contrary, moving mainly inside EU External Borders.

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+ Samaras on the "Day after" Greece's "Return to Normality" : Call for at least "a Minimal Consensus" with "Everybody" accross the entire Political Spectrum of the Country.
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All this Timely fits also Greece's current efforts to prepare "the Day After" the forthcoming conclusion of the Memorandum on the EU/IMF Program for its Finances, "i.e. on how Greece will advance, with Security and Prudence, out of the big Challenge that the Greek People faced in the latest period", "from now on, on a Steady Path of Recovery", as "a Return to Normality, which has already begun", even if "Negotiations are still continuing  (with ou Lenders) at all levels", since "all acknowledge, now, that Greece has succeeded in many points, and that the Transition to the Day After, must be accomplissed in Safety", as Prime Minister Samaras stressed in Conclusion of his Statements to Journalists in Brussels, including "EuroFora".

 - "More United we are in this effort to get out of that Tunnel, at last", better it is. "And we are at the End, now, that the Light became Crystal-clear, as we've seen, now that this development is Certain, now that the Numbers have Confirmed our predictions, (f.ex. on a repeated Budgetary Primary Surplus), now that we are receiving Congratulations from our EU partners for obtaining the desired results, I think that it's important and better for Greece if it existed, at least in a certain degree, not a satisfecit, but at least a Minimal Consensus by the political Opposition" (from various Rightists and/or Leftists), as he proposed.

 - At any case, "We (the Government of Greece) are Committed into advancing further on this path, now that we are reaching its End, in order to get the Country, at last, out of that Tunnel, those Tragedies that we faced all these years. I'm firmly Decided to do exactly that", and "Call Everybody to participate in this process of (at least "Minimal") Consensus : Everybody !", Samaras stressed twice in conclusion.