Greece, Russia sign joint action plan on economic cooperation

ATHENS, Dec. 2 (Xinhua) -- Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov signed on Wednesday a joint action plan on cooperation between the two countries, mainly in the economic field.

On the sidelines of the 17th OSCE ministerial meeting held in Athens, the two sides agreed to boost bilateral economic cooperation with the action plan covering the next two years.

They expressed a common will to continue the project of Burgas-Alexandroupolis oil pipeline, which will transport Russian and Caspian oil from the Bulgarian Black Sea port of Burgas to the Greek Aegean port of Alexandroupolis. It would be an alternative route for Russian oil to bypass the Bosporus and the Dardanelles.

In statements to the press, Papandreou and Lavrov confirmed the excellent level of Greek-Russian relations and the determination to advance the strategic cooperation between the two countries, ranging from economy, energy, trade to technology and culture, as well as in the EU and NATO frameworks.

Papandreou accepted a formal invitation to visit Moscow in early 2010.

In a separate meeting earlier on Wednesday with U.S. Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg, the Greek leader discussed bilateral and international topics, as well as the prospect of paying an official visit to Washington also in 2010.