Greece and the United Nations on Wednesday signed an agreement for the promotion of trade and investments.

The agreement was signed in Athens by national economy and finance minister George Alogoskoufis and the resident representative and Deputy Assistant Administrator and Deputy Regional Director of the UN Development Program's (UNDP) regional bureau for Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) Marta Ruedas.

The agreement provides for the establishment of a bureau in Athens aimed at better cooperation among the 12 countries in the wider region and the promotion of trade and investments. The regional program is co-financed by Greece, Turkey and the UN, while the participating countries in the agreement are Greece, Turkey, Albania, Bulgaria, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Hungary, Georgia, Armenia, Moldova and Azerbaijan.

Alogoskoufis told reporters after the signing of the agreement that the establishment in Athens of a UNDP bureau for the development of commerce and investments will focus its targets on the development of the private sector through exploitation of investment opportunities in the region, while emphasis will also be on advancing exports to the EU countries and the US.

The accord, Alogoskoufis added, marked a new era in cooperation with the UN. Greece, he said, places special weight on the economic growth, peace and prosperity of the peoples of the wider region.

Fuedas, in turn, said the program was a very important agreement, and expressed deep appreciation to the Greek government and to minister Alogoskoufis.

She said Greece's participation was of strategic importance, adding that the region was expected to tackle its economic problems via this cooperation.

Greece, she said, was the only signatory of the agreement that was also an EU member country, and consequently could convey its expertise with the other countries.

Source: Athens News Agency

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