Former Massachusetts governor Michael Dukakis, the Demo-cratic Party's US presidential contender in 1988, continued his visit to the Thessaloniki area on Monday with a meeting with Thessaloniki Mayor Vassilis Papageorgopoulos at City Hall.

In brief comments to reporters, Dukakis, one of the best-known Greek-American leaders, noted that the war in Iraq was "a major mistake". He pointed out that the invasion was the "worst choices" ever made in US foreign policy, as it divided the United States from the rest of the world and prevented the US administration from dealing with other problems -- such as ones affecting Greece, the Balkans or eastern Mediterranean, as he said.

Commenting on Greek-Turkish relations, he pointed out that they had considerably improved compared to the past, adding that there was no reason to stop Greece and Turkey from cooperating with each other.

Regarding the even bigger promotion of Greece as a tourism destination, he said the 2004 Olympic Games were a major boost for the country's tourism sector, noting that the number of American tourists visiting Greece has risen 10-15 percent. 

Papageorgopoulos, commenting on Dukakis' 1988 presidential run, said the course of humanity would have been different had the former Massachusetts governor sat in the Oval Office.

Source: Athens News Agency

^
top

print this page   send this page