Addressing the Committee of Permanent Representatives (COREPER) ambassadors who are currently visiting Athens, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Evangelos Venizelos summarised on Thursday (May 22) the achievements of the Hellenic Presidency of the EU Council. 

Reviewing the past five months, he noted that the Greek Presidency had completed pending legislation of the growth-oriented sector of the Multiannual Financial Framework. In terms of deepening the union, Venizelos pointed to the compromise reached in March between the Council and the European Parliament on the Single Resolution Mechanism, concerning the Banking Union. He also pointed to the Greek presidency's actions with regard to migration, border management and mobility of EU citizens.

Emphasising "the importance that Greece attaches to the European family's relations with its southern neighbours," Venizelos referred to the ministerial councils convened in Thessaloniki in early May on EU-Western Balkan relations and the EU-Arab League ministerial the Greek presidency will be hosting in Athens on June 10." Finally, he presented the presidency's objective for EU Maritime Policies with the adoption of a text on Maritime Strategy at the June 2014 European Council.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Evangelos Venizelos made the following statement regarding the deadly terrorist attack in China’s Xinjiang region: "We condemn in the most unequivocal manner the deadly terrorist attack carried out today in China, in the city of Urumqi, in the Xinjiang region. We express our solidarity with the Chinese people and our condolences to the families of the victims, and we wish those who were injured a speedy recovery."