Kalam arrives in Athens for 3-day greece visit

Athens, Apr 25 (UNI) President A P J Abdul Kalam today arrived here on a three-day state visit to Greece aimed at further strengthening the relations between the two oldest civilisations of the world.

Dr Kalam was received at the airport by India's Ambassador to Greece Dr B Balakrishnan and the Greek Chief of Protocol.

The President will be accorded full state honour tomorrow and meet his counterpart Dr Karolos Papoulias.

The state visit to Greece comes after a gap of 21 years.

During the visit, India and Greece are expected to sign three important agreement's on Bilateral Investment, Promotion and Protection,Science and Technology and one between the Foreign Service Institutes of the two countries.

Secretary(West) Nalin Surie said the visit would help onsolidate India's growing relations with Greece with which it is linked by ancient bonds of civilisation and history.

''Greece has been supportive of India's interest on a variety of regional and international issues. Greece is an important member of the European Union with which India has strategic partnership.

''Both countries are seeking to add content to this old and traditional relationship, '' he said.

During his stay in the Greek capital, Dr Kalam will also have a meeting with the Prime Minister of Greece and the President of Greek Parliament who will award him a Gold Medal of the Hellenic Parliament.

Athens Mayor Nikitas Kaklamanlis will honour him with the Gold Medal of the City of Athens.

Dr Kalam will also meet with other distinguished personalities including the Leader of the Opposition George Andreas Papandreou, who is currently the President of the Socialist International and had earlier this year attended the Satyagraha Conference. A speech at the prestigious think-tank, the Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Policy, (ELIAMEP) titled' dynamics of Peace and Properity' and an address to the National Council for Scientific Research on the topic of 'Convergence of Technologies' is also scheduled.

The President will visit the Commonwealth War Cemetery and pay tribute to the Indian servicemen who lost their lives during the Second World War.

He would also spend some moments with children at the Rehabilitation Centre for Children with Cerebral Palsy(KASP).

Dr Kalam will fly back to India on April 28 and arrive in New Delhi the same day at 2000 hrs.

UNI