Greek Prime Minister Hopeful Outlines Agenda

Cambridge may be an out-of-the-way campaign stop for a Greek politician, but President of the conservative New Democracy Party of Greece Kostas Karamanlis gave what amounted to a stump speech last night at the ARCO Forum.

Karamanlis, a prime minister hopeful in 2000, outlined a definitive agenda for Greece's domestic and international future to an audience of about 100 students and community members.

Greece's entry into the European Union would allow the country to participate more ably in the European community, he said.

But Karamanlis called for more than monetary unity. Europe should share common foreign policy interests and common defense, he said. "Our objective is further steps to the political unification of Europe," he said.

Lauding peace efforts in the Middle East and the former Yugoslavia, Karamanlis said, "Nobody who shares Western values can support extremism."

Karamanlis also discussed two more controversial issues that loom large on his country's political scene as he faces an election year.

Karamanlis criticized the current Socialist government for its continuous and ineffective educational and monetary reforms. His position earned praise from much of the audience.

"We are four years behind the common market because of this [current] government," said Leonidas N. Varvitsiotis, an audience member.

Regarding Greece's territorial disagreements with Turkey, Karamanlis' unyielding position drew him more criticism.

Initiating dialogue with Turkey would depend on certain prerequisites, he said. Turkey would need to renounce territorial claims to Aegean islands and assure Greek safety from violence.

Eva Tsoukalidou '02, vice president of the Harvard Hellenic Society, said she remained unconvinced of Karamanlis' policies, noting his partisan viewpoint. "It's not realistic because the problem hasn't been solved for 25 years," she said.

Born in 1956, Karamanlis attended Athens University and Athens University Law School before crossing the Atlantic.

At the Tufts' Fletcher School, Karamanlis earned his M.A. and Ph.D.