Thessaloniki, Greece - Greek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis announced here recently that the next year will be the year of olive oil in Greece to promote its olive oil worldwide.

Inaugurating the 70th Thessaloniki International Fair recently, Karamanlis told the audience that 2006 will be a golden opportunity to promote its olive oil around the world, due to the fact that its competitors, Spain and Portugal, suffered a lot from the rampant fire which destroyed a large part: of their olive trees and severe drought this year.

He said that Greece should increase its share in the world market up to the degree it deserves. In his speech, the prime minister stressed the development of northern Greece, saying that Thessaloniki, the second largest city in Greece and the most important in Northern Greece will be turned into an attraction for scientists from south-eastern Europe and a new base for new technologies.

The prime minister said that the strategy to achieve the vision of a modern Greece is being implemented with the goal of "peace-cooperation-development", saying that "we are cultivating relations of bilateral and multilateral cooperation with all countries in our region." "We are working with the aim of having our wider region becoming a European neighborhood of peace, development and prosperity for all" he added.

A total of, 1070 exhibitors from 28 countries participated in this year's Thessaloniki International Fair compared to only 20 countries last year.

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