McAleese broadens relations with Greece

PRESIDENT Mary McAleese said yesterday that her visit to Greece the first by an Irish head of State was an important contribution to the development of relations between the two countries.

"History and geography have conspired to keep us a little bit at arms length from one another," Mrs McAleese said in Athens.

"Now that we are partners in the European Union, we have both an opportunity and also, I think, an obligation to ensure that all the opportunities that are presented by our common partnership in the European Union are harnessed."