ANKARA (A.A) - 29.05.2002 - Foreign Minister Ismail Cem and his Greek counterpart George Papandreou extended full support to the initiative to jointly organize the 2008 European Football Championship (Euro 2008).
Messages of Cem and Papandreou are available in the web-site '' ''www.hellas-turkiye2008.com'' formed to promote the organization.
Cem said in his message, ''the candidacy of Turkey and Greece to co-host the finals of Euro 2008 European Football Championship is a significant step in the development of good neighbourly relations between our two countries. The Turkish Government fully supports the Football Federation of Turkey in this endeavor that is being pursued jointly with the Greek Football Federation. I am personally involved in this project together with my distinguished Greek counterpart. There is no doubt that the Football Federations of Turkey and Greece, two neighboring countries where football is a national passion, will excel in organizing ''Hellas-Turkiye Euro 2008'', with all the support of their respective governments.''
''I wish the best of luck and success to the Turkish and Greek Football Federations in their joint endeavors to host the Euro 2008 finals and take this opportunity to convey my best wishes to all the football fans in Turkey and Greece as well as to those in the rest of the continent. I look forward to seeing them all in Turkey in 2008,'' Cem added.
In his message, Papandreou said, ''it is a project of significant range and great publicity opportunities.''