Greece has assumed the presidency of the European Union as the world faces up to the possibility of a war over Iraq and at an auspicious time in its relations with neighbouring states. These issues figure prominently in its priorities for the presidency. The Greek government has an opportunity to make a political difference by combining its own interests and expertise with the wider European ones involved.
Announcing its programme for the six-month presidency yesterday in Athens the Greek Prime Minister, Mr Costas Simitis, and the President of the European Commission, Mr Romano Prodi, both insisted that a war over Iraq is neither wanted nor inevitable. It would, they said, first have to be endorsed by the United Nations Security Council. They announced a diplomatic initiative to engage Middle East states on the issue and said they are planning a major humanitarian operation in the event of a war.
Given the estimate of a leaked UN report this week that 10 million Iraqi people would be directly affected by a war, both the instinct to prevent it and to make contingency plans are fully understandable. As always with the EU's foreign policy process, a major question mark must be put over its ability to deliver a unified position. But despite continuing tension between the different member-states on Iraq, there are indications that a more convergent policy is developing, based on a growing scepticism about US policy. The rapidly deteriorating situation in North Korea over recent days has reinforced that perception.
Greece will make a settlement in Cyprus and improved relations with Turkey major priorities over the next six months. Mr Simitis and his Foreign Minister, Mr George Papandreou, have played a skilful long game with Turkey in the last five years, relating improved relations directly to a strategy of co-operative Europeanisation to reduce political and military tension between the two states.
In recent months it has borne fruit in the most extraordinary way. The landslide victory of Mr Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Turkey's general elections has had a ripple effect throughout the region. Based on a reformist programme linked to EU membership, his triumph has galvanised popular feeling in favour of a settlement among the Turkish Cypriots, which should create a momentum towards a settlement in coming weeks.
That would ease the way for Greece to sign the accession agreements with 10 EU accession states next April, ahead of their national referendums this year. Greece also expects to reach detailed agreements with Romania and Bulgaria on when they will join. And Mr Prodi took the opportunity in Athens yesterday to say the next batch of applications are likely to come from Greece's Balkan neighbours. Otherwise, the next six months of EU business will be dominated by Greek efforts to stimulate the sluggish European economy by more determined reforms. This will be just as testing as the political tasks they face.