Greek president extends New Year greetings to Chinese people

Greek President Karolos Papoulias on Thursday extended warm New Year's greetings to the Chinese people ahead of the Spring Festival which falls on Friday.

"On the occasion of the Spring Festival, a significant and very interesting holiday, I would like to send to the Chinese people my warmest and not just formal wishes," Papoulias told the Chinese people through a written statement to Xinhua.

The president noted that the two countries and two peoples are connected with deep cultural bonds, and with historic relations of cooperation and solidarity, "which we honor and look forward to their development."

"We are working for the enhancement and expansion of these ties which have great importance for our country and impressive growth potential," he stressed.

"The Greek people respect and admire Chinese civilization, while our Chinese friends have proved several times their interest in our country. I am certain that there is still a wide margin of constructive cooperation in many sectors, which we should seek for the benefit of our peoples," he added.