Good coverage of Greek PM's visit in Russian media

   Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis' trip to Moscow received extended coverage from the Russian media, most of which devoted several columns and minutes of air-time to the visit and the signature of the South Stream gas pipeline agreement on Tuesday and Wednesday.

   The general consensus was that the visit and the agreement opened new horizons in cooperation between Greece and Russia and it was viewed as a final diplomatic success for Vladimir Putin before his departure from the presidential office to become Russia's prime minister.

   The Greek premier also received record amounts of airtime in Russia's electronic media, such as the main television networks and the English-language satellite channel "Russia Today", which spoke of a "new page in strategic cooperation" between Greece and Russia and an "impressive improvement in bilateral relations in the last three-four years".

   According to one Russian newspaper, for example, the South Stream pipeline made Greece an important link in Europe's energy policy, while it noted that Athens and Moscow had built on historic and cultural ties to become close partners in the energy sector.

   Caption:ANA-MPA/EPA Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) and Greek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis speak during a press conference in Moscow, Russia, 29 April 2008. Greece and Russia signed a deal to extend the proposed Russian-Italian South Stream gas pipeline into Greek territory, boosting Moscow's presence on Europe's energy supply routes. EPA/YURI KADOBNOV