Greece honors d'Estaing

    French statesman Valery Giscard d'Estaing was presented with the highest honour bestowed by the Hellenic Parliament to influential international figures, the Award for Parliamentarism and Democracy, during a ceremony held in Athens on Thursday.

   

    The 2009 award was given to d'Estaing by Parliament President Dimitris Sioufas in the Greek Parliament's portico, in the presence of Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis, ministers, representatives of the political parties, politicians, artists and academics.

   

    Sioufas described the former French president as "a unique, great European visionary, an ally of Greece, a philhellene and someone that gave substance to the Franco-Hellenic alliance.

   

    He particularly underlined d'Estaing's support for the late Constantine Karamanlis, saying that he had stood by him like a true friend on what was perhaps the most difficult day of a long and eventful political career:

   

    "By supporting the initiator of the post-junta period in the hard task that he undertook, you assisting in restoring democracy to its ancient homeland. You have linked your name to the greatest day of the modern Hellenic Republic," Sioufas told d'Estaing.

   

    In addition to the French statesman's role during the difficult days of July 1974, after the fall of the junta, Sioufas also emphasised his crucial and emphatic support for Greece's entry into the then European Economic Community (EEC).

   

    "In our country we have an ancient tradition of honouring the people that have stood by us. The greatest honour that we can give is a place in our hearts. You have won this place a long time ago," Sioufas concluded, handing d'Estaing the award bearing an engraved inscription and images of ancient Athens.

   

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