New Zealand Executive Government News Release Archive

Greece has lost a distinguished statesman, the Prime Minister said today. He was announcing that New Zealands Ambassador to Greece, Judith Trotter, would
represent the Government at the State Funeral for Mr Papandreou on Wednesday in
Athens.

Mr Papandreous long political career spanned more than thirty years, Mr Bolger said. The party which he led back into government in 1993, the Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK), was founded by him in 1974, on the restoration of democracy in Greece and his own return from exile.

My condolences go out to Mrs Papandreou, and to the Greek Government and people. New Zealand mourns the loss of the former leader of a country with which we have the warmest relationships. Our friendship with Greece is a longstanding one, stemming from the shared experiences in World War II. The relationship has been further enhanced over the years by the presence of a significant Greek community in New Zealand.