Theophanous brings home the Golden Fleece

IN A cordial form but with as much success as Jason and the Argonauts who brought back the Golden Fleece from the Black Sea, Theo Theophanous Minister for Industry and Trade secured significant networks, cultural and business ties between Greece and Victoria in a recent trade mission to Greece.

Victorian and Greek relations are at an all-time high following Theo Theophanous' successful Victorian trade mission to Greece. Mr Theophanous met with key Greek officials, including the President of the Hellenic Republic Karolos Papoulias. Discussions centred around building on the healthy relationship between Victoria and Greece.

The meeting aimed at boosting cultural and trade ties between Victoria and Greece, with Mr Theophanous encouraging the President to visit Melbourne to meet the city's vibrant Greek community. Mr Papoulias expressed a desire to do so and told Minister Theophanous he would examine the possibility of a visit to Melbourne in late 2008. "This visit would be a major coup for Victoria and will put our state at the forefront of the mind of one of the most powerful men in Greece, particularly when he is looking at trade and tourism investment opportunities in Australia and throughout the Asia-Pacific region," Mr Theophanous said.

"Melbourne is home to one of the largest Greek populations outside of Athens, with about 60,000 Greek born people in Victoria, and by capitalising on our links we can rapidly enhance our trade and investment options."

Mr Theophanous, like Jason of old, led a Government trade mission involving 11 Victorian companies. In addition, Mr Theophanous held meetings with the Greek Finance and Economy Minister Giorgos Alogoskoufis, and Greek Foreign Affairs Minister Dora Bakoyiannis, with whom he discussed issues of national importance to Greece.

Minister Theophanous also met with the Greek Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Theodoros Kassimis, Greek Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Petros Doukas, Minister for the Interior and Public Order Prokopis Pavlopoulos and Deputy Minister for Sports Giannis Ioannidis.

Mr Ionnidis said he would work towards increasing the number of visits to Australia by Greek sports teams, including a possible tour next year from the Greek national youth basketball side.

While in Greece, Mr Theophanous hosted networking events for trade mission participants, and attended a Remembrance Day ceremony commemorating the sacrifice of Australians in Greece and Crete in World War Two.

Mr Theophanous also presented a $250,000 cheque to the Greek government on behalf of the Brumby Government, to aid with the recovery from the devastating Greek bushfires this year.