World Council of Hellenes Abroad (SAE) President Stefanos P. Tamvakis had separate meetings yesterday and today with Deputy Foreign Minister Theodoros Kassimis, responsible for Greek Expatriate issues, General Secretariat for Greeks Abroad General Director Ioannis Kyparissidis and general secretariat office directors and senior officials.

Talks focused on the Regional Conventions to take place in the seven SAE Regions in the fall. Tamvakis pointed out that a notable effort is being made by all sides and that the systematic preparation on behalf of the Regional Coordinators enjoys broad support. The goal is to unite the Greek expatriates under the SAE umbrella and on an equal basis allowing the full-scale development of the healthy forces of World Hellenism, he stressed.

A discussion on the Greek expatriate voting rights draft law was held during the meeting with Deputy Foreign Minister Theodoros Kassimis. Tamvakis was briefed on the outcome of the meeting held in the foreign ministry yesterday in the presence of Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis, Interior Minister Prokopis Pavlopoulos, Deputy Foreign Minister Kassimis and political party representatives: Andreas Loverdos (PASOK), Achilleas Kantartzis (KKE), Fotis Kouvelis (SYRIZA) and Adonis Georgiadis (LAOS).

The SAE President reiterated the firm positions of the organization reached through extensive dialogue with the organized members of the Omogenia expressing the hope that they will be taken under consideration and that the political parties will find common ground on the issue.