France

By Costas Iordanidis

EU education ministers from all 28 member states adopted the Declaration on promoting citizenship and the common values of freedom, tolerance and non-discrimination through education. The meeting was held in Paris in response to the tragic terror attacks that took place in the city on January 7 and in Copenhagen on February 14.

Greece's Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras will plead with European counterparts at a summit in Brussels Thursday to release vital funds to help his debt-laden country stave off a looming cash crunch.

Turkey has given the European Commission a revised position paper for European Union accession chapter 17, economic and monetary policies, and expects the bloc to open the chapter in eight weeks' time, EU Minister Volkan Bozkir has told Hürriyet Daily News.

Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras on Wednesday appeared defiant and determined to enforce his government?s anti-austerity program ahead of critical talks with European officials in Brussels later in the day which could be his last chance to break a deadlock and unlock much-needed rescue loans.

Alternate Defense Minister Costas Isichos told Russian media that he plans to ask authorities there to allow the Greek state access to archives pertaining to the destruction of infrastructure by Nazi forces during World War II.

BELGRADE - This year's World Poetry Day(s) will be held in Belgrade and Pozega from March 20 to 23, bringing together numerous authors from Serbia and abroad.

In 1999, UNESCO proclaimed March 21 as World Poetry Day which has been celebrated in Serbia since 2001.

This 15th event in a row has several program units that cover both contemporary and classical poetry.

The government has adopted a draft agreement between Bulgaria and the US on exchange of Passenger Name Record (PNR) data.

The agreement is to be signed and subsequently ratified, according to the press office of Bulgaria's Council of Ministers.

By Eleni Chrepa & Nikos Chrysoloras

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras struck a defiant tone as he prepared for meetings in Brussels with European leaders to discuss the cash-strapped country?s bailout.

Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on Wednesday played down the chances of reaching a nuclear agreement during talks under way this week in the Swiss city of Lausanne.