A member of a delegation from the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, passed a Holocaust memorial on Freedom Square in Thessaloniki, as an officer of the police's special forces looks on northern Greece on Tuesday Feb 8, 2011. Members of the delegation visiting Greece are due to meet the country's Prime Minister George Papandreou. (AP Photo.Nikolas Giakoumidis)
THESSALONIKI, Greece - A group of American Jewish leaders has begun a five-day visit to Greece, amid an improvement in once cool ties between Greece and Israel.
The delegation from the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations visited a Holocaust memorial Tuesday in this northern Greek city. They are due to meet Prime Minister George Papandreou in Athens on Thursday.
Greek and Israeli officials say the two countries are in preliminary talks on potential energy deals involving Israeli offshore natural gas deposits.
Greece, now battling financial crisis, has traditionally close ties with Arab countries and the Palestinians.
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Online:
Greece Foreign Ministry statement: http://bit.ly/f99l2Q
