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Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English, 01-07-30Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>July 30, 2001CONTENTS
[01] PM outlines government's main targets at party rally in ParosAthens, 30/07/2001 (ANA)Prime Minister Costas Simitis, addressing a ruling PASOK party rally at Paroikia on the island of Paros on Sunday evening, said the government wants to build a steadfast and strong Greece in Europe in the decades to come, a Greece which will not return to the past, but which will win the present and conquer the future."Greece in 2004 will have nothing to do with Greece in 1994, but it will also differ a great deal from 2000 Greece. Because the Greek people have given the go-ahead for change and Greece's modernization," he said. Simitis also referred to the government's targets, which concern the country's development. "The policy of PASOK is the guarantee that Greece shall not miss the European train of growth but, on the contrary, it will travel in a privileged position," he said. He further stressed that building a new social state is a target for PASOK. "The dilemma 'economic growth or a social state' is a false dilemma. We do not accept it. It is the economy that shall pay for the social state and it is the social state which will strengthen social cohesion and in this way it will safeguard economic growth," he said. At the end of his address, Simitis referred to PASOK's October congress, saying that it will preoccupy itself with the country's future and prospects. Earlier in the day, Simitis visited the Panagia Ekatontapyliani church on the island where the Metropolitan of Paronaxia Amvrosios gave him a guided tour PM praises Paros fishermen for 'Express Samina' rescues: Prime Minister Costas Simitis, currently visiting the island of Paros, on Saturday met with the Paros fishermen who last year helped save many lives through their valiant efforts to find survivors after the sinking of the "Express Samina" passenger ferry. During the meeting, Simitis said their selfless actions should be an example to all Greeks, while the fisherman outlined the problems facing their sector. [02] Gov't categorically denies deal to remove troops from Greek islandsAthens, 30/07/2001 (ANA)Government spokesman Dimitris Reppas categorically denied press reports on Saturday about a purported agreement for the withdrawal of Greek troops from Greek islands.Describing the reports as totally groundless, Reppas said that no such issue had ever been raised and advised the media to avoid fabricating information that was not only untrue but also harmful to Greece's foreign policy goals. [03] ND leader visits quake-stricken SkyrosAthens, 30/07/2001 (ANA)Main opposition New Democracy leader Costas Karamanlis visited the earthquake-stricken Aegean island of Skyros on Saturday to be briefed at first hand on the problems facing inhabitants after major quake two days ago.Accompanied by local officials and New Democracy MPs for the island, Karamanlis was shown around the areas damaged as a result of Thursday's 5.7-Richter tremor and filled in on the problems now facing the island. The main opposition leader stressed that restoring the island's water supply was the first priority and that ND would pressure the government to carry out necessary repairs and works, as well as record and pay compensation for all the damage. Karamanlis visited Skyros after a tour of the island of Samos on Friday, which had suffered extensive destruction as the result of fires in the past year. Shortly before his departure from Samos late last night, Karamanlis had launched into a renewed attack on the government and Prime Minister Costas Simitis, which he said were responsible for "an explosion of arrogance and hypocrisy and alienation from the average citizen," and a state of corruption that regularly went unpunished. [04] Greek Hellas-SAT satellite manufacturing to be announced next weekNICOSIA, 30/07/2001 (ANA - G. Leonidas)The Greek Transport and Communications ministry and the Communications ministry of Cyprus are expected to announce next week the signing of an agreement on the creation, launching and placing in orbit of the Greek Hellas-SAT satellite.The total investment will amount to 337 million Cyprus pounds. The Greek Transport and Communications ministry appears to be close to an agreement on the awarding of the project with a consortium of Greek and Cypriot companies. Reports said the Cyprus development Bank and the Avacom company will have a 55 percent stake in the consortium, while the Hellenic Telecommunications Organization will have 25 per-cent and the Canadian Telesat company and the Greek Hellenic Aerospace Industry will each have 10 percent. The consortium undertaking the project is expected to be obliged to order a satellite from Boeing, which will have to be launched in a specified time limit by September 2002. [05] Rhode Island State Senator to visit GreeceNEW YORK, 30/07/2001 (ANA-M. Georgiadou)Rhode Island Senator Leonidas Raptakis will set out for Greece with his family on Monday to promote his initiatives on the expansion of the program of the Council of Hellenes Abroad (SAE), under the auspices of the Greek foreign affairs and interior ministries.The specific program gives Greek-Americans aged between 8-13 and 18-25 the opportunity to visit archaeological and cultural sites in Athens, Thessaloniki and the Greek countryside and to attend a series of lessons and lectures. In Athens, Raptakis will meet New Hampshire Congressman William Tsiros and together they will meet with senior Greek government officials, Archbishop of Athens and All Greece Christodoulos, the Prefect of the Dodecannese Costas Karayiannis and main opposition New Democracy party Deputy Dora Bakoyianni. [06] PASOK office firebombed in KoukakiAthens, 30/07/2001 (ANA)A firebomb exploded outside a PASOK local organization office in an Athens suburb early Sunday, causing minor damage but no injuries.Police said the homemade bomb, comprising two propane canisters, exploded at 3:30 a.m. outside a PASOK local organization office in Koukaki, causing minor damage to the facility. No group immediately claimed the attack. [07] Film director Angelopoulos in hospital intensive care unit in CreteAthens, 30/07/2001 (ANA)World renowned film director Theo Angelopoulos is being treated in an intensive care unit at the university hospital in Irakleio, Crete.According to reports, he was admitted to hospital on Saturday. Doctors at the hospital indicated that he is suffering from an infection of the lungs and his admission to the intensive care unit was made purely for preventive reasons. They believe that if the state of his health develops smoothly he will be discharged from the unit, probably even on Monday. [08] Fire at Balkan Export lumber company, 30 million dr. in damagesAthens, 30/07/2001 (ANA)A fire broke out at the Balkan Export lumber industry in northern Greece early Sunday, causing at least 30 million dr. in damage before it was extinguished, the Fire Brigade said.A spokesman for the Fire Brigade said the fire broke out at 3:00 a.m. at the Balkan Export installations on the Thessaloniki-Edessa national highway some 15 kilometers outside the northern Greek capital. The spokesman said the fire broke out among machinery in the factory's yard and quickly spread. It took 25 firefighters with eight fire engines four hours to extinguish the blaze. The spokesman said firefighters were racing against time to prevent the fire from reaching nearby warehouses full of "huge quantities of lumber". [09] Lyssarides says Cyprus peace talks should be based on int'l lawNICOSIA, 30/07/2001 (CNA/ANA)Honorary Leader of Social Democrats Movement (KISOS) Vassos Lyssarides said on Sunday that talks over the Cyprus problem should be based on international law principles and the safeguarding of all citizens human rights, all over the island.In his eulogy, at a memorial service marking the death of the late Archbishop Makarios, Lyssarides said that many of those involved in efforts to solve the Cyprus problem "use fictitious talks" and pledged, "we will not allow the falsification of history." Commenting on Greco-Turkish relations, Lyssarides said that Cyprus has received assurances by the Greeks that they would not accept a significant smoothing out of Greco-Turkish relations, unless Turkey diversifies radically its position on the Cyprus problem. He noted that Turkey always takes but never gives anything back in return, unless it is forced to do so, and that response to Turkish provocations should be immediate. Turkish Foreign Minister Ismail Cem has said Ankara's response to Cyprus' accession to the EU, prior to a solution, would be without limits and has often threatened to incorporate the island's northern part it occupies for the past 27 years, should this happen. The late Archbishop Makarios died in August 1977, having ruled the newly formed Republic of Cyprus for 17 years (1960-1977). UN-led proximity talks, aiming at reaching an overall settlement of the Cyprus problem, were interrupted last year when Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash abandoned the talks, which started in December 1999, declaring them "dead" and demanding recognition of his self-styled regime in the Turkish-occupied part of Cyprus before he returns to the dialogue. Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when Turkish troops invaded and occupied 37 per cent of its territory. Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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