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Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English, 01-12-24Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>December 24, 2001CONTENTS
[01] Athens metro line extension contract signedAthens, 24/12/2001 (ANA)The primary construction contract for a long-anticipated metro line extension branching out southeast of downtown Athens was signed on Sunday.The winning consortium in an international tender for extension of line 3, bourse-listed Aktor SA with Impreglio Sp.A., signed the agreement with the new subway�s partially state-run management, Attiko Metro SA. The contract is worth 69.2 billion drachmas (roughly 203 million euros) and includes work on the projected line 3 extension from the soon-to-be-completed Monastiraki station, adjacent to the Acropolis, and via three new underground stations to the Aegaleo district. [02] State Department says non-inclusion of nautical boundaries 'a standing policy'WASHINGTON, 24/12/2001 (ANA - T. Ellis)The non-inclusion of maritime boundaries on topographical maps "is a standing policy of the US", the State Department said Friday in a written response to a question concerning the recent publication of a map of the Aegean Sea that did not contain the maritime boundaries between Greece and Turkey.The written statement referred interested parties to the Department of Defense for further information, while it also noted that the National Imagery and Mapping Agency (NIMA) recently created digital maps of the region of the Aegean "in a joint co-production arrangement with the mapping counterparts in Greece and Turkey", adding that those maps had been made available to "our NATO allies". [03] Defense minister visits Greek contingent in Kosovo, meets RugovaAthens, 24/12/2001 (ANA)Defense Minister Yiannos Papantoniou expressed the need for initiatives to be taken as soon as possible for a settlement to be reached on the issue of the formation of a government in Kosovo, during talks he had in Kosovo with LDK party leader Ibrahim Rugova on Sunday.Papantoniou's talks with Rugova was within the framework of his visit to the Greek contingent in Kosovo on the occasion of the Christmas holidays. Rugova hailed the role of the Greek contingent's efforts to consolidate a climate of security among the citizens of Kosovo. Papantoniou visited the "Alexander The Great" and "Rigas Fereos" camps which consist of about 1,500 troops. The Greek minister referred to the draft law which the defense ministry is processing on the revision of defense strategy and which will be submitted in Parliament in January. He also reiterated the government's commitment to reduce military service to 12 months from January 2003. The minister, who was accompanied on his visit by Chief of the Army General Staff George Antonakopoulos, returned to Athens on Sunday night. [04] Cyprus president meets Greek ambassadorNICOSIA, 24/12/2001 (ANA)Cyprus President Glafcos Clerides met on Saturday with Greek Ambassador to Nicosia Christos Panagopoulos and discussed with him the matters which Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis will raise in his talks with U.S. President George Bush in Washington on January 10 on the Cyprus question.According to sources, Nicosia and Athens have agreed that it must be stressed upon President Bush that a settlement of the Cyprus problem must be based on UN resolutions. The sources added that Clerides and Panagopulos discussed the apparent efforts of the Turks and by certain of their allies to neutralize the UN resolutions on Cyprus which are based on a bizonal, bicommunal and federal settlement. [05] Patriarch, Archbishop Anastasios deliver Christmas messagesAthens, 24/12/2001 (ANA)Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos in a Christmas message on Sunday called on Christians to faithfully follow the path of God and not to be led into temptation.The Patriarch, who called for peace on earth, said Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ who devoted his life for the benefit of mankind by teaching them to show love, understanding and compassion. In a similar message, Archbishop Anastasios of Tirana and All Albania said that although insecurity existed throughout the world in light of the phenomenon of terrorism, people should strive for peace on earth and find inner peace. He said that the threat to peace was racial discrimination and intolerance which should be overcome. "Let's fill our hearts, our society, our world, with more love," Anastasios said. [06] Patriarch of Jerusalem Irineos sends Christmas messageAthens, 24/12/2001 (ANA)Patriarch of Jerusalem Irineos in a Christmas message on Sunday said although Christians are daily witnessing the grievous global state of affairs, they should never lose faith in God and Jesus Christ.The Orthodox Church, he said, never remained indifferent to human suffering and strived to relieve pain. He said people should be charitable and struggle against the scourge of war, the unequal distribution of material wealth and injustice. [07] Christodoulos' Christmas messageAthens, 24/12/2001 (ANA)Archbishop of Athens and All Greece Christodoulos issued his annual Christmas message on Sunday, two days before the birth of Christ is celebrated in the predominately Eastern Orthodox nation."...In the darkness of materialism and despair, amid the desolation of atheism and spiritual voids, the presence of Christ the Savior is a light that leads and brings hope ..." Christodoulos said in part of his message. [08] Relatives of murdered policeman seek compensationAthens, 24/12/2001 (ANA)Five relatives of policeman D. Alevizopoulos who was murdered by criminal Costas Passaris during the latter's escape from Athens General State Hospital on February 16, are seeking 350 million drachmas compensation by the state for the grief caused to them by his death.The relatives in the law suit they filed referred to what they termed "tragic mistakes" made by the authorities. They said that according to investigations, Alevizopoulos was not responsible for Passaris' escape from the hospital. The relatives added that Passaris had carefully planned his escape from the hospital with the help of accomplices. During his escape from the hospital, Passaris also shot dead policeman C. Drakopoulos. [09] Interior minister expresses reservations about outcome of UN-led direct talks on CyprusNICOSIA, 24/12/2001 (CNA/ANA)Cyprus Interior Minister Christodoulos Christodoulou ex-pressed here on Sunday reservations about the outcome of UN-led direct talks on Cyprus, to begin here in mid-January, noting that Turkey and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash have not yet given any indications that they will withdraw their unacceptable demands for a solution providing for two states and a confederation on the island. Christodoulou noted that the Greek-Cypriot side, acting with discretion, unity, unanimity and determination, must be and will always be ready to face all probabilities, adding that there is no doubt "that our struggle will continue to be hard and painful."This new endeavor (UN-led direct talks), welcomed overwhelmingly by other countries, has caused concerns and reasonable reservations about the possibility of positive developments, that would lead to an honorable, just, viable, and lasting solution of the problem, Christodoulou noted. He added that Cyprus and Greece must continue to show good will and modesty and at the same time continue to upgrade their defense and promote Cyprus' EU accession course. On December 4 this year Cyprus President Glafcos Clerides and Denktash met in Nicosia and announced direct talks scheduled for mid-January in Cyprus, with no preconditions, all issues on the table, negotiations until a comprehensive settlement is achieved and no agreement until everything is agreed. The island has been divided since 1974 when Turkish troops invaded and occupied its northern third. Cyprus opened accession negotiations with the EU in April 1998 and has so far provisionally closed 24 out of 29 chapters of the acquis communautaire. [10] Greek president reiterates solidarity to CyprusAthens, 24/12/2001 (ANA)Cyprus new Ambassador to Greece Leonidas Pantelides presented Thursday his credentials to Greek President Kostis Stephanopoulos, who wished for a just settlement of the Cyprus question, the soonest possible, and expressed Greece's unequivocal solidarity to efforts made to reach a solution.Pantelides assured Stephanopoulos that he himself and his aides would do their best to fulfill their task during this difficult period, as he said. Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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