Athens News Aency: Daily News Bulletin in English, 03-08-04

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From: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>

CONTENTS

[01] Greece seeks Parthenon Marbles exhibit in Athens for 2004 Olympics.

[02] Archbishop blasts ''bid to bar Christianity'' from EU constitution

[03] August holiday exodus gains impetus on Saturday

[04] Greek film festival in Australia Aug 27-Sept 7

[01] Greece seeks Parthenon Marbles exhibit in Athens for 2004 Olympics.

Athens 4/08/03 (ANA)

''In the framework of joint cultural traditions and close cultural ties between the two countries, we have proposed the creation of a single, joint exhibition of the Parthenon Marbles,'' Culture Minister Evangelos Venizelos said in a statement on Sunday.

''In this manner, the Marbles may be in Athens for the 2004 Olympic Games through cooperation between the British Museum and the Acropolis' New Museum,'' Venizelos said.

The minister was responding to media enquiries regarding an article published in the Sunday Times newspaper earlier in the day that said the Greek government and British Museum were in talks about returning the works of art for the Athens Olympics under a rental arrangement.

''The Greek side is ready to sign all the necessary contracts, both between the two museums and between the two governments. Besides, the two countries are members of the European Union and of UNESCO,'' Venizelos said.

''If the British side were to agree to the proposal, this would be both a cultural and a political initiative of global dimensions,'' he added.

The Sunday Times quoted the Greek press attache in London, Nikos Papadakis, as saying he had no doubt the Marbles would return to Athens.

Papadakis added that it was the first time talks were continuing, which was encouraging.

The newspaper also said that UNESCO, the UN's cultural organization, had backed the talks.

Ministers open farming trade fair on Crete

Finance Minister Nikos Christodoulakis and Development Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos inaugurated an annual farming trade fair, Agricultural August 2003, in Hania on the southern island of Crete.

Opening the event arranged by local authorities on Friday evening, Tsohatzopoulos said that regional development hinged on the attainment by local communities of economic, social and environmental alignment and cohesion.

''The road to regional development is not marked only by infrastructure works and major tourism campaigns,'' the minister added.

[02] Archbishop blasts ''bid to bar Christianity'' from EU constitution

Athens 4/08/03 (ANA)

''It it unjust what they are trying to do at the moment in the European Union in drafting the EU's constitution,'' Christodoulos told inhabitants of the island of Samos during a visit.

''A small minority insists on excluding Christianity as a structural, cultural element in Europe's civilization,'' he said.

In a separate address on the island, the archbishop called for closer cooperation between the Church and local authorities.

''It's wrong to think that the Church should not get involved in politics. In the ancient Greek sense of man being composed of spirit and flesh, it's reasonable for the Church to be involved in man's economic well-being,'' Christodoulos said.

[03] August holiday exodus gains impetus on Saturday

Athens 4/08/03 (ANA)

More than 150,000 vacationers were expected to leave the ports of Piraeus and Rafina in 116 ferry departures over the weekend in the flight from Athens towards the Aegean islands that began on Friday.

In the north, residents of Thessaloniki and Kavala also headed out of the city, many opting for the northern Aegean island of Thasos.

Ferries around the country were mostly booked to capacity along with trains, long-distance buses and domestic flights to holiday destinations.

At the same time, the meteorological department issued a week-end rain and storm warning for the mainland and the Ionian Sea, with torrential rains already hitting the northwestern prefecture of Ioannina.

The country's leaders are also joining the wave of holiday-makers.

Prime Minister Costas Simitis has retreated to his holiday home on the coast outside Athens; and the leader of the New Democracy party, Costas Karamanlis, is on the island of Naxos.

President of the Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos is expected to spend his holidays in his family home near Rio, Achaia.

[04] Greek film festival in Australia Aug 27-Sept 7

MELBOURNE 4/08/03 (ANA/S.Hatzimanolis)

Among works to be shown are ''Zorba the Greek'', a Kakoyiannis classic dating back 40 years; and contemporary movies including ''Hard Goodbyes: My Father'', whose young star, George Karayiannis, won the top acting prize at the Locarno international film festival

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