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[21] Athens, IOC agree on banned substance list for 2004 Games

Athens, 24/10/2003 (ANA)

The measure, part of efforts to combat doping, was among the topics discussed on Thursday by members of a high-ranking IOC inspection team and the Olympic Organizing Committee, as inspectors were briefed over a handful of programs managed directly by ATHOC � as opposed to venue construction, transports and security, among others, which are the government�s responsibility.

In a briefing for an IOC committee chaired by Dr. Patrick Schamasch, the organization�s medical director, ATHOC officials promised to work with the Greek government so that listed performance-enhancing substances are banned from import into the country. Officials want the list, compiled by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the IOC, to come into effect on Jan. 1, 2004, while noting however, that no legal framework currently exists in Greece to ban the import of such substances.

ATHOC has promised to carry out 2,321 urine tests on athletes during the Athens Games, including 239 specialized urine tests on the first four contestants in each sport, particularly for Erythropoietin (EPO).

The inspection team, led again by IOC coordination commission chairman for the 2004 Games Denis Oswald, is on a three-day visit to the Greek capital.

Other briefings covered sports federations, the city�s image during the Games, procurement contracts, marketing, health care and deadlines for completing the all-important International Broadcast Center (IBC).

In a later meeting, Oswald was received by Culture Minister Evangelos Venizelos, who said the IOC was pleased over the latest developments with 2004 preparations.

He also said a wide-ranging Olympic law is expected to be tabled in Parliament, one that deals primarily with the city's operation during the Games.

[22] ND leader and IOC Coordinating Committee president discuss Athens Olympic Games

Athens, 24/10/2003 (ANA)

The meeting was held in the presence of 2004 Athens Olympic Games Organizing Committee President Gianna Angelopoulos Daskalaki.

Karamanlis said the Olympic Games must not be used for party benefits, adding that according to all indications ND will be the government holding the Olympic Games and this is an additional reason for it to want them to be the best Olympic Games of all time.

According to reports, Oswald said Olympic Games projects are on a good course, but noted that time schedules are tight.

Oswald further said the Coordinating Committee's last inspection will take place at the end of May (meaning that the last inspection will be occurring after the general elections in 2004).

No statements were made after the meeting.

[23] Minister says IOC has very positive evaluation of Olympic Games preparations

Athens, 24/10/2003 (ANA)

The IOC Coordinating Committee's President Denis Oswald was briefed on this issue during the meeting.

Venizelos said the issue of the new Olympic Law was discussed during the meeting which ''we aim at being ratified by the end of November.''

He added that it will be necessary to ratify another Olympic Law by the time the Olympic Games begin, which will regulate operational issues for Olympic cities in accordance with the constitution and European legislation.

''By the end of April we will have reached the most advanced point in Olympic Games preparations and three very crucial months will be remaining for the holding of the Games,'' he said.

The culture minister further said ''most of the Olympic Games projects have been completed and all crucial time limits to date have been met in a satisfactory way and so the discussion focused on certain projects which are being completed in accordance with the timetable.''

[24] Athens News Agency to become shareholder of European Photography Agency

Athens, 24/10/2003 (ANA)

The EPA, established in 1985, began its new global photography service on May 1, 2003,

''Since then the EPA has become one of the most important international photographic services for the mass media in Europe,'' said ANA general director Andreas Christodoulides.

''We are very pleased to accept the ANA as the 10th shareholder of the EPA, following the national news and photography agencies of Austria (APA), Belgium (Belga), Germany (DPA), Italy (ANSA), Holland (ANP), Poland (PAP), Portugal (LUSA), Spain (EFE) and Switzerland (Keystone),'' EPA board President Walter Grolimund said.

[25] FM Papandreou speaks of importance of Olympic Truce

Athens, 24/10/2003 (ANA)

The conference which began on at Athens University on Thursday, is being organized by the Movement for Peace, Human Rights, Communication and Development (KEADEA) and the International Peace Bureau (IPB).

Papandreou called for a collective effort to be made in order to combat such issues as unemployment, the pollution of the environment, epidemic illnesses and the violation of human rights.

''We cannot achieve security if the Society of Citizens does not function and if we have not first acquired legality,'' he said.

Papandreou also expressed the hope that ''by 2005 we will see an independent Palestinian state, living peacefully next to Israel.''

The conference was opened by Parliament President Apostolos Kaklamanis.

[26] WWII memorial to fallen Greek Jews to be unveiled by president

Athens, 24/10/2003 (ANA)

The ceremony at the Stavroupolis Cemetery comes one day before the 63rd anniversary of Greece�s entry into the Second World War (Oct. 28, 1940) following an attack by fascist Italy from Albania.

According to defense ministry records, 12,898 Greek Jews -- of which 343 served in the officers� corps � were called for active duty and fought during the war. Five hundred and thirteen died on the battlefields of Epirus and along the Greek-Bulgarian frontier; 5,743 were injured, of which 1,412 seriously.

Two Greek army divisions, in fact, the 50th and the 63rd were predominately comprised of Jews from Thessaloniki, a pre-war metropolis of Sephardim, as well as other towns across Macedonia.

[27] 'Outlook' modern art exhibition to open in Athens this week

Athens, 24/10/2003 (ANA)

Sponsored by the Cultural Olympiad and costing the astronomical sum (for Greece) of 2.3 million euros, the exhibition has taken three years to prepare and features over 200 works of art - including paintings, sculptures and installations - by 85 artists around the world.

During the official opening on Thursday, Culture Minister Evangelos Venizelos and exhibition organizers said 'Outlook' was being groomed as the top event within the Cultural Olympiad.

''This exhibition opens a great door for Greece and is a step toward acquaintance with international art. We hope that it will lead to a major dialogue between Greece and the rest of the world on issues that concern art today,'' Venizelos said.

The works of art are on show at the ''Technopolis'' centre in Gazi (Pireos 100), at the Athens Fine Arts School's 'Factory' art gallery on Pireos 256 and at the new wing of the Benaki Museum, Pireos 138, which was inaugurated simultaneously with the exhibition.

The new wing will also run a bookshop for art books and magazines.

The exhibition will run until January 25 and is open every day except bank holidays between 10:00 and 20:00, while admission is free.

[28] 4 Greek police officers hosted by Blackpool police dept.

Athens, 24/10/2003 (ANA)

According to an embassy press release on Wednesday, the main objective of the visit is offer an up-close look at Black pool�s �Nightsafe� initiative, which aims to combat alcohol-fueled violence and hooliganism. A patrol of the area�s nightspots as well as safety issues related to the latter are on the agenda as well.

Two out of the four Greek officers are from Rhodes, the Dodecanese holiday island briefly catapulted onto the international limelight in August after three drug and alcohol-related fatalities � the most infamous being a bar room fracas that left one 17-year-old Irish-British victim with a slashed neck � were recorded in the youth-dominated resort town of Faliraki.

The exchange follows a high-profile visit in late August to Rhodes by two senior Black pool police officers, at the height of media scrutiny on Faliraki�s raucous image.

The other two officers are stationed on Crete and Corfu, respectively.

Black pool is one of Britain�s premier tourist resorts with visitors all year round.

[29] Houses at risk as wildfire rages unchecked on Crete

Athens, 24/10/2003 (ANA)

Fanned by strong winds, the fire has so far incinerated fields, forests and grazing land, including sheep pens in the area, and at midday the flames crossed the Hania-Iraklio national highway, cutting off all traffic.

The entire Hania fire brigade, reinforcements from Rethymno and firemen on foot from Iraklio were deployed to battle the blaze, assisted by four fire-fighting aircraft from above.

Local residents also came out in force to assist fire-fighting efforts as the flames came dangerously close to their homes.

Fire-fighting forces said they had managed to create fire breaks that should limit the extent of the damage, even though the fire was not yet under control.

The extent of the damage is expected to be huge, however, though it will not be possible to make a precise estimate until Friday.

[30] Lawyers for Georgiadis, Psaradellis argue for 'not guilty' verdict in N17 trial

Athens, 24/10/2003 (ANA)

The attorney said the anti-terrorist squad had jumped to the conclusion that Georgiadis was guilty and that his client stood accused of being a member of the terror band without having ever participated in any N17 hit or been politically active.

The lawyer also argued that a fingerprint belonging to Georgiadis that was detected on a movable object within the N17 safe house did not constitute proof of his client's guilt but was rather a counter-indication of it.

Next to address the court was the defense for Theologos Psaradellis, with attorney Rania Karabliani strenuously asserting her client's innocence and saying the court had "no choice" but to acquit him.

She stressed that her client was a well-known Troskyist and said he had ended up in the prisoners' dock as a result of taking part in a 1983 bank robbery that was unrelated to the terror band, because of an acquaintance with one of his fellow-accused and because of the benefits allowed informants under the new anti-terrorism laws.

Psaradellis' participation in the 1983 robbery, to which he had admitted, did not prove his membership of N17 and he could not be convicted only on the basis of the "doubtful" testimony given by Christodoulos Xiros in the preliminary examination, she said.

Karabliani said there were serious discrepancies with regard to times and places in the testimony given by Xiros about Psaradellis.

The defense team for Psaradellis, whose second lawyer Dimitris Zotos began his address on Thursday, will continue presenting final arguments to the court on Friday.

[31] EU-China to sign Approved Destination Status

Athens, 24/10/2003 (ANA)

Greek Development Deputy Minister Dimitris Georgakopoulos, speaking to reporters on Thursday after his return from Beijing where he participated in World Tourism Organization�s annual general meeting, said that the draft agreement was ready for signing. Mr Georgakopoulos noted that the agreement currently was in the form of a memorandum of understanding, but stressed that there was room for a more strong legal formula.

The Greek minister underlined that Chinese authorities accepted a provision in the new draft agreement that EU legislation (along with national legislation) did not allow for a preferential treatment of businesses and that all licensed travel firms could transact with authorized Chinese offices.

Greece, after signing the ADS agreement, plans to set up a tourism office in Beijing and afterwards in Shanghai, along with a consulate to facilitate visa issuing. Tourism authorities will also promote the country ahead of the Athens 2004 Olympic Games.

[32] Gov't comments on biometric screening of airline passengers

Athens, 24/10/2003 (ANA)

He also noted that the use of biometric information would be re-examined after a negative report from the Protection of Personal Data Authority.

Responding to questions, Protopapas explained that the program only concerned Alitalia passengers traveling to and from Athens and Milan and sought to create a model for the biometric identification of passengers.

He said the program was due to begin in November and end in April, while specifying that the card containing the data generated would be kept by the passenger.

China has signed ADS agreements with 28 countries with the latest being Jordan and Mongolia.

[33] European Parliament plenum approves report on trafficking of human organs

STRASBOURG, 24/10/2003 (ANA - O. Tsipira)

Evans concerning the trafficking of human organs and muscular tissues.

The report referred to Greece's initiative for a draft decision to be issued to the Council for the prevention and restriction of this problem.

The trafficking of human organs has been excluded from the framework of the relevant EU directives, something which constitutes a legislative void which the Greek proposal comes to close.

At a legislative level, there are important differences between the member-states.

During her intervention at the plenum, ruling PASOK Eurodeputy Anna Karamanou stressed, among other things, that over the past few years there was a reduction of transplants, particularly of the liver and the heart, in Europe.

She said that ''this situation is exploited by organized crime which offers outlets through 'transplant tourism' with the transaction of complex trafficking networks which operate in such countries as Pakistan, India, Brazil, South Africa and China.''

[34] Weston begins contacts in Cyprus with optimism

NICOSIA, 24/10/2003 (CNA/ANA)

Weston was speaking after a lengthy meeting with Cyprus President Tassos Papadopoulos, noting they had a ''very good meeting and we got a very good start''.

He referred journalists to his press conference on Friday while when asked about the existence of observers to monitor the so-called ''elections'' in the Turkish occupied areas he said ''I have to collect a little more information before I answer that''.

On his part, Foreign Minister Georgios Iacovou, who also met Weston this morning, said the US diplomat raised the issue of observers during his meeting with Papadopoulos.

Iacovou said he informed Weston on the government's contacts with officials who lately visited Ankara and had conveyed their

impressions from the Turkish politicians on the Turkish policy on Cyprus.

Asked if the US diplomat is bringing anything different from Ankara, Iacovou said ''I do not think he has different impressions but his contacts allow him to offer different interpretations from the ones others have conveyed to us''.

In statements after meeting House President Demetris Christofias, Weston said the two ''share the confidence that the accession of Cyprus to the EU and the eventual accession of Turkey as well are the two elements which are most important in ultimately solving the problem of the division of the island''.

Weston said on Friday he will talk to most of the political leadership in the occupied north of the island.

On his part Christofias said at the epicenter of the discussions is the ''elections'' in the occupied areas and that should there be changes after that, efforts must be directed towards the Turkish side to resume the soonest a dialogue which will continue until a Cyprus settlement.

''We hope that with our accession to the EU and Turkey's desire to become a member of the EU, will act as a catalyst for a Cyprus settlement'', Christofias added.

Meanwhile, Government Spokesman Kypros Chrysostomides said the government welcomes the US interest for a Cyprus settlement, as this is outlined from the new Weston tour to Ankara, Athens and Nicosia.

At the same time, he pointed out the hostile statements made by the occupation regime against the US policy.

Commenting on the Weston-Papadopoulos meeting, the spokesman said it was ''good and informative'' adding that the American side ''maintains an optimism as far as a change in the Turkish stance is concerned''.

Chrysostomides said Weston has an ''air of optimism that it is possible to secure a change in the Turkish policy, something however that does not look feasible in the future''.

He further said that the US diplomat agrees with the government's view that a solution should be pursued before 1st May 2004.

Regarding the arrival of observers to monitor the illegal elections in the north, Chrysostomides reiterated that the settlers' issue is a ''fundamental issue'' and wondered how it is possible ''any observers can ascertain the existence of settlers in the 'electoral' lists''.

The spokesman added however that there is an admission on the part of the occupation authorities that from ''1974 until now a total of 53.904 settlers have been given the right to �vote� and are in the lists''.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkish troops invaded and occupied 37% of its territory.

[35] Barnier says solution will benefit both communities

NICOSIA, 24/10/2003 (CNA/ANA)

Addressing a gathering at the Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Thursday, he said Cyprus has not reached its final destination in Europe noting ''you are at the beginning'', expressing the hope that when a united Cyprus enters the EU, ''you will be able to defend your culture and identity and not give it up''.

Earlier Thursday Barnier officially opened the restored Omeriye Bath, in the old part of Nicosia, which is part of the ''Partnership for the Future'' program funded by the EU through the United Nations Development Program and implemented by the UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS).

The ultimate goal of the project is to contribute to the peace-building process in Cyprus.

In his speech at the Chamber of Commerce Barnier praised the role of entrepreneurs in Cyprus noting they have been ''leading the accession process'', adding that ''entrepreneurs have played a key role in the foundation of the EU'', something which continues.

''You have to make your accession a success and we are talking about a united accession'', he told Greek Cypriots, Turkish Cypriots, politicians, diplomats and members of the business community from both sides who attended the speech.

The European project called into question has many challenges, internal and external, Barnier stressed and explained that as far as internal are concerned, an example is to ensure the continuation of the European project in its present state. ''We have to maintain the acquis, maintain our heritage'' he said, adding that things are different with the addition of ten more countries.

One of the features of the new constitution is to eliminate the veto right, Barnier added, noting that with this right one country alone can bog down the process.

With the accession of ten more countries, he said, there will be one third more territory and only five percent additional wealth, as far as GDP is concerned.

The EU Commissioner said this expansion, although it will bring new blood and cultures into the EU, it also involves some dangers because it entails greater costs but the risks are greatly outweighed by the advantages.

Among the external challenges the EU is facing is the population trends, Barnier said, stressing that in 25 years the EU will have 40 million less population and 140 million more on the other side of the Mediterranean base.

Barnier praised the role of Cyprus, noting it is a crossing point of three continents and has a strategic part to play in the EU.

''The standard of living in the free areas is considerably higher'' he said than the other side, and announced 100 million euros will be released in the next three years to improve the lives of Cypriots.

He expressed the wish that in the coming weeks the two sides will find an acceptable solution based on the Annan Plan so that the whole country can benefit from Community policy and cohesion funds.

Earlier in the day Barnier described the opening of the Omeriye Bath ''an important and symbolic step'' for all the citizens of Nicosia, Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots.

He said ''we can look to the future with optimism for a political agreement'' on Cyprus which, he said, can be achieved.

The EU commissioner said that after meeting 40 young people from both communities, he can say that ''we need hope for the future'' to solve the Cyprus problem.

Addressing the gathering, Interior Minister Andreas Christou said the baths were a ''meeting point for Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots'' and that with their restoration, the tradition which began 30 years ago in Nicosia is being restored.

[36] British call on Turkish side to abandon 'rejectionist' stance on Cyprus

LONDON, 24/10/2003 (CNA/ANA)

In a written answer to a question in Parliament by Labor MP Harold Best, MacShane said the ''best way'' forward ''would be for the parties to re-engage on the basis of the detailed settlement proposals presented by the UN SG,'' adding that the ''Annan Plan is balanced, practicable and compatible with the EU acquis.''

MacShane said ''President Papadopoulos has affirmed that he is ready to negotiate on this basis,'' adding that Denktash's ''latest statements, however, suggest that he is opposed not only to the Annan Plan but also to the UN Secretary General's Good Offices.''

''We hope the Turkish side will find a way out of this rejectionist stance, in time to enable all Cypriots and Turkey itself to reap the benefits,'' he added.

MacShane reiterated the British government's stance that ''securing a comprehensive settlement in Cyprus by 1 May 2004 and enabling Cyprus to accede to the EU as a reunited island, is in the best interests of all Cypriots and of the wider region.''

He said it is clear that a majority of people in both communities ''is also looking to their leaders to bring this about.''

Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkish troops invaded and occupied 37% of its territory.

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