Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English, 06-04-17

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

CONTENTS

[01] Karamanlis stresses importance of regional development plan

[02] PM addresses SE European countries' culture ministers in Thessaloniki

[03] PM to meet with ND Euro-MPs on Monday

[04] Papandreou charges gov't 'has abandoned farmers'

[05] Garbage collectors suspend nationwide strike

[06] Development Minister Sioufas warns 'unscrupulous businessmen'

[07] Turkish banker Hayrettin Kaplan takes over BSTD helm

[08] Anniversary of heroic Messolonghi Exodus celebrated

[09] Events in Athens observe 1915 Armenian genocide

[10] Truck collides with train; press reports cite 4 fatalities

[11] Wreckage of Mirage 2000 fighter jet located

[12] Another quake rattles Zakynthos

[13] Olympiakos wins championship title despite loss

[14] Cyprus President Papadopoulos ready to meet Talat during CMP's first meeting

[01] Karamanlis stresses importance of regional development plan

THESSALONIKI, 17/4/2006 (ANA/MPA)

"With the Macedonia-Thrace Ministry leadership we examined the course of implementation of the government's work in northern Greece. The citizens of Macedonia and Thrace know very well the situation which we received two years ago. Problems accumulated because of the then government's conception of the existence of 'two Greeces'. This conception led the governments of yesterday to options that proved catastrophic and led to the explosion of regional inequalities, to the withering of Greece's provinces."

"Our conception is different. Our conviction and criterion of action is that the road for a really strong Greece of competitive development, of social progress, of collective and individual prosperity, passes through strong regions. From the first moment, we set as our main policy the regions and their people. We are implementing a National Strategy of Regional Development.

A strategy, which, regarding northern Greece, is being established on the basis of the new, optimistic prospects which are being shaped for all the northern Greek area by the momentous changes taking place in our broader neighbor-hood: the course of democratization of neighboring countries, their European orientation, and mainly the next European enlargement, with the accession of Bulgaria and Romania to the European Union. Macedonia and Thrace, from peripheral and distant regions of Greece, is becoming a geopolitical and economic centre of the broader region. To meet this great challenge, we worked and are working with vision and systematic work. Northern Greece has already entered the orbit of the future," he said.

The prime minister added that "with these exact objectives, under the coordinated supervision of the Macedonia-Thrace Ministry, a Strategic Plan for the Development of Macedonia-Thrace, for the 2007-2013 period, has been set up.

Earlier in the day at the Macedonia-Thrace Ministry, Premier Karamanlis met with a delegation of the association of workers from a loss-making fertilizer plant, as workers' representatives called on the prime minister not to allow the closure of the plant.

"The prime minister guaranteed that the factory in Thessaloniki will not close at the moment when a proposal exists guaranteeing the viability of the plant," the president of the association said afterwards.

Present at the meeting were Employment and Social Protection Minister Savvas Tsitouridis, Macedonia-Thrace Minister George Kalantzis, as well as the president of the Thessaloniki Labor Centre, Nikos Yiannopoulos.

Later in the day, Karamanlis, accompanied by Thessaloniki Mayor Vassilis Papageorgopoulos, visited the site where Thessaloniki's new Town Hall will be built.

Premier meets with Thessaloniki prefect Psomiadis: Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis met with Thessaloniki prefect Panayiotis Psomiadis here on Sunday, as the premier concluded his tour of northern Greece following a visit to neighboring Bulgaria late last week.

In brief statement afterwards, Psomiadis, a former ND deputy and one of the most outspoken prefects in the country, said he was pleased with results of the meeting, while pointing to an opportunity he had, as he noted, to brief the premier over his requests for the prefecture.

Macedonia-Thrace Minister George Kalantzis also participated in the meeting.

In an unrelated development, Kalantzis sharply responded to criticism by main opposition PASOK leader George Papandreou over the premier's weekend tour of the region.

[02] PM addresses SE European countries' culture ministers in Thessaloniki

17/4/2006 (ANA/MPA)

Karamanlis made the statements in Thessaloniki during an address to culture ministers from SE European countries, who earlier met in the western port city of Patra, which currently holds the Cultural Capital of Europe title.

"We pursue this goal faithfully because we are convinced that it is the only way to transform our region into a European neighborhood, and to permanently move it away from its traumatic past," the prime minister said, before again stressing that regional cooperation and good-neighborly relations are imperative towards this course.

The Greek prime minister reminded that Thessaloniki, Greece's second largest city and the capital of the Macedonia province, served as European Cultural Capital in 1997, whereas Patra will pass the torch to Sibiu in Romania next year, whereas Istanbul will serve as Cultural Capital in four years.

Afterwards, visiting culture ministers toured the Byzantine Museum in the city.

[03] PM to meet with ND Euro-MPs on Monday

17/4/2006 (ANA/MPA)

At noon, the premier will be briefed by Economy and Finance Minister George Alogoskoufis and Deputy Minister Christos Folias.

Finally, Karamanlis will also receive former foreign minister Petros Molyviatis.

[04] Papandreou charges gov't 'has abandoned farmers'

ATHENS, 17/4/2006 (ANA/MPA)

Papandreou, who began a two-day tour of Ilia prefecture on Saturday, told residents of Havari that prior to the general elections of March 2004, New Democracy (ND) party "promised a lot," adding that "the people believed that it would offer more."

"Instead of this, ND abandoned farmers, all the measures it has taken are against the farmers and its permanent concern is to defame PASOK's work, to do nothing itself, but only to help the few and wealthy," he told a crowd of supporters.

Papandreou charged that Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis is "promoting a model of cheap labor, in contrast to the level of prosperity Greeks attained in the previous years."

"Greece has been transformed into a very concentrated system, which is due to the conception of the right, which wants to manipulate the citizen."

The PASOK leader also had an open dialogue with the district's residents and local farmers.

Speaking from the nearby town of Pyrgos on Saturday, Papandreou attributed to the government and to Karamanlis, personally, responsibility for "the country's negative course," as he said.

[05] Garbage collectors suspend nationwide strike

ATHENS, 17/4/2006 (ANA/MPA)

The POE-OTA board reached its decision at about 3 a.m. during a marathon meeting. The decision was reached despite the fact that an earlier meeting between the union and the general secretary of the Interior, Public Administration and Decentralization Ministry was fruitless.

It is estimated that about 40,000 tons of garbage have accumulated in the streets of Athens. It will take at least three days of intensive work to clear the streets from the garbage.

[06] Development Minister Sioufas warns 'unscrupulous businessmen'

ATHENS, 17/4/2006 (ANA/MPA)

Sioufas made the statement after a meeting at the Development Ministry which was attended by Deputy Development Minister Yiannis Papathanassiou, Athens-Piraeus Supra-Prefect Fofi Gennimata, Athens prefect Ioannis Sgouros, Piraeus prefect Ioannis Michas, Western Attica prefect Aristidis Arkoudaris and Eastern Attica prefect Leonidas Kouris.

Sioufas reiterated that efforts are being made so that the price of fuel remains at low levels. However, he noted that when the prices increase in the international markets, they will also increase in Greece.

[07] Turkish banker Hayrettin Kaplan takes over BSTD helm

17/4/2006 (ANA/MPA)

In brief statements, Kaplan said BSTD is currently in discussions with a major international financial institution to examine prospects for joint funding of BSTD member-states. He added that the emphasis during his term will be on the development bank's continued growth, while noting that lending for the manufacturing sector, 40 percent, and energy-related projects, 20 percent, dominate the bank's portfolio, particularly to smaller member-states.

The Black Sea Trade and Development Bank is an international financial institution with an authorized capital of roughly 1,325 billion US dollars. It was established in the late 1990s by Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Moldova, Romania, Russia, Turkey and Ukraine.

Kaplan has previously served in high-ranking positions at Turkey's finance ministry, with the neighboring country's certified auditors corps and with Turkey's development bank.

[08] Anniversary of heroic Messolonghi Exodus celebrated

17/4/2006 (ANA/MPA)

On the occasion, President Papoulias was declared honorary citizen of Messolonghi during a special ceremony.

In his address, Papoulias noted that "anniversaries are not only days of jubilation, parades and celebratory events, they are at the same moments in which we should learn history's lessons ... let us allow these immortal memories to inspire our continuous struggles for a better tomorrow."

[09] Events in Athens observe 1915 Armenian genocide

ATHENS, 17/4/2006 (ANA/MPA)

Earlier, the honorary president of the Cypriot EDEK party, Vassos Lyssarides, noted that "Turkey not only does not acknowledge nor condemn the genocide of the Armenians in 1915, but attempts to distort historical facts and presents itself as a victim of the Armenian people � Turkey wants accession to the European Union, without however, itself implementing its conventional obligations."

The government was represented by Deputy Foreign Minister Theodoros Kassimis, who expressed Athens' support to the struggles of the Armenian people.

"Greeks have lived through similar tragedies," he said, stressing that it is also necessary for Turkey "to recognize the faults of the past" so that similar situations are never repeated.

Parliament was represented by its vice-speaker Ioannis Tragakis.

91st anniversary of genocide of Armenians; march in central Athens: Armenians living in Athens held a march in central Athens on Saturday, calling on Turkey to recognize the genocide of the Armenians.

With people carrying Armenian flags, the march began at Syntagma Square and concluded at the Turkish Embassy where the demonstrators burnt the Turkish flag.

In a resolution, the Armenians called on the Turkish government to recognize and condemn the genocide of 1915 and return Armenian territory to the Armenian people.

Earlier, the Armenians held a Te Deum at the monument of the victims of the Armenian genocide at Chrysostomou Smyrnis Square in Nea Smyrni.

The events of the 91st anniversary of the genocide of the Armenians will conclude on Sunday with a political event.

[10] Truck collides with train; press reports cite 4 fatalities

17/4/2006 (ANA/MPA)

[11] Wreckage of Mirage 2000 fighter jet located

17/4/2006 (ANA/MPA)

The wreckage was found in the region of Mount Ptoon, northwest of Paralimni Lake, between the prefectures of Viotia and Fthiotida, at an altitude of 1,000 feet. Its, pilot, Flight Lieutenant Pantelis Gelis, was killed.

Air Force General Staff Chief Lieutenant General George Avlonitis went to the scene to coordinate operations.

The exact causes of the accident are being investigated by a committee of experts.

[12] Another quake rattles Zakynthos

ATHENS, 17/4/2006 (ANA/MPA)

According to seismologists, the tremor registered 5.4 on the Richter scale. Its epicenter was located some 240 kilometers southwest of Athens in the southern Ionian Sea off Greece's western mainland. The Athens Observatory's Geodynamics Institute also noted that the early morning quake emanated from the same region where the previous tremors originated.

The continuing seismic activity in the region has unnerved many residents in Zakynthos, other southern Ionian islands and the northwest Peloponnese.

Soccer

[13] Olympiakos wins championship title despite loss

17/4/2006 (ANA/MPA)

Olympiakos was assured of the title when previously second-place Panathinaikos lost earlier on Sunday to Iraklis Thessaloniki 1-0 away, while AEK Athens' easy home victory over relegation candidate OFI Crete means that it can only hope to equal Olympiakos' points tally, although it would still lose out because of its head-to-head record with Olympiakos.

AEK's win combined with Panathinaikos' loss means the former gains a significant edge in the second-place race to earn a spot in a Champions League playoff round.

In other action:

Egaleo Athens-Ionikos Piraeus 1-1

PAOK Thessaloniki-Levadiakos 3-1

Akratitos Athens-Apollon Kalamaria 1-3

Atromitos Athens- Panionios Athens 1-3

Kallithea Athens-Xanthi 2-1

The standings after 28 weeks of play:

Olympiakos 69 points (championship title)

AEK 63

Panathinaikos 61

Iraklis 48

PAOK 46

Xanthi 43

Larissa 38

Atromitos 36

Apollon Kalamaria 35

Egaleo 33

Ionikos 30

Levadiakos 28

Panionios 26

OFI 25

Kallithea 20 (relegated)

Akratitos 18 (relegated)

[14] Cyprus President Papadopoulos ready to meet Talat during CMP's first meeting

LARNACA, 17/4/2006 (CNA/ANA/MPA)

Speaking upon his return from India, where he paid an official visit, and asked when he will meet with Talat, Papadopoulos said that during his telephone conversation with the UN Secretary-General last January he said he was ''ready and willing to meet with Talat during the CMP's meeting to be held under the presidency of its third member, whose candidacy we had accepted from the very first moment.''

The UNFICYP announced Friday the appointment of Girod as the third member of the Committee on Missing Persons in Cyprus (CMP), who will assume his official duties in early June.

Papadopoulos also said that Ankara and the Turkish Cypriots gave their consent for Girod's appointment a week ago.

''Both leaders should attend the session, stating with their presence that they desire to speed up the work of the Committee,'' he added.

Replying to another question, Papadopoulos reiterated that the position agreed with the UN Secretary-General is that the talks for a comprehensive settlement to the Cyprus problem should be well-prepared, adding that the preparation of the talks will be achieved through the technical committees and through other ways.

He reiterated that these committees or committee, as it could be just one, will discuss both issues of substance as well as every-day issues.

Asked whether Talat is avoiding a meeting with him, Papadopoulos said he was not aware of such a thing, adding that ''no preparation of talks can take place with the absence of Turkish Cypriots.''

Invited to commend information that UN SG Special Representative in Cyprus Michael Moller is trying to convince the Turkish side to participate at the committees, Papadopoulos said that ''Moller is trying to implement those agreed in Paris, for which of course, the consent of the Turkish Cypriots is necessary.''

A joint statement issued after an hour-long meeting in Paris, February 28, between Papadopoulos and the UN SG said that the leaders of both communities have agreed that bicommunal discussions on a series of issues will be undertaken at the technical level, adding that it would be beneficial for all concerned and would greatly improve the atmosphere for further talks if progress could be achieved on further disengagement of forces and demilitarization of the island, on the complete de-mining of Cyprus and on the issue of Famagusta.

Papadopoulos also described his visit to India as useful and very successful, adding that India follows a position of principles on the Cyprus question.

This position has been reconfirmed, he concluded.

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