Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English, 16-04-18

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

Monday April 18, 2016

CONTENTS

[01] Pope's Lesvos visit 'an important initiative at a crucial time', PM Tsipras says

[02] Pope Francis, Ecumenical Patriarch make joint appeal for help to refugees from Lesvos

[03] Pope Francis, Greek PM discuss refugee crisis, conditions in Lesvos

[04] Pope concludes visit to Lesvos, takes 12 refugees back to Vatican

[05] Pope, Patriarch and Archbishop share meal with refugee families

[06] Pope Francis says Lesvos visit brought 'solidarity of the Church' to refugees, Greek people

[07] PM hails Church leaders' visit, says programme review can be concluded by Easter

[08] ND in the final straight for 10th Conference, Mitsotakis says

[09] FM Kotzias meets UNSG's envoy for name dispute Matthew Nimetz in Luxembourg

[10] Greek foreign ministry tweet expresses support for earthquakestricken Japan

[11] Alt. Defence Minister Vitsas visits Katsika refugee/migrant camp

[12] Potami leader opposes elections before programme review conclusion

[13] Free entrance to monuments, archaeological sites on Monday

[14] Authorities release four women activists detained during Church leaders' visit

[15] Noor 1 heroin ship crew member dies, autopsy pending

[16] Freighter rescues 41 refugees and migrants southwest of Pylos

[17] 'Kriti Amber' tanker taken to Piraeus after engine failure Politics

[01] Pope's Lesvos visit 'an important initiative at a crucial time', PM Tsipras says

In a brief dialogue held on camera, the prime minister noted that the visit illustrated the universal human values of solidarity when others, in the name of Christianity, were greeting the refugees with walls, fences and violence. He noted that the initiative by the three Church leaders would send a message transcending both Greek and European borders.

"This is very important, both for Greece and for the refugee crisis," he added and noted that Greece was currently hosting roughly 50,000 refugees and striving to create acceptable living conditions for them, in spite of the difficulties. He also pointed out that Turkey was having to cope with close to two million and "the important thing is to give a message of peace; this war must stop, we must think about what these people are fleeing in order to go through this ordeal."

"If the war does not end, the waves of refugees will continue," Patriarch Bartholomew agreed, expressing his support for a proposal to nominate the islanders on Lesvos for a Nobel peace prize.

[02] Pope Francis, Ecumenical Patriarch make joint appeal for help to refugees from Lesvos

"You are not alone," was Pope Francis' message to the refugees that he met in the courtyard in the Moria refugee centre. He also praised the generosity of the Greek people in their handling of the refugee crisis, noting that they had responded to the needs even though Greece was going through a difficult time of economic crisis.

"I came here with my brothers, the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and Archbishop Ieronymos simply to stand beside you, to hear your stories. We came to again bring to the world's attention this serious humanitarian crisis and to appeal for a solution to be found. We want to join our voices with yours and speak in your name as people of faith," the Pope said.

"We travelled here to hear your voices and look you in the eyes. Those that fear you have not looked you in the eyes. Those that fear you do not see your faces, they do not see your children," said Patriarch Bartholomew, while noting that the Mediterranean should not be allowed to become a graveyard and should be a sea of peace.

"Only those that see the eyes of these little children can at once understand the full extent of the bankruptcy of humanity and solidarity that Europe has displayed in recent years toward these people," said Archbishop Ieronymos.

After concluding their speeches, the three religious leaders signed a joint declaration appealing to the international community to respond with courage to the immense humanitarian crisis and "the tragedy of forced migration and displacement," as well as the deeper causes of this situation. They called for action through diplomatic, political and charitable initiatives, and through collective efforts, both in the Middle East and in Europe.

They urged "solidarity, compassion, generosity and immediate, practical commitment of resources," in response to a humanitarian crisis caused by the "spread of violence and armed conflict, persecution and the displacement of religious and ethnic minorities, the uprooting of families from their homes, in violation of human dignity and of fundamental human rights and freedoms."

Pope Francis arrived on the island by plane on Saturday morning and was met at Mytilene airport by Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, Patriarch Bartholomew and Archbishop Ieronymos.

[03] Pope Francis, Greek PM discuss refugee crisis, conditions in Lesvos

They underlined that the refugee crisis was both a European and global challenge that demanded a comprehensive approach, with respect for European and international law.

Pope Francis referred to the humane response shown by the Greek people, saying that they had shown support and dedication to universal values in spite of their own lengthy struggle with the economic crisis.

Tsipras said it was a point of honour and pride for Greece to defend humanitarian values, even though the Greek people have been suffering from harsh austerity imposed by international markets for the last six years in order to save European banks. He said the Greek people had not hesitated to give from their own scant resources in order to stand at the side of the refugees and had displayed the human face of Europe.

They also stressed the need to protect refugees from the dangerous crossings of the Aegean and Mediterranean by fighting the trafficking rings and to eradicate the illegal routes by establishing legal procedures for resettlement in Europe.

[04] Pope concludes visit to Lesvos, takes 12 refugees back to Vatican

According to Italian news media, 12 Syrian refugees boarded the aircraft with him and will stay at the Vatican with a Catholic charity.

[05] Pope, Patriarch and Archbishop share meal with refugee families

After making their speeches, meeting with refugees and signing a joint declaration, the leader of the Catholic Church, the spiritual head of the world's Orthodox Christians and the head of the Church of Greece joined in the camp's regular meal of rice and vegetables, olives, bread and halva.

They had earlier appealed for the protection of minorities and action against the trafficking in people, as well as the eradication of unsafe routes for people fleeing violence, such as the boat crossings in the Aegean and the Mediterranean, and their replacement by safe relocation and resettlement processes.

All three expressed their solidarity toward the people of Greece, noting that they had responded to the crisis with generosity, despite facing their own, serious economic problems.

Arriving from Mytilene airport, the three Church leaders had dispensed with both protocol and the stiff security measures, mingling freely with the refugees at the Moria hotspot, now a closed detention centre following the deal struck by the EU and Turkey on March 20. Pope Francis, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and Archbishop Ieronymos shook hands with hundreds of unaccompanied minors, met mothers and held their small children in their arms, while weeping men and women knelt before them, asking for their blessing and their help.

The first group were the unaccompanied children, who came with drawings and signs that welcomed the three religious leaders but also asked to be allowed to join their families in northern Europe. Other refugees and migrants, most of whom arrived after March 20 and found themselves detained, carried signs and chanted slogans asking for 'Freedom'.

A young refugee sobbed as he kissed the hands of the Pope and Patriarch, asking them to do something to give the refugees reason to hope.

The official translation of the declaration signed by the three religious leaders is given below:

We, Pope Francis, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens and All Greece, have met on the Greek island of Lesvos to demonstrate our profound concern for the tragic situation of the numerous refugees, migrants and asylum seekers who have come to Europe fleeing from situations of conflict and, in many cases, daily threats to their survival. World opinion cannot ignore the colossal humanitarian crisis created by the spread of violence and armed conflict, the persecution and displacement of religious and ethnic minorities, and the uprooting of families from their homes, in violation of their human dignity and their fundamental human rights and freedoms.

The tragedy of forced migration and displacement affects millions, and is fundamentally a crisis of humanity, calling for a response of solidarity, compassion, generosity and an immediate practical commitment of resources. From Lesvos, we appeal to the international community to respond with courage in facing this massive humanitarian crisis and its underlying causes, through diplomatic, political and charitable initiatives, and through cooperative efforts, both in the Middle East and in Europe.

As leaders of our respective Churches, we are one in our desire for peace and in our readiness to promote the resolution of conflicts through dialogue and reconciliation. While acknowledging the efforts already being made to provide help and care to refugees, migrants and asylum seekers, we call upon all political leaders to employ every means to ensure that individuals and communities, including Christians, remain in their homelands and enjoy the fundamental right to live in peace and security. A broader international consensus and an assistance programme are urgently needed to uphold the rule of law, to defend fundamental human rights in this unsustainable situation, to protect minorities, to combat human trafficking and smuggling, to eliminate unsafe routes, such as those through the Aegean and the entire Mediterranean, and to develop safe resettlement procedures. In this way we will be able to assist those countries directly engaged in meeting the needs of so many of our suffering brothers and sisters. In particular, we express our solidarity with the people of Greece, who despite their own economic difficulties, have responded with generosity to this crisis.

Together we solemnly plead for an end to war and violence in the Middle East, a just and lasting peace and the honourable return of those forced to abandon their homes. We ask religious communities to increase their efforts to receive, assist and protect refugees of all faiths, and that religious and civil relief services work to coordinate their initiatives. For as long as the need exists, we urge all countries to extend temporary asylum, to offer refugee status to those who are eligible, to expand their relief efforts and to work with all men and women of good will for a prompt end to the conflicts in course.

Europe today faces one of its most serious humanitarian crises since the end of the Second World War. To meet this grave challenge, we appeal to all followers of Christ to be mindful of the Lord's words, on which we will one day be judged: ?For I was hungry and you gave me food; I was thirsty and you gave me drink; I was a stranger and you took me in; I was naked and you clothed me; I was sick and you visited me; I was in prison and you came to me...

Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me? (Mt 25:35-36, 40).

For our part, in obedience to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ, we firmly and wholeheartedly resolve to intensify our efforts to promote the full unity of all Christians. We reaffirm our conviction that ?reconciliation [among Christians] involves promoting social justice within and among all peoples... Together we will do our part towards giving migrants, refugees and asylum-seekers a humane reception in Europe? (Charta Oecumenica, 2001). By defending the fundamental human rights of refugees, asylum-seekers and migrants, and the many marginalized people in our societies, we aim to fulfil the Churches' mission of service to the world.

Our meeting today is meant to help bring courage and hope to those seeking refuge and to all those who welcome and assist them. We urge the international community to make the protection of human lives a priority and, at every level, to support inclusive policies which extend to all religious communities. The terrible situation of all those affected by the present humanitarian crisis, including so many of our Christian brothers and sisters, calls for our constant prayer.

[06] Pope Francis says Lesvos visit brought 'solidarity of the Church' to refugees, Greek people

He thanked all those "who accompanied" the trip with their prayers, noting that the visit had brought the "solidarity of the Church" to the refugees and the Greek people.

The Pope said that with Patriarch Bartholomew and Archbishop Ieronymos, they were able to meet individually with more than 300 refugees from Afghanistan, Syria, North Africa and other parts of the world.

"So many of them were children!" the Pope said, noting how some of the children had witnessed the deaths of parents or companions. "I saw so much sorrow!" he continued, and recounted the case of a young Muslim man, with two young children, whose Christian fiancee was killed by terrorists, who cut her throat, because she would not deny Christ and renounce her faith. "She is a martyr!" the Pope said, noting that the young man had sobbed profusely.

[07] PM hails Church leaders' visit, says programme review can be concluded by Easter

The visit by the three prelates had highlighted that Greece and the Greek people were defending universal human values at a crucial time, Tsipras noted in the interview shortly before his own departure from Lesvos. Greeks had shown humanity and solidarity to those in need, even though the country was facing immense economic difficulties and adversity as a result of the huge economic adjustment imposed on Greece by its creditors. At the same time, he added, "at the borders of some other European countries, we had scenes not in keeping with European culture."

Among others, the Pope's visit had helped demonstrate that the problem was not Greek but global, while the presence of the Orthodox Church leaders at his side had its own significance, showing that the leaderships of the two Christian Churches were uniting their forces at a crucial time to highlight Christianity's universal values. They also showed that Greece was not alone but needed help, since it was facing a global problem that it was unable to tackle on its own, he said.

According to Tsipras, it was contradiction that some governments were erecting walls to "defend" a Christian Europe and he recalled instances at crucial summits where there were calls for pushbacks at sea and Greece was accused of being unable to defend its borders.

"How can one defend sea borders without putting human lives at risk?" he noted.

Commenting on the EU agreement with Turkey, Tsipras conceded that this was problematic and had "difficulties" but said that Greece was determined to implement this agreement "without violating international legality and our values."

"I prefer an agreement with problems over a non agreement because, if we did not have an agreement between the EU and Turkey, today we would be seeing the same or greater [migration] flows," he said. Tsipras noted that the doomsayers criticising his visit to Izmir and his policy had been proved wrong. The events had shown that "in foreign policy, when you have a plan, you must also be bold," he added.

The prime minister made it clear that Greece would not allow procedures that were not in keeping with European rules, meaning that each asylum application must be examined individually on its merits and that there will be no 'blanket' rejections of applications based on nationality. According to Tsipras, it was Greece's refusal to ignore its own values and trample on the refugees' rights that had earned the country recognition.

"This is Greece's surplus - it might not be fiscal but it is a surplus of values," he said.

Greece must now press for the EU-Turkey agreement to be implemented, for relocation and resettlement processes to get underway and for Europe to share the burden of the refugees, he added.

With respect to Greece's readiness to host refugees, Tsipras said he had seen a huge difference in terms of the organisation and facilities compared with his last visit to Lesvos and noted that - with the exception of Idomeni where the camp residents remained of their own accord - there were now 40,000 places available for hosting refugees and migrants, most of them of very high standard.

Greece's administration had "performed a small miracle" given that "the weight of a whole planet has fallen on the shoulders of a small country in economic crisis, that the funds are not disbursed by the EU and we often have to fork out from our own pockets," he said. Greece must now show solidarity, greatness of spirit and prove that it is a multicultural society, "where what is different and foreign is not a threat but a source of wealth," he added.

Commenting on the ongoing negotiations with the creditor institutions to wrap up the review of the Greek economic programme, the prime minister said that the goal of concluding this by Easter was feasible.

"Everyone has understood, the international economic community and the Greek people, that Greece is at the end of a difficult adjustment," he said, predicting that Easter Resurrection mass will also bring a revival of Greece's economy without any additional measures.

Tsipras noted that the agreement signed with the creditors in July 2015 had not called for further salary cuts or lay-offs but a much gentler adjustment that was one tenth that imposed by previous governments.

"We will keep to the letter of the agreement and the letter of the agreement did not call for cuts to main pensions so there will be no cuts," he added.

He denied that Greece was "isolated" internationally, noting that the visit by the three prelates had proved this with respect to the refugee crisis. A recent White House announcement about U.S. President Barack Obama's trip to Germany, which said the Greek crisis would be among the top issues discussed, also proved it for the economic crisis, Tsipras added, as was the European Central Bank's (ECB) decision to include Greek banks in quantitative easing.

The Greek people were like a runner near the end of the race, Tsipras concluded: "We have covered 90 percent of the distance and the last 10 pct remains but the fatigue is great. This 10 pct is perhaps the most difficult but we must all understand that the finish line is in sight."

[08] ND in the final straight for 10th Conference, Mitsotakis says

He said the slogan signified an escape from the "suffocation" into which Greek society had descended and "for us to dare to dream again of Greece they way that we want it."

ND leader expected to seek explanations for failure of party's youth group elections

Meanwhile, Mitsotakis' close associates on Sunday said that ND's leader is expected to demand explanations from the head of the party's ONNED youth group Vassilis Georgiadis concerning the debacle with the ONNED elections on Saturday.

Expressing their disappointment at the failure of the 10th ONNED Conference to hold elections, they noted that it was no tribute to the youth group's history or its members that current and former party cadres were seen trying to prevent young people from electing their representatives themselves.

"The younger generation must have its own voice and not be represented by 40-year-old party echelons," ONNED members said after Saturday's conference, asking ND's president to intervene.

Georgiadis told the ANA-MPA on Sunday that the election process was concluded at midnight on Saturday, though with some delay due to the technical difficulties, and that the results will be announced within the next hours.

[09] FM Kotzias meets UNSG's envoy for name dispute Matthew Nimetz in Luxembourg

Nimetz briefed the Greek minister on his activities and on the discussions he is having in the context of his mandate.

[10] Greek foreign ministry tweet expresses support for earthquakestricken Japan

"Greece is well acquainted with the pain caused by an earthquake. We are at your side," the message said.

[11] Alt. Defence Minister Vitsas visits Katsika refugee/migrant camp

The minister was greeted by a "welcoming committee" of small children and spoke with families, walking among the tents and was briefed on living conditions at the centre. He noted that Greece had been asked to very rapidly create places to accommodate more than 50,000 refugees that had become stranded in the country over the last 46 days, after countries to the north closed their borders, and that some centres - like that at Katsika - had more problems than others.

"Our goal is to very quickly overhaul the existing hospitality centres so they reach at least a medium standard. But we will not stop there," he said, explaining that the government was moving from large centres to smaller ones, which will at some point reach a point of stability.

He said that work was underway at an old children's camp in Agia Eleni, to which a significant number of camp residents at Katsika will be transferred in the next few months.

"First the agreement must work, in order for the flows from Turkey to stop. This will stabilise the population of refugees and migrants. Once it is stabilised, then there will be a readjustment regarding relocation in Europe and establishment in Greece. Hospitality centres like Katsika will not have a long life," he promised.

Those that the Agia Eleni camp had no room for would be taken away, with additional Greek regions accepting some refugees at a later stage, he added.

The minister then departed for the refugee camp in Filippiada.

[12] Potami leader opposes elections before programme review conclusion

"We cannot go to elections before the review is complete. On no account. The 5.7 billion euros that we are to receive are necessary, therefore one cannot play with this agreement," he said. Once the money promised by Greece's partners was in the country's coffers, he added,

"we must find alternative solutions because the government has failed and cannot continue like this."

According to Theodorakis, such solutions can be found with a "progressive, centrist direction" and not through conservative, right-wing solutions. "The solutions of the extremes have not helped the country," he said.

General News

[13] Free entrance to monuments, archaeological sites on Monday

In honour of the Olympic Games taking place in 2016, the holiday is this year was this year dedicated to sports heritage and its role in improving human life. The Greek ICOMOS Committee has therefore organised a public debate on the issue that will be held at the Kaftantzoglou auditorium at the National Technical University of Athens School of Architecture (Averoff building on Stournari Street) on Monday, starting at 19:30.

Among the speakers will be the head of the Greek ICOMOS Committee Athanasios Nakasis, the head of the Hellenic UNESCO Commitee Katerina Tzitzikosta, and Culture Minister Aristidis Baltas, among others.

[14] Authorities release four women activists detained during Church leaders' visit

The four women, three from France and one from Hungary, said they were volunteers supporting the refugees and had eluded security and entered the enclosed area where the Pope was speaking with a banner and flyers, in spite of the searches taking place. They were taken into custody when they attempted to open up a bag containing a banner and flyers denouncing the EU-Turkey agreement for the return of refugees.

All four were released on Saturday afternoon.

[15] Noor 1 heroin ship crew member dies, autopsy pending

An autopsy and toxicological exams will be carried out in order to determine the cause of death, which remains unknown.

The man was one of the nine-member crew of the 'Noor 1' when it was caught carrying two tonnes of heroin in June 2014 in Elefsina. All nine had been held on remand and then released after the 18-month maximum incarceration before trial had elapsed, but were staying at the police station because they were unable to rent alternative accommodation.

[16] Freighter rescues 41 refugees and migrants southwest of Pylos

According to the latest count, meanwhile, there are 3,734 migrants and refugees currently staying at Piraeus port. The ferry boat "Ariadne" arrived from the island of Lesvos on Saturday night with only three migrants and refugees on board.

[17] 'Kriti Amber' tanker taken to Piraeus after engine failure

The ship will be forbidden to set sail until repairs are carried out and it gets the all-clear from its shipping registry.

The 'Kriti Amber' had set sail from Cuba with a crew of 24, bound for Singapore with a stop at Piraeus port.

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