Athens News Agency: News in English, 03-03-22

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

CONTENTS

[01] PM says EU's main role is the maintenance of Iraq's territorial

[02] Chirac congratulates Greek EU presidency over Iraq issue management

[03] Thousands join anti-war protests, strikes throughout Greece

[01] PM says EU's main role is the maintenance of Iraq's territorial integrity

BRUSSELS (ANA - M. Spinthourakis) - Prime Minister Costas Simitis, presiding over the European Union's summit here, on Friday reiterated the existence of disagreement in the EU concerning the crisis in Iraq, stressing, however, that since the war has started it is the duty of the EU to look to the future.

Speaking to the press at the end of the second day of the summit, Simitis said that the first and foremost role of the EU is the maintenance of the territorial integrity of Iraq after the end of the military conflict and noted that Turkey also agrees with this priority, according to statements Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul made in Brussels on Friday, where he is representing Turkey.

The second basic priority of the EU, he said, is the confrontation of humanitarian needs that will arise, especially if there are waves of refugees.

The third priority, he said, is the maintenance of balance in the wider region.

The premier also underlined the central role the United Nations should play from now on, while stressing the importance of inter-Atlantic relations, the continuation of the dialogue between the U.S. and Europe and the development of the peace process in the Middle East.

In light of the Iraq issue, Simitis noted once again the necessity for the strengthening of the EU's common foreign policy and the policy of security and defense, which, he said, is still under formulation and has not taken its final form.

[02] Chirac congratulates Greek EU presidency over Iraq issue management within EU

BRUSSELS (ANA - G. Zitouniati) - French President Jacques Chirac on Friday expressed his warm congratulations to the Greek European Union presidency for its management of the Iraq issue among the member-states of the EU.

''The Greek presidency was successful with everything and we should recognize that, expressing our appreciation for the way it handled the process,'' Chirac said, in his opening remarks on Friday, during his press conference here, following the end of the EU summit.

The Greek presidency, Chirac said, managed to avoid the reproduction of confrontation in the United Nations Security Council, which did not lead anywhere and led the summit toward the future, emphasizing the Lisbon issues for the improvement of competitiveness and for the future of the European economy that are what is at stake in the EU.

[03] Thousands join anti-war protests, strikes throughout Greece

Hundreds of thousands of Greeks took to the streets on Friday to protest against the U.S.-led war on Iraq, as anti-war demonstrations, rallies and marches continued in cities throughout the country for a second day.

The ranks of tertiary education and high-school students that again turned out to voice their opposition to the attack on Iraq were swelled on Friday by members of the workforce, who responded to a call for a four-hour strike from trade unions and came out in force to join the protestors.

Public services, public transport, ferries, banks, even shops, light industry and supermarkets were among those that shut their doors, while more demonstrations have been organised for Saturday.

In Athens, demonstrators filled Syntagma Square and the surrounding streets in their thousands to join the rally organised by the General Confederation of Workers of Greece (GSEE), the civil servants' union ADEDY, the Athens Labour Centre and activist groups such as the Greek Social Forum, the ''Stop the War'' Alliance and others. Among them were former resistance fighters, pensioners, civil servants, even members of the clergy.

According to police estimates, more than 50,000 people turned out for the anti-war rally in Thessaloniki, Greece's second-largest city, whose central banner was Pablo Picasso's painting ''Guernica''.

As on Thursday, meanwhile, rallies were held in other main cities throughout Greece, including Corfu, Ioannina, Samos and elsewhere.

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