Athens News Agency: News in English, 04-04-20

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

CONTENTS

[01] Greece 'awaiting with interest' Annan briefing of UN on Cyprus issue

[02] New terrorism bill ahead of Olympic Games, justice minister

[01] Greece 'awaiting with interest' Annan briefing of UN on Cyprus issue

Greece was ''awaiting with interest'' what UN secretary general Kofi Annan ''will say on the Cyprus issue, given that every procedure that aims at providing additional guarantees is welcome,'' government spokesman Theodoros Roussopoulos said Monday, in reply to press questions.

Roussopoulos said that if a report with such a content was forthcoming from Annan, the Greek government would ''assess it in a positive light'', adding, however, that he was not aware precisely of the content of the report, nor when it would be discussed.

Questioned on the prospect of a meeting between prime minister Costas Karamanlis and his Turkish counterpart Tayyip Erdogan in Sarajevo, Roussopoulos said that such a meeting ''is quite likely'' to take place, but added that there would be no agenda for the talks.

Greece, he added, ''desires that, in the event the Greek Cypriots vote 'no' (on the Annan plan), to have good relations with Turkey, and this is also desired by the Cypriot leadership''.

Asked what initiatives the Greek government would undertake in the event the Greek Cypriots rejected the Annan plan in the April 24 referenda on the island, Roussopoulos said the government would assume initiatives ''always in cooperation with the Cypriot government''.

[02] New terrorism bill ahead of Olympic Games, justice minister Papaligouras says

The justice ministry intends to table in parliament, for adoption, a bill on terrorism ahead of the Olympic Games, minister Anastasios Papaligouras said Monday in Thessaloniki.

According to Papaligouras, the fight against terrorism was of additional importance to the Greek government due to the staging of the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, particularly following the bomb attack in Madrid and the climate that has been created internationally.

He explained that the legislation was based on the bill prepared by the previous leadership at the justice ministry (under the preceding PASOK government), adding that Supreme court prosecutor Mr. Linos has been retained in the post of chairman of the committee preparing the bill.

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