Athens News Agency: News in English, 06-03-23

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

CONTENTS

[01] Greece 'strategic partner', US Secretary of State says

[02] Messages for March 25 national anniversary

[01] Greece 'strategic partner', US Secretary of State says

Rice noted that both countries wish to solve many international problems, without this necessarily meaning that they agree on all issues, and referred to Greece's good relations with the Muslim world, noting that they could be useful in promoting peace.

Rice congratulated Bakoyannis on her work as Athens Mayor and accepted the Greek minister's invitation to visit Greece.

On her part, Bakoyannis referred to the need to solve problems in various parts of the world, referring in particular to the West Balkans, whose future - according to the Greek minister - is in Europe.

As for Kosovo and defining its status, Bakoyannis said that the positions and views of all involved parties should be taken into consideration.

Bakoyannis also underscored the need to resolve the Cyprus issue by finding a solution based on the UN Security Council's relevant decisions that will lead to a united, bi-communal Cyprus.

Also referring to Cyprus, Rice said that the island's reunification must be achieved based on democratic values. She did not refer to UN Secretary General Kofi Annan's plan.

On the issue of Greek-Turkish relations, Rice stressed that the US supports the steady improvement in relations which began after the two countries came to each others' aid following the 1999 earthquakes.

Bakoyannis, on her part, raised the issue of the re-opening of the Halki Greek Orthodox Seminary in Turkey, while Rice responded that this is an issue the US repeatedly raises with the Turkish government.

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[02] Messages for March 25 national anniversary

President Papoulias addressed a message to expatriate Greeks on Thursday who constitute, as he said, a special part of Hellenism who have offered a great deal to Greece and to the countries they are living in.

The president urged the state and the expatriates to "work together with prudence and harmony to secure a strong presence for Hellenism in the world".

He added that the "vision of the 1821 fighters is a heavy heritage for the Greeks and leads them to the paramount mission of serving the ideals of freedom, national independence, justice and democracy with responsibility, unanimity and unity."

President Papoulias further said that Greece "currently holds its position among the free countries and the Greek people, with their continuous and laborious efforts, have won a place in the group of modern democratic European countries."

Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis, Parliament President Anna Psarouda-Benaki and political parties also issued messages on Thursday.

"The double celebration of Orthodoxy and Hellenism underlines the development through time of the values and ideals which inspired the fighters of the rennaissance. It underlines that, 185 years later, the demand for freedom, national independence, justice and dignity continues to unite the Greeks as the criterion for our collective action," he said.

Karamanlis also said that today "Greek women and men have the fortune of living in the longest peaceful and democratic period ever experienced by the country and our country is being recognised internationally as a force of peace and stability in the wider region of southeastern Europe and the Middle East."

Parliament President Anna Psarouda-Benaki said in her message that "today we look back with respect and admiration at the struggles of the heroes of 1821, who secured freedom for us, while the Greeks feel the great heritage they left behind and the duty to match those people and their deeds."

She pointed out that conditions are different today and the country is enjoying freedom and democracy, adding that "this does not mean that the Greeks have the right to be complaisant and to consider the present situation as being a foregone conclusion".

The Communist Party of Greece (KKE) said in its message that the "uprising against the then strong and powerful 'new world order' of the Ottoman empire took place because the people disregarded and ignored cries for submission which were being presented with the mask of wisdom and realism."

"Our people have the strength and can reverse antipopular policy. With their own anti-imperialist alliance and their determined struggle they can rid themselves of the woes of capitalist exploitation and achieve a future which shall belong to them, without unemployment, poverty and imperialist wars," KKE added.

The Coalition of the Left, Movements and Ecology (Synaspismos) party said that the March 25 anniversary underlines "the longstanding value of the message that the just cause of small countries is stronger than the empires of every era and than the logic of the correlation of power."

The party's message also said that this year's anniversary will be celebrated in a troubled international setting since "the civil war and the continuing occupation in Iraq, prolonged tension in the Middle East and the open problems in Kosovo and Afghanistan confirm that the modern-day empire, which the U.S. leadership wants to impose, apart from opposition from all peaceloving forces in the world, must also have to deal with the innate weaknesses and deadlocks that it is creating."

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