Athens News Agency: News in English, 06-07-18

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

CONTENTS

[01] Cabinet briefed over developments in Middle East

[02] PASOK concerned over escalating Middle East clash

[03] Bakoyannis: Lebanon crisis must be checked

[04] Tourist arrivals up 6.33 pct in first half 2006

[05] 1,250 Lebanon evacuees arrive in Cyprus

[01] Cabinet briefed over developments in Middle East

The meeting was called to discuss economic developments and the government's privatisation programme.

In statements afterward, Economy and Finance Minister George Alogoskoufis expressed concern over developments in the region and their possible impact on the Greek economy but stressed that they did not so far justify any change in the government's plans.

"We will be ready to deal with any consequences," the minister said, adding that the government was preparing for any possible scenario.

Alogoskoufis said government policy focused on an effort to steadily lower fuel taxes. The Greek minister briefed the inner cabinet over economic developments in the country in the first six months of 2006 and prospects for the next half of the year, and over progress in a privatisation programme.

He noted that the government has completed 83 percent of its privatisation programme, including the Post Savings Bank, ATEbank and added that the crucial point was now the privatisation of Emporiki Bank.

Economic performance was good in the first half of 2006, Alogoskoufis said adding that efforts would continue to achieve the goals in growth, reducing deficits and combatting inflation.

The Greek minister reiterated that public spending would strictly adhere to budget provisions this year.

[02] PASOK concerned over escalating Middle East clash

"The practice of mass punishment of peoples, the destruction of infrastructures and the death of innocent citizens is counter to the principles of International Law and the humanitarian values of our modern-day civilisation," the announcement said, adding that "just as we have condemned, with consistency and determination, the terrorist actions of the Islamic extremist organisations in Palestine and Lebanon against innocent Israeli citizens, thus now we again raise a voice of protest and condemnation of the blind strikes of military violence on the part of the Israeli army".

PASOK called on the international community, the United Nations, the European Union, and the regional international organisations to undertake specific initiatives for the immediate halt of the clash and for insurance of the conditions for a viable truce that would lead to dialogue and negotiation among the sides involved for the release of the Israeli soldiers and the Palestinian MPs and government officials.

The main opposition party further called on the international community to contribute to the immediate confrontation of the severe humanitarian crisis in Palestine and Lebanon, with an immediate dispatch of aid to those suffering peoples.

"The history of this strife-torn region confirms, daily, that the strategy of unilateral imposition of solutions and preemptive military violence do not lead to peace and security in the region, but feed the violence and its escalation," the announcement said.

PASOK reaffirmed its support of the UN Security Council resolutions, to the creation of an independent and viable Palestinian state that would co-exist in peace and security with the state of Israel, and for an independent and sovereign Lebanon without foreign interventions.

[03] Bakoyannis: Lebanon crisis must be checked

"We have a crisis in progress that could lead to a wider conflict in the region if not controlled soon," Bakoyannis said, blaming both Hizbollah and Israel for the eruption of violence.

"The deterioration of the situation in Lebanon, with the abductions of Israeli soldiers, the excessive escalation of military operations and the continuous Hizbollah activity, hurts mostly civilians on both sides and the infrastructures they use. Human life has exactly the same value in both Haifa and Beirut," stressed the foreign minister.

She also underlined that the Greek government and foreign ministry had mobilized immediately, under extremely unfavorable conditions, to evacuate Greeks in Lebanon who wished to leave the country.

On a diplomatic level, Greece has contributed actively at both the UN Security Council and within the EU, steadfastly seeking peace in this sensitive region that is so close to Greece, she added.

The main goal was an immediate ceasefire and Greece is backing every effort in this direction, both within the UN Security Council and the EU framework, Bakoyannis said.

On the stance adopted by the EU on Monday, she said that Greece was among the countries that would have preferred a clearer stance but that the need to safeguard unity, necessary in such situations, had prevailed.

Referring to the evacuation operations in progress, she said that the frigate "Psara" will arrive in Beirut on Tuesday to pick up 400 Greek nationals, as well as people of other nationalities, and is expected to set sail for Larnaca, Cyprus later the same evening. The Greek frigate "Themistocles" was already at the port of Larnaca and was ready to set sail at any time, while two tank landing vessels, the "Ikaria" and "Rhodes", were sailing off the coast of Cyprus ready to offer their assistance if deemed necessary.

The "Psara" will carry two diplomatic officials to reinforce the Greek embassy in Beirut (where another two diplomats have already been sent since the crisis erupted) as well as pharmaceutical equipment to cover possible shortages.

"Since day one of the crisis, when the Beirut airport closed, Greece mobilized for the fastest and safest removal of Greek citizens who had requested it," underlined Bakoyannis, stressing that operation ?Kedros? and plan ?Sunshine? have been implemented in cooperation with the ministry of defense.

Referring to the evacuation operations that took place at the end of last week, the foreign minister stated that two operations have been safely completed by Monday; the Athens-Damascus-Larnaca-Athens airlifts on Friday and Saturday that got 256 people out of Lebanon, 99 of which were not Greeks.

The foreign minister repeatedly pointed out the extremely difficult conditions in which these operations were carried out, stressing that the effort was continuing.

Regarding the diplomatic front, she said that Greece has an active role for the quickest possible easing of the crisis, adding that Greece is in constant contact with the EU for the best possible outcome both at humanitarian and political level.

Deputy Foreign Minister Theodoros Kassimis, who was also present in the press briefing, commented on the fact that very few Greeks boarded the ship chartered by the French government - the Greek-flagged Ierapetra - in spite of an agreement that Greeks would be allowed on board.

He noted that Greece had expressed its discontent to the French side for this development, while adding that Paris had offered a reasonable explanation.

In a phone-called to Bakoyannis, French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy said the ship had precipitated its departure for security reasons and boarding was interrupted.

According to Kassimis, this explanation was backed by the fact that the ship had left with only 970 passengers while it has a capacity of 1,270.

He dismissed rumours that U.S. citizens had been taken instead of Greeks, pointing out that only 37 of the passengers were American. Kassimis added that this information was sent to him at his request by the consular port authority and the shipping firm LANE.

Responding to a question on the meeting he had on Monday with US ambassador to Athens Charles Ries, he stated that the US diplomat asked for passenger ships to be chartered by the US embassy to evacuate US or other citizens from Lebanon in case it becomes necessary.

[04] Tourist arrivals up 6.33 pct in first half 2006

SETE said the number of foreign visitors to Greece would exceed the record number of 2001 if growth rates continued at the same pace throughout the remaining half of the year.

The report was based on tourist arrivals in 12 Greek airports, accounting for more than 90 percent of total air flights and more than 75 percent of tourist arrivals in the country.

SETE said this positive development should lead to complacency and urged for further measures to improve quality in tourism services and to improve Greek tourism competitiveness. The Federation also urged the country's Tourism ministry to intensify efforts in collecting and processing statistical figures in the tourism sector.

[05] 1,250 Lebanon evacuees arrive in Cyprus

All evacuees have disembarked and were taken to hotels until arrangements are made to return to their countries.

Most of them, an estimated 800, are nationals of France, the country that chartered the ship, and 400 come from different European countries, among them, 10 Cypriots, some Greeks and 50 Americans.

Among those on board were also 400 children, of which 200 were unaccompanied, including a 13-year-old French-German boy who was seriously injured, fracturing a vertebrae in a blast that killed both his parents.

The boy is now being treated at a hospital in Larnaca while arrangements are made to transfer him to Germany.

A total of 83 Greeks, 11 Cypriots and 146 people from different European countries were unable to board the ship because, according to the ship�s doctors, the captain had to leave port earlier than planned for safety reasons.

Cyprus Foreign Ministry Permanent Secretary Sotos Zakheos stated that an investigation will be conducted by the French and Greek authorities to determine what exactly happened.

He said that priority had been given to French citizens but the agreement had been that the ship would also pick up citizens of other countries up to an agreed percentage.

Meanwhile, Cyprus Health Minister Haris Charalambous stated that the Ierapetra is scheduled to set sail again for Lebanon on Tuesday evening, carrying a second team of doctors, nurses, child psychologists and social workers.

Also setting sail for Lebanon on Tuesday is the Greek Navy frigate "Psara" that had been anchored off Cyprus awaiting the end of consultations on a diplomatic level. This will pick up more Greeks and Cypriots waiting to be evacuated from the Lebanon, including those left behind by the Ierapetra.

Three more Greek Navy vessels, the frigate "Themistokles" and two tank-landing craft, are heading for Cyprus to join the "Psara" in the Lebanon evacuation operation.

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