Athens News Agency: News in English, 07-04-19

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

CONTENTS

[01] PM confers with FinMin, education minister on digital access in higher ed

[02] Greece interested in Romanian electricity deal

[03] Turkish military chief concludes Greek visit

[01] PM confers with FinMin, education minister on digital access in higher ed

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Alogoskoufis said the government, consistent with another one of its commitments, "which was also a personal commitment on the part of the premier, has decided to materialise a very important programme that concerns digital penetration in higher education".

He said the "See it Digitally" programme, which was addressed to higher education students, was commencing, enabling 20 percent of the students who excelled in the 2006 examinations -- some 12,500 students -- to acquire a new laptop with Internet access.

The programme, he explained, was budgeted at more than 7.5 million euros, and was co-financed by the European Union, adding that it would be expanded over the coming years.

This will enable the youth to participate in the digital revolution, the information society and in the technological developments, the minister said.

Yannakou, in turn, said that a similar programme already existed for highschool honour pupils, who received PCs, adding that the programme would be furether expanded in order to give many opportunities to the country's youth.

"We have a comprehensive strategy that touches on all sectors, but digital convergence, especially in the field of education, is the most important issue, in the sense that all these are spearhead policies for the present government," Yiannakou said, noting that there was also a programme for cheap internet for students.

Caption: Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis, then the main opposition leader, visits an Internet cafe in the western Athens district of Bournazi on March 28, 2001. ANA-MPA.

[02] Greece interested in Romanian electricity deal

Sioufas spoke to reporters after a meeting in Bucharest with Romanian minister of economy and commerce Varujan Vosganian.

The two ministers also discussed prospects for further boost bilateral relations, as well as Greek businesses' significant presence in Romania, as Greece is the third largest foreign investor in Romania.

Efforts to increase bilateral trade and economic ties even more will be discussed during a visit by Vosgonian to Greece in the coming months.

The Greek minister's next stops will be Bulgaria and Turkey, for talks on mostly energy issues.

Caption: An ANA-MPA file photo of Sioufas.

[03] Turkish military chief concludes Greek visit

"Where there is will there is a solution. What matters is to ask if there is a will. My opinion is that, yes, there is. Therefore, there can be a solution", Büyükanit said in a response to a bevy of reporters' questions regarding Greek-Turkish relations.

He made the comments after visiting the 19th century house where Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of modern Turkey, was born. The house lies within the premises of the Turkish consulate in the Greek port city.

"The only way to solve (problems) is to create a climate of confidence and hold regular meetings", he said, adding that it is unrealistic to expect two military officials, from Greece and Turkey, respectively, to sit down and solve all Greek-Turkish problems. Conversely, he said their duty is to create a climate of trust allowing politicians to meet and solve the problems.

"We should not be without hope when dealing with problems. Countries that used to be enemies during the world wars now form the European Union. Such a development was unthinkable at the end of WWII," he said.

Gen. Büyükanit also stated that relations can develop through cooperation, while noting that there are differences "but no animosity between our peoples."

In reference to his tour of the Atatürk house, he rejected any noting that he wanted to send any message to the Erdogan government, stressing that he had already presented the armed forces' viewpoint in a lengthy press conference he gave in Turkey last Friday.

Responding to question on the demonstration held in Ankara last week in support of the secular state, he underlined that legitimate rallies are a democratic right.

Greek National Defence General Staff, Adm. Panayiotis Hinofotis, also had separate talks with Büyükanit on the sidelines of the summit.

Büyükanıdeparted Thessaloniki in the early afternoon.

Caption: Turkish armed forces' general staff chief Gen Ya� Büyükanit appears on the balcony of the home where Mustafa Kemal Ataturk was born in the northern Greek port city of Thessaloniki, Thursday, April 19, 2007. ANA-MPA / N. ARVANITIDIS.

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