Athens News Agency: News in English, 07-04-23

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

CONTENTS

[01] Calls for end of embargo on Palestinians

[02] Karamanlis on Turkey's EU course, FYROM

[03] EU Council probes Middle East peace process

[01] Calls for end of embargo on Palestinians

Papandreou stressed the need for a government initiative for lifting the embargo at the European Union, stressing that the blockade should be lifted "so that we do not see another outbreak of extremism in the Palestinian territories."

He also repeated PASOK's positions in favour of establishing an independent Palestinian state.

Communist Party leader meets Palestinian president Abbas

Communist Party of Greece (KKE) General Secretary Aleka Papariga on Monday met visiting Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, stressing the KKE's determination to continue the struggle in support of the Palestinian people.

"We are aware that in recent years, both New Democracy and PASOK [the ruling and main opposition parties, respectively] have happily to consent under pressure and have not maintained a consistent stance on the Palestinian issue," she noted.

"Thanks to the many years of bloody resistance by the Palestinian people, recently from the Lebanese people and the Iraqi resistance, the Palestinian problem has not yet ended negatively," she added.

According to Papariga, the United States and "other imperialists" had not yet succeeded in "burying" the problem.

"For this reason, the road must be kept wide open for seeking a substantive solution of the Palestinian problem by creating a truly independent Palestinian state, and not a protectorate as the plans of the imperalists say," KKE's leader concluded.

Abbas meets SYN leader Alavanos

Abbas also held a meeting with the leader of the left-wing Coalition of the Left, of Movements and Ecology (SYN) party Alekos Alavanos on Monday.

In statements afterward, Alavanos said that he had expressed the party's support of efforts to implement UN resolutions on the Palestinian issue.

"We consider it important that the Greek government not consent to be influenced by the United States, especially on the issue of immediately ending the economic blockade of Palestine, which effectively creates a hothouse for violence. On the contrary, it must actively contribute to a European policy that is different to that of the U.S., which seeks a speedy solution of the Palestinian problem through political means, so that two states can coexist, Israel and Palestine, with their pre-1967 borders and with East Jerusalem as capital," he said.

[02] Karamanlis on Turkey's EU course, FYROM

Karamanlis nevertheless repeated Athens' leitmotif of absolute adherence to conditions set out by the Union -- "full compliance (with the EU's conditions) means full accession", Karamanlis repeated, while adding: "when time allows."

He also again voiced his support for western Balkan states' European prospects.

On his part, Jan?a said his country favors an "open doors" policy, and in specifically referring to EU hopeful Turkey, he underlined that the EU has demonstrated its seriousness, although he observed that a latest "chill" in Ankara's accession course is due to its failure to meet pre-conditions

The Slovenian leader added that candidate-states themselves are responsible for meeting, or not meeting, their obligations vis-?-vis the Union.

Kosovo

Asked about the nagging Kosovo question, the Greek premier remarked that although major differences still separate the two sides -- even as negotiations have entered their final phase -- efforts to find a violable and functional solution should not end.

"Whatever solution must, at least, be acceptable by all," he said, adding that a deal will also require approval by the UN Security Council.

Jan?a said Kosovo remains an "open issue" that must be resolved as soon as possible via a solution acceptable by all sides, whereas the Ahtisaari proposals are "in the right direction".

FYROM

Additionally, Karamanlis merely noted that Greece's positions over the "name issue" with the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) remain unchanged, as the target still remains a "mutually acceptable solution".

"We have taken the necessary steps, but we've only witnessed an intransigent stance by the other side; we're waiting for this (stance) to change," he said.

Finally, asked to comment on the first round in the French presidential elections on Sunday, Karamanlis simply stated that "we'll wait and see what happens in the second round".

Caption: A European flag and a Turkish flag flight in front of the EU Council building at Brussels on Wednesday, 15 December 2004. ANA-MPA / EPA /OLIVIER HOSLET

[03] EU Council probes Middle East peace process

Bakoyannis said in a statement that during the relevant discussion at the Council, Greece maintained that all efforts must be aimed at supporting the Palestinian government, alleviating its economic ordeal and continuing contacts with certain ministers in this government, particularly the foreign minister and the finance minister.

She added that the Greek side presented the Council with a proposal for the Palestinian foreign minister to be invited to the General Affairs Council for an extensive discussion, as is the case with all the sides involved.

According to Bakoyannis, Greece also maintained that the process of contacts between the "quartet" and the four Arab countries involved in this issue must go ahead and that these consultations must then be continued with the participation of the Palestinians and the Israelis as well.

The foreign minister stated that the aim is for suitable pressures to be exercised at a crucial moment so that, provided this is possible, a new impetus can be given to the peace process in the Middle East.

Replying to a question on the results of the first round of the French presidential elections, Bakoyannis said that the mass participation of the French people in the election process is an extremely encouraging message and a reply to all who believe that democracy is experiencing difficult times and that a representation crisis exists.

Also commenting on the course of Cyprus' accession to the eurozone, the foreign minister said that the relevant decision must be taken only on the basis of economic criteria, as is the case for the rest of the candidate countries.

She further said that no exception must be made in the way with which Cyprus will be handled and made the assessment that there will be no political criteria for the accession of Cyprus to the eurozone.

The issue was also discussed on the sidelines of the Council by Cyprus Foreign Minister George Lillikas and the presiding German Foreign Minister Frank Walter-Steinmeier.

Lillikas stressed the conviction in a statement that only economic criteria will apply for the accession of Cyprus to the eurozone and that political criteria will not be taken into consideration.

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