Athens News Agency: News in English, 08-06-26

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

CONTENTS

[01] Papandreou presents SI platform for Athens con'f

[01] Papandreou presents SI platform for Athens con'f

SI president and main opposition PASOK leader George Papandreou presented the agenda of the conference during a lengthy press conference in central Athens on Thursday, along with SI general secretary Luis Ayala.

According to Papandreou, some 650 delegates from around the world, including dozens of party leaders and heads of state, will participate at the conference, including representatives from the Communist Party of China, India's Congress Party and the Democratic Party of the US.

"This is a supreme moment for socialists' political family ... the Socialist International, the biggest international organisation at the moment, has contributed to the humanisation of societies," Papandreou said.

On his part, Ayala said the SI was a "platform of dialogue", while noting that topics up for discussion deal with the planet's biggest problems.

Conversely, when asked if such conferences merely constitute "luxury vacation for certain representatives", Ayala said the SI does not meet rarely, and meetings take place continuously, "but wherever we travel, we are obligated to take certain measures, including ones for our security and work."

Asked what direction the SI is taking, politically, and whether it is influenced by social democrat forces, such as the ones in Germany, or, more leftist proposals, Papandreou underlined that "although parties with different roots and traditions exist (under the SI banner), the SI is called on today to synthesise alternative proposals for the management of international crises. The organisation has alternative proposals, and this stresses its necessity."

Additionally, Papandreou expressed his hope for success in the expected Cyprus President Demetris Christofias-Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat talks regarding the Cyprus problem, while asked about relations between the SI and Talat, the leader of the Turkish Cypriot, answered that "countries are one thing, parties are another; a society of citizens is one thing, and recognition of a state is something quite different. There is no recognition of either the (T/C) pseudo-state, or of Kosovo," Papandreou said.

CAPTION: SI president and main opposition PASOK leader George Papandreou (R) and SI general secretary Luis Ayala addreesing the press conference in Athens on Monday. (Photo by ANA-MPA)

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