Athens News Agency: News in English, 08-07-03

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

CONTENTS

[01] Event in memory of Andreas Papandreou

[02] President begins visit to Austria

[03] Roman Era tombs unearthed

[01] Event in memory of Andreas Papandreou

PASOK MPs Andreas Loverdos and Panos Beglitis addressed the event entitled ?Andreas Papandreou�s foreign policy: current teachings?, referring to the late party founder's contribution.

Loverdos noted Andreas Papandreou�s speech at the European Socialist Parties Summit meeting held in Madrid in 1992, where he attempted to modernize the socialist message during the crucial period of the collapse of extant socialism.

On his part, Beglitis underlined that Andreas Papandreou had been a deeply pro-European politician, stressing that he had incorporated European strategy elements into PASOK as early as the 70s when he was questioning the then European Community structure.

Caption: 1995 file photo of the late PASOK founder Andreas Papandreou. (ANA-MPA)

[02] President begins visit to Austria

Greece and Austria, as the closest EU countries to the Balkans and countries with advanced economies, "have a great, common responsibility for the further development of the Balkans", Kusenbauer told ANA-MPA following his morning meeting with Papoulias.

The Chancellor said he and Papoulias had had a "good and detailed discussion" focusing chiefly on Balkan developments, and the situation in Serbia and Kosovo.

He said they had reaffirmed that Greece and Austria support stability in the Balkans, which, however, must be closely linked with the Balkan countries' course to EU accession.

After his talks with the Austrian chancellor, Papoulias was received with military honors at the Presidential Mansion before his meeting with Fischer.

The Greek President, who is accompanied by culture minister Michalis Liapis, deputy foreign minister Yannis Valynakis and a Greek delegation comprising government officials and Greek businessmen, arrived in Vienna on Wednesday evening for a four-day official visit, reciprocating a state visit by Fischer to Athens in May last year.

On Thursday evening, Papoulias, his wife May and the Greek delegation will attend an official reception hosted in the Greek President's honor by Fischer and his wife.

Earlier, Papoulias will have separate meetings with Vienna mayor Michael Haupl, and Austrian parliament (National Council) president Barbara Prammer, the parliament's first woman president.

Shortly after his arrival in Vienna, Papoulias met with Metropolitan Michael of Austria and the Ecumenical Patriarchate's Exarch of Hungary and Middle Europe, at the Holy Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Austria, which houses the historic Greek National School of Vienna, the oldest Greek school abroad.

In statements to ANA-MPA, Papoulias said he was deeply moved and expressed his reverence at his visit to the historic Metropolis, and expressed the wish that the Hellenism of Vienna will carry on their glorious tradition.

Addressing Papoulias, Metropolitan Michael said that the Greek President's visit to the Metropolis constituted a pilgrimage and manifestation of tribute and memory to those who contributed to the spiritual revival of the Nation and the creation of modern Greece.

Michael noted that the Metropolis has for centuries been the center of Hellenism in Austria, and the manifestation of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, adding that the Greeks of Vienna, and of Austria in general, continue to enhance the friendly ties between the two friendly countries -- Greece and Austria.

The Metropolitan himself guided the President and the Greek delegation on a tour of the Metropolis, during which he referred to the long history of Hellenism in Vienna, and described as an important event the recent visit to the Metropolis and the two historic Greek churches in the Greek Quarter of Vienna by President Fischer and his wife.

On Friday, Papoulias and Fischer will take part in the Greece-Austria Economic Forum, followed by talks with Vice Chancellor Wilhelm Molterer, and a meeting with representatives of the Greek community.

On Friday night, Papoulias will inaugurate an exhibition titled "Reminiscences of Antiquity in Modern Greek Art" at Vienna's world renowned Kunsthistorisches Museum (Museum of Art History), followed by a reciprocal reception he will host in honor of the Austrian Presidential couple.

On Saturday, accompanied by Fischer, Papoulias will visit Salzburg, where he will be greeted by Salzburg State Governor Gabriele Burgstaller.

The Greek President and delegation will depart for Athens on Saturday afternoon.

Reminiscences of Antiquity in Modern Greek Art exhibition

The National Gallery of Greece in collaboration with the Alexander S. Onassis Public Benefit Foundation, are organizing the exhibition "Antiquity and Modern Art. Reminiscences of Antiquity in Modern Greek Art" at the Kunsthistorisches Museum of Vienna. The exhibition is under the auspices of the Greek Embassy in Vienna in the context of the official visit of President of Hellenic Republic Karolos Papoulias, who will inaugurate the exhibition, which will run through August 24.

The exhibition, which comprises 53 works of art, aspires to present the reception of the classical spirit of ancient Greece (ideas, themes, figures) by modern Greek artists, the ways in which they have been inspired by it, as well as the ways in which they represented it in their art during the 20th century.

According to the organizers, with the exception of Constantine Parthenis (1878-1967), who belongs to an older generation, the major painters of this exhibition are representatives of the famous Thirties Generation and its spirit: Ghika, Tsarouhis, Moralis, Nicolaou, Engonopoulos, and Vassileiou, as well as Fassianos, a younger inheritor of the same tradition.

Caption: Greek President of the Republic. (ANA-MPA/EPA/L. Dolega)

[03] Roman Era tombs unearthed

The town of Krinides (or Crenides) is a town and ancient site that also includes the famed archaeological site of ancient Philippi in the Kavala prefecture in eastern Macedonia, and the seat of the municipality of Philippi.

Krinides is situated just a few kilometers from the world-renowned archaeological site of ancient Philippi, and the modern-day town sits atop the ruins of the ancient city that bore the name of King Philip II of Macedon, and consequently the accidental discovery of archaeological finds is usual in the area, according to archaeologists.

Archaeologists from the 10th Ephoria of Classical Antiquities were called in immediately after the discovery, and work would begin directly to unearth more finds and for their safe transport to the Archaeological Museum of Kavala.

According to archaeologist Thanassis Salonikios, a total of five tombs were discovered, all of them intact, as well as several more tombs that had been opened in the past. Most date back to the Roman era, while there are also finds dating to the Byzantine era. Specific dating, however, will be made following lab studies.

Salonikios, who is overseeing the works, said that there were two probable explanations for such a dense concentration of burial monuments in such a small area: the findings are either a family burial place, given that many of the tombs were found at the same depth, or the site was the center of a crowded cemetery.

Crenides, founded in 360 BC by the exiled Athenian politician Callistratus of Aphidnae in the foothills of Mt. Orbelos (Mt. Lekani, today), was a small colony of the island of Thassos.

Caption: Recent find from the ongoing excavations in the archaelogical site of Philippi. (ANA-MPA)

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