Athens News Agency: News in English, 09-01-30

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

CONTENTS

[01] Papandreou meets party Gaza mission members

[02] Death of publisher Victor Papazissis mourned

[03] FM holds phone conversation with new US counterpart

[04] Tourism minister visits Vartholomeos

[05] ASE opening: Decline

[06] Athens Newspaper Headlines

[01] Papandreou meets party Gaza mission members

Papandreou congratulated the mission members on their decision to go to Gaza, stressing that it was a difficult decision for someone to enter an area that was being bombed, and also on the fact that they succeeded in the aid reaching the hospitals there.

Such actions, he said, also symbolized the Greece "that we want...a Greece of humaneness and solidarity, and a champion of peace in the wider region".

Caption: ANA-MPA file photo of main opposition leader George Papandreou

[02] Death of publisher Victor Papazissis mourned

Papazissis was born in Athens in 1937 and studied Economics at the Piraeus School of Industrial Studies, and in 1956 took the helm of the publishing firm founded in 1929 by his father, Argyris Papazissis. Under his direction, Papazissis Publications putlished numerous books on the eeconomy, society, politics and the humanitarian sciences, familiarizing the Greek public with internationally-renowned intellectuals and thinkers.

Victor Papazissis was arrested and tortured by the colonels' junta in 1969, and remained imprisoned until the summer of 1973, while the publishing firm, in defiance of the dictatorship's threats and censorship, continued publishing political books under the direction of his late wife Isabella Papazissi and Dimos Mavrommatis.

After the restoration of democracy in Greece, Victor Papazissis also devoted his time to professional trade unionism, serving as chairman of the Association of Scientific Book Publishers, while he also served as president and board member of numerous citizens' movements, including the Pavlos Bakoyannis New Politics Center (KENEP), and wrote articles for many newspapers and periodicals. His publishing work is continued today by his son, Alexandros Papazissis.

Victor Papazissis' funeral will be held on Saturday at Athens' First Cemetery at 12:30 p.m.

The deceased's family has requested that donations be sent to the "Spyros Doxiadis Research Foundation for the Child" in lieu of wreaths.

Government spokesman Evangelos Antonaros, in a statement on Victor Papazissis' death, noted that the deceased, throughout his entire life, had been a fighter. "His free and uncompromising spirit was reflected in his bold publishing initiatives, which left their mark on the book and on academic thought. His struggles for the restoration of democracy and, afterwards, for its consolidation and deepening, his contribution to education and culture, are a precious legacy for those who continuing his publishing work, and for every free, active citizen."

The government spokesman also expressed his condolences to the deceased's family.

Foreign minister Dora Bakoyannis said in a statement: "Victor Papazissis was a fighter for democracy, freedom, ideas and knowledge. A man with a liberal spirit, he created a new culture in the field of Letters and opened up new horizons in publishing. He was an uncompromising spirit and knew how to wage battles for his ideals and beliefs. My deepest condolences to his family".

Grief over Papazissis' death was also expressed by foreign ministry secretary general for European Affairs Dimitris Katsoudas, who described the deceased as "one of the most knowledgeable people in the field of books and academic thought" and whose rich publishing activity brought the Greek public into contact with thinkers and writers of global renown, and whose participation in public affairs, through Society of the Citizens' organizations and think tanks "was more than precious".

Main opposition PASOK press spokesman George Papaconstantinou paid tribute to the deceased as "a publisher who opened up new roads in political and scientific books in Greece".

"He was a resistance fighter who was jailed and tortured during the dictatorship, but always maintained his thoughts, his spirit, and even his sense of humor. And above all, for all of us who knew him, Victor was a brave and free man who, with courage and his own views, never hesitated to state his opinion. His death leaves a void that is difficult to fill," Papaconsantinou said, and expressed his deep condolences to his son Alexander and his family.

Athens Mayor Nikitas Kaklamanis, in a statement, said: "Apart from acting as a key to the literary world, for Victor Papazissis the book served as a vehicle of resistance and a symbol of rationality in the face of all forms of tyranny. The jail time he served and the torture he suffered during the dictatorship failed to dampen his fighting spirit, free will and active support of freedom of thought and free press. All of these elements, together with the titles of the books he published, constitute his literary heritage and provide a source of inspiration for generations to come. Farewell Victor."

[03] FM holds phone conversation with new US counterpart

According to a relevant ministry announcement, Bakoyannis wished her American counterpart "every success in the difficult mission she has undertaken in this demanding and crucial international juncture".

During their telephone conversation, which was held in an "excellent climate", the two ministers also discussed the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and Greece's current Chairmanship of the organization, developments in the Middle East and other regional issues of mutual interest.

[04] Tourism minister visits Vartholomeos

"My visit to the Ecumenical Patriarch symbolises the great importance placed by our government and the Tourist Development ministry on the development of the people's relations," the minister told the ANA-MPA immediately after meeting Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos.

The Patriarch said on his part that "I believe that tourism is currently one of the greatest forces that brings the peoples closer together, it cuts corners and eases confrontations. I think that it is the best ambassador for relations between peoples. Greek hospitality has been known from ancient times."

Caption: ANA-MPA file photo of Tourism Minister Costas Markopoulos

[05] ASE opening: Decline

Equity prices were declining at the opening of trade on Friday on the Athens Stock Exchange (ASE), with the basic share price index down 0.41 percent, standing at 1,724.22 points at 10:45 a.m., and turnover at 7.2 million euros.

Individual sector indices were moving mostly downward, with the biggest gains in Mass Media, up 0.96 percent; Telecoms, up 0.87 percent; and Technology, up 0.38 percent.

The biggest losses were in Banks, down 1.14 percent; Public Utilities, down 0.73 percent; and Industrial Products, down 0.70 percent.

The FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavily traded stocks was down 0.31 percent, the FTSE/ASE MID 40 index was down 0.12 percent, and the FTSE/ASE-80 small cap index was down 0.28 percent.

Of the stocks moved, 20 were up, 29 were down, and 25 were unchanged.

[06] Athens Newspaper Headlines

The apparent sputtering out of farmers' mobilisations after an agreement between farmers' representatives and the government, ongoing concerns about the effects of a global economic recession on the local economy and measures to boost liquidity to small and medium-sized enterprises mostly dominated the headlines on Friday in Athens' newspapers.

ADESMEFTOS TYPOS: "100 million euros 'dowry' to new farmers - "Applications accepted from Feb. 16"

APOGEVMATINI: "Real estate at bargain prices"

AVGHI: "Industrialists in northern Greece threaten to dismiss staff if banks don't provide cash"

AVRIANI: "Government won battle with farmers - End to blockades after government's initiatives and dialogue with farm unionists"

CHORA: "Piraeus Bank gives 1 billion euros in loans to 100,000 small and medium sized enterprises in cooperation with Athens Chamber'

ELEFTHERI ORA: "Democratic Revival party leader Stelios Papathemelis states to newspaper: 'Why I sued Turkish actor Attila Olgac' "

ELEFTHEROS TYPOS: "University entry exams in portions"

ELEFTHEROTYPIA: "Tractors leave, minister roars - Agriculture minister suddenly attacks main opposition PASOK for blockades and rejection of government's support plan"

ESTIA: "Electoral games with President of Republic election"

ETHNOS: "Measures now for liquidity in market - Business world sends dramatic SOS"

KATHIMERINI: "Questions prevail over 28 billion euro support package to banks - Greek banks with EU approval send state's money to subsidiaries in Balkans and at the same time decrease loans to Greek enterprises, households"

LOGOS: "Final curtain for blockades - Farmers' mobilisations ebbing"

NIKI: "FinMin Yannis Papathanassiou tidies up mess in economy"

RIZOSPASTIS: "End of impasse for farmers depends on social cohesion, alliance for socially-aware government"

TA NEA: "First day of dialogue on education reforms"

VIMA " Russia-China axis for exit from crisis - What Russian prime minister Vladimir Putin suggested to Chinese counterpart Wen Jiabao in Davos"

VRADYNI: "Free tax returns - Government supports market in the midst of financial crisis"

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