Athens News Agency: News in English, 09-05-12

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

CONTENTS

[01] Papandreou urges more green investments

[02] Exhibition on Athens' twin urban regeneration project opens

[01] Papandreou urges more green investments

Papandreou stated that the country was lagging behind in terms of infrastructure for "green" development. He called for a "turn toward quality products and the use of new technologies in all sectors (transport, health, tourism)," underlining the importance of investing in human resources through education.

He also noted that countries like Greece have huge potential as regards the development of Renewable Energy Sources (RES), such as wind power or geothermal energy, due to their geomorphology and climate, while he underlined the importance of decentralization through regional and local development.

On the UN Climate Change Conference taking place in Copenhagen in December, he said that the main issue will be to promote good governance of the planet, that will allow the voices of all participating states to be heard.

"Greece can play an important role as regards cooperation with the SE European countries and the Mediterranean region through 'green' diplomacy," he stated.

Papandreou stressed that "green" development should be promoted as a means of making the planet viable while improving living standards for the people, adding that the conventional energy reserves will soon be depleted, leading eventually to new conflicts.

Caption: Main opposition PASOK and Socialist International (SI) president George Papandreou during his address on Tuesday at the "Athens Summit 2009: Managing Climate Change and Energy Security in Southeast Europe and Beyond" at the Hilton Hotel in Athens. ANA-MPA - Katerina Mavrona

[02] Exhibition on Athens' twin urban regeneration project opens

The exhibition is being held at the City of Athens' Technopolis complex and will be open daily.

Kaklamanis noted that Athenians now have the opportunity to relive the history of modern Greece's capital and be informed on prospects for the metropolis' future vis-à-vis the largest town-planning project to ever take place in modern-day Athens.

"Yesterday (Monday), the foundations were laid for Panathinaikos' new stadium. At the same time, foundations were laid for the materialisation of dreams spanning many decades. Hoping for a positive decision from the Council of State, Athens is taking the road of regeneration, not only the regeneration of its urban fabric but also its future prospects," he said, adding:

"Before we seek to undertake this journey from the past to the future, through the exhibits we are presenting today, I would simply like to, once again, focus on the core of the philosophy behind the twin urban regeneration project. That is, beyond the upgrading of the areas of Votanikos and Ambelokipi, the regeneration project will produce the tools with which Athenians can recapture the concept of Olympic Athens and redesign a city of innovation, greenery and people- and environmentally-friendly development."

Kaklamanis, a noted radiologist who served as health minister in the first Costas Karamanlis government, emphasised that the twin regeneration project establishes a precedent for upgrading other such downgraded areas in Athens, such as the Akadimia Platonos site, "whose regeneration plan we will present in the near future."

The city of Athens is the largest and most populous municipality in the greater Athens and Piraeus area, which includes numerous municipalities in an indistinguishable urban landscape.

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