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Tuesday, 26 November 2024 | ||
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Athens News Agency: News in English, 09-06-29Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>CONTENTS
[01] PM Karamanlis to address PPE conferencePrime minister Costas Karamanlis will on Monday afternoon address a conference of the European People's Party (PPE) -- the European parliament grouping that his ruling New Democracy (ND) party belongs to -- which is taking place in Athens.Earlier, the premier conferred with former minister and European Parliament deputy Marietta Yannakou, who headed the ND ticket in the recent Euroelections. Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Yannakou said that they discussed issues concerning Europe, the progress in the Lisbon Treaty, and also the role of the European Parliament ahead of the assumption of the new Europarliamentarians' duties on July 14. She said they further discussed matters pertaining to the PPE, and the authorities to be undertaken by the ND Eurodeputies in the new European Parliament. Asked on the priorities she has set out as head of the ND Europarliamentary group, she cited the approval of implementation of the Lisbon Treaty, and contribution to the model of Europe that ensures in the long-term a Europe as envisioned by its founders. "A new ideology is needed that will enable Europe to press ahead," Yannakou added. [02] New flu cases in Greece reach 88The number of the new flu A(H1N1) virus cases in Greece has reached 88, after two new incidents were confirmed on Monday and seven new incidents were confirmed on Sunday, according to the the National Center for Health Operations (EKEPY)Of the 88 cases, 31 have fully recovered, while the remainder were all in mild form and undergoing treatment, EKEPY said. [03] Crucial OSCE ministerial summit concludes on CorfuA closely watched Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) informal meeting of foreign ministers concluded on the Ionian island of Corfu on Sunday, presided by Greek FM Dora Bakoyannis, as Greece holds the OSCE chairmanship for 2009. The OSCE conference comes on the heels of a NATO-Russia ministerial meeting on Saturday, during which the two sides agreed to resume formal cooperation on a broad range of security issues in their first high-level meeting since the crisis in Georgia.Addressing the opening session on Sunday morning, OSCE Chairperson-in-Office (CiO) Bakoyannis told her 55 OSCE colleagues that ethnic tension and unresolved differences burden the climate and create conditions that recycle the tensions and increase distrust. "It is necessary, therefore, to renew the democratic procedures and to serve the common target, which is dialogue on European security," Bakoyannis stressed, adding that the Greek chairmanship committed itself to make every effort for the reopening of that process, which aims at achieving a collective commitment on the security issues over a 10-year horizon. Noting that it would take time to bridge the differences, Bakoyannis recalled that it had taken 2,500 meetings and 660 proposals to reach the Helsinki accord, adding that "in order, therefore, to rid ourselves of the chronic discriminations and clash rationales 35 years after Helsinki, systematic effort is required". "Our Odyssey has just begun," Bakoyannis concluded. Caption: 'Family photo' of the foreign ministers of the 56 OSCE member countries, at the ministerial conference on the Ionian island of Corfu.. (ANA-MPA/SIMELA PANTZARTZI) Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |