Athens News Agency: News in English, 09-08-08

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

CONTENTS

[01] Old factory in Trikala becomes local history and culture centre

[02] Outgoing Armed Forces chief

[01] Old factory in Trikala becomes local history and culture centre

The 1,500-sqm facilities, where the soda beverages plant, ice factory and cold storage buildings were housed for decades, were preserved with their distinct architectural characteristics and machinery.

The endeavor has taken up an educational character with a special programme focusing on local history implemented by the Kliafa History and Culture Centre. A total of 1,698 primary and secondary education schoolchildren attended the local history courses offered at the centre between Oct. 2008 and May 2009 which will continue its research and publishing programme with a book on the city's economic life between 1881 and 1960.

The book will include information on the local tobacco trade, the private banks operating in the region and the old factories (State Tobacco Factory, Agathoklis Matsopoulos Mills, Tegopoulos Textiles, Stamatopoulos Electrical Co, etc).

[02] Outgoing Armed Forces chief

Grapsas thanked the prime minister for the honor of having been selected twice to the Armed Forces leadership.

To a question on Greek-Turkish affairs, Grapsas noted that the prime minister was fully informed on all the issues by the minister of national defence.

To another question, he added that the Greek people have nothing to fear, and should have confidence in the Hellenic Armed Forces, "which are battle-worthy".

The Government Council for Foreign Affairs and Defence (KYSEA), chaired by Karamanlis, on Thursday appointed new leaders to the joint chiefs of staff (GEETHA National Defence General Staff), the Airforce General Staff (GEA) and the Army General Staff (GES).

GEETHA chief Gen. Dimitris Grapsas was retired by unanimous decision of the KYSEA, with the rank of Honorary GEETHA chief, and was replaced by the up to now chief of the GEA, Lt. Gen. Ioannis Yiagos, who was promoted to the rank of General.

Karamanlis was due to meet afterwards with interior minister Prokopis Pavlopoulos.

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