Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 14-08-22

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

CONTENTS

[01] Greece and US defence cooperation has a strategic character, Defence Minister says

[02] Discussion of anti-racism bill in Parliament postponed

[01] Greece and US defence cooperation has a strategic character, Defence Minister says

"We had the opportunity, along with my American counterpart, to confirm once again the really excellent level of the Greek-American defence cooperation. Today, we essentially proceeded to the finalisation of critical issues referring to the road map of the American defence cooperation with our country and, give solutions to outstanding issues," Avramopoulos stressed after the meeting.

The Greek Defence Minister underlined that this was his third visit to Washington, at the Pentagon, during his two terms in the ministry.

Avramopoulos said that they discussed "the burning geopolitical issues of our region, the geostrategic role of Greece as an country of stability and security in the wider region, as well as the role that Greece can undertake in the name of the international law".

Both top officials agreed that "today, more than ever, the defence cooperation between the United States and Greece has a strategic and substantial character. We will have the opportunity to discuss again these issues, on a multilateral level, within the framework of NATO meeting in Wales in early September."

According to Avramopoulos, the country that is gradually exiting from the crisis, becomes again a major pillar of stability in a region that has passed the threshold of the most crucial phase of its modern history. "The Greek government is giving a daily struggle to overcome the crisis so that a promising horizon will open for the Greek people and the country," he concluded.

[02] Discussion of anti-racism bill in Parliament postponed

The discussion was scheduled to take place next Tuesday.

Thirty-eight New Democracy (ND) deputies have recently asked to include legislation making denial of genocides an offence. In another statement on Friday, nine independent deputies (Chryssoula Giatagana, Vassilis Kapernaros, George Kassapidis, Paris Moutsinas, Markos Bolaris, Nikos Nikolopoulos, George Ntavris and Nikos Stavrogiannis) complained about the lack of reference to the "genocide of the Pontian Greeks, Armenians and Greeks of Asia Minor" terming the bill "despicable and as if dictated by foreigners."

The postponement of the discussion caused the reaction of several parties of the parliament.

"The anti-racism bill risks being remembered as the 'frozen' bill of the last years," main opposition SYRIZA deputy Vassiliki Katrivanou said.

"The new postponement of the tabling of the anti-racism bill in the Parliament reveals the intense efforts of ND's conservative enclaves to prevent the adoption of a modern anti-racist legislation," Democratic Left (DIMAR) said.

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