The Hellenic Radio (ERA): News in English, 03-04-08

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From: The Hellenic Radio (ERA) <www.ert.gr/>

CONTENTS

[01] Weather forecast

(8/4/2003 11:10:00 ��)

[02] Americans controlling 1/3 of Baghdad

Meanwhile, American tanks are inside the Presidential mansion, which they have taken since yesterday.

Earlier, the Americans maintained that the Iraqi President Saddam Hussein and his sons might have been killed after the suburb Mansur was bombed.

The American Pentagon stated that according to the information it had, high rank officials of the Iraqi regime were meeting at a residential area in Baghdad, so the American forces attacked that target.

According to ERT (Greek Radio Television) correspondents and international news agencies, the American troops are in control of almost one third of Baghdad, while in southern Iraq fighting is taking place the British and the Iraqis in Basra, which seems its biggest part to be under British control.

Fierce fighting is also taking place in Mosul and Kirkuk, while the Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan stated that if the Kurds took the oil fields in northern Iraq, then Turkey would intervene.

On a relative development, American President George W. Bush and the British Prime Minister Tony Blair are discussing about post war Iraq in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

Mr Blair's representative stated that the American and British forces should not take their victory for granted, adding that the United Nations role in post war Iraq should not be decided upon only by the USA and the UK but should be discussed with the UN.

Meanwhile, American Secretary of State Colin Powell described the war campaign excellent, adding that specialists would be sent to Iraq to prepare Iraq's post war administration.

At the same time, the Arab countries in the Persian Gulf stated that the Iraqi people itself should decide about its future, adding that the UN should play a leading role in Iraq.

In tandem, the United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan is beginning a tour in Britain, France, Germany and Russia within the framework of contacts for post war Iraq.

In the meantime, the World Health Organization warned about the outbreak of cholera and other diseases in Iraq due to the lack of potable water, underlining at the same time the miserable situation prevailing in Baghdad hospitals which are full of wounded.

Finally, Greek TV and radio stations, including NET 105.8 have begun a campaign to offer humanitarian aid to the Iraqi people, while the Greek Parliament will offer Unisef 100,000 euro in support of the Iraqi people. Unisef President Lambros Kanelopoulos stated to our station that efforts are being made so that the financial and pharmaceutical aid will reach the right moment its destination.

Addionally, Unisef briefing Director Ilias Liberis stated that 60 trucks with medicine passed the Iraqi borders the last days.

(8/4/2003 12:57:00 ��)

[03] UN & and Iraqis should play a leading role in post war Iraq says Simitis

From his side, Foreign Minister George Papandreou underlined the intense speculation existing between European Union and American relations, underlining that the Greek EU Presidency is in favour of a dialogue on equal basis.

(8/4/2003 11:14:00 ��)

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