Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English, 01-09-03

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

CONTENTS

[01] PASOK congress to prepare Greece for ‘charge’ to the future, Simitis says

[02] G. Papandreou on PASOK leadership issue

[03] Cyprus' EU entry to open way for communities to live in peace, Papazoi says

[04] Cyprus on Europarliament's docket this week

[05] Christodoulos lashes out at what he calls 'black propaganda'

[06] Simitis to receive GSEE delegation this week

[07] PASOK anniversary

[08] Patriarch calls for reopening of Halki Theological School

[09] Turk arrested for migrant smuggling, 10 Iraqis also detained

[10] UN envoy de Soto, Clerides not willing to divulge content of their discussions

[11] Cyprus FM says his visit to Russia has further enhanced bilateral relations

[01] PASOK congress to prepare Greece for ‘charge’ to the future, Simitis says

Athens, 03/09/2001 (ANA)

"We want a Greece open to the world, a Greece that produces values, which has a society marked by cohesion and that frees up all the creative forces individuals and collective action have to offer," he said.

"This is our identity, our strength, the vision we want to make a reality with our congress," he added.

"We should say so if we believe or not in the European strategy of economic and social development, as it was formulated by the coalescence of experiences, values and priorities of 15 societies, where most are at the pinnacle of international economic and social performance, or, if we believe in an inward-looking or distant policy of non-entanglement," he said.

The premier went on to say that the political and economic choices of the government would guarantee the best possible social solidarity and prosperity for all strata of Greek society.

Tsohatzopoulos: A political proposal to the people, who await for an improvement in living conditions, was the focus of Defense Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos’ address to the same conference on Saturday.

During the second day of PASOK's Central Committee meeting, Tsohatzopoulos stressed that the October congress would not be one of conflict, but one of dialogue on ideological and political issues.

He noted that decisions arrived at by the Central Committee and the congress on policy would be realized after the congress.

"We do not have a problem so much of social policy, we do, however, have a problem of effective social policy. The issue is not to provide funds for those policies, rather it is the way we provide the funds and the content of the preconditions on which our policy is based," Tsohatzopoulos said.

"We have to re-conquer once again our relationship with the people so as for PASOK to recover and to win the victorious course it had to this day," he added.

"The primary role in this process is not played by the directions, but by the strategies. Those are that will lead us to a course of recovery so as to be able to overcome New Democracy, which is ahead of us, not because it can offer a reliable political proposal to the Greek people, but because we often make mistakes," he stressed.

"We can come up and realize new progressive policies, having in mind the prospect of the convergence with the forces of the political center-left and the wider (political space of) the left, in the framework of an equal relationship, as it is demanded by the interest of the great democratic political spectrum. We owe it to our history and to the land to make PASOK once again hegemonic force in the political life," he added.

Tsohatzopoulos sided with the proposal to amend the party's constitution.

Foreign Minister George Papandreou had proposed such dialogue to amend the constitution of the party a day earlier.

Culture Minister Evangelos Venizelos and Macedonia-Thrace Minister George Paschalidis also addressed the meeting.

[02] G. Papandreou on PASOK leadership issue

Athens, 03/09/2001 (ANA)

Papandreou's comments were published in an interview with the Sunday edition of the "Vima newspaper. In the interview, he stressed that he could not say in advance "neither yes or no" on whether he would contest for the leadership of PASOK.

"The only thing I can say is that I have assumed responsibilities in my life and I should, if such a time arises, to seek within myself how I see more responsibly that I can handle such a crucial decision. But I don't say in advance either yes or no."

He also commented on the proposals he submitted at a recent PASOK Central Committee session over charter and organizational changes, stressing that "the party has dwindled to a mechanism which has lost contact with society", and that "if it does not change it will not have a future."

Papandreou said he supported Prime Minister Costas Simitis' proposal for the speeding up of the party's congress, reiterating that he will raise the issue for the immediate election of PASOK's president by the party's rank-and-file. He further clarified that he had no ambition at the congress other than to contest a place in the party's Central Committee and consequently at the Executive Bureau table.

Regarding the possibility of a government reshuffle, Papandreou said there was other work that has to be completed at the foreign ministry, such as the Cyprus issue, "which is entering a very crucial phase", a European Union presidency, "the difficult situation" in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) and other issues.

He added, however, that "whether I am suitable, or another person" for the foreign ministry is an issue for the prime minister.

Finally, on the issue of listing of religious affiliation on identity cards, Papandreou said the state should view citizens with neutrality, regardless of religion. He added that it was wrong to consider that exclusion of the religious affiliation category on IDs would have any negative repercussions on Orthodoxy, noting that "if the Church wishes to issue its own identity cards, it has the right."

[03] Cyprus' EU entry to open way for communities to live in peace, Papazoi says

Cyprus' accession to the European Union will overturn the "lame" excuses of the Turkish occupation forces on Cyprus, Greek Alternate Foreign Minister Elizabeth Papazoi said on Sunday during her address to the United Nations conference on racism here.

"The upcoming entry of Cyprus to the European Union will overturn the lame excuses of the occupation forces and will open the way for the two communities of Cyprus to live in peace and prosperity, uniting their strides with the rest of the peoples of Europe," Papazoi stressed.

She also spoke of conditions in the Balkans, underlining that the countries of that region should be lead to reconciliation, following the example of the European Union.

The Greek alternate foreign minister, in light of the developments in the Middle East, touched on Greece's proposal to hold an Olympic Truce, reiterating that "the Olympic Games are an international event, during which the successes are judged by athletic standards and not through racism on the basis of national origin or religion".

[04] Cyprus on Europarliament's docket this week

NICOSIA 03/09/2001 (ANA - G. Leonidas)

Another aspect of the EPP amendment calls for a review of the EU-Turkey partnership so that “tangible actions” towards progress over the long-standing Cyprus problem are requested from the Turkish government.

Conversely, the amendment includes allusions to the Cyprus problem being solved in tandem with the island republic's EU accession.

Meanwhile, according to an ANA dispatch from Istanbul, the Turkish foreign ministry expressed its strong dissatisfaction with the report – supervised by Socialist Euro-MP Jacques Poos -- calling it "aggressive" and not aiding "the United Nations secretary general’s goodwill mission for Cyprus, which is continuing at an intense pace".

The Turkish ministry also accused the Luxembourg Eurodeputy of being “anti-Turkish”.

[05] Christodoulos lashes out at what he calls 'black propaganda'

Athens, 03/09/2001 (ANA)

During a sermon at a cathedral in the working-class Moschato district of Athens the outspoken Archbishop of Athens and All Greece termed the criticism as nothing more than "black propaganda".

He also said that "to love Christ does not mean to establish a theocratic regime in Greece. It does not mean that you want to become a politician and a political leader ... God has no need of a state, nor are we the ones who uttered such a thing."

In a related development, a high-ranking three-member ecclesiastical delegation on Tuesday will reportedly present the education and religious affairs minister with a notarized statement listing the exact number of signatures collected – 3,008,901 – throughout Greece requesting that a referendum be held to decide whether Greek citizens have the option of recording their religious preference on police-issued identification cards.

[06] Simitis to receive GSEE delegation this week

Athens, 03/09/2001 (ANA)

The meeting will center on the social security issue and economic policy. The trade unionists are expected to also voice their views and proposals regarding a variety of issues.

[07] PASOK anniversary

Athens, 03/09/2001 (ANA)

On the occasion of Monday's anniversary, Defense Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos will unveil a statue of PASOK founder Andreas Papandreou outside the entrance of a military camp in the Kalamaria municipality, east of Thessaloniki.

[08] Patriarch calls for reopening of Halki Theological School

ISTANBUL, 03/09/2001 (ANA - E. Areteos)

The Patriarch, speaking at the ceremony at the Church of Aghia Triada, which is located at the Halki Theological School, asked how much longer the Turkish government could refuse to allow the academy's reopening.

He also asked what answer the Turkish government would give "to the heads of civilized states, when they will ask why Christian citizens, in contrast to Muslims, are deprived of the opportunity to their religious functionaries?"

Vartholomeos reminded that the rights of minorities are guaranteed by international agreements as well as by Turkey's constitution.

The Halki Theological School was closed by Ankara in 1971.

[09] Turk arrested for migrant smuggling, 10 Iraqis also detained

Athens, 03/09/2001 (ANA)

Mustafa Mete, 24, had reportedly transported the Iraqis by speedboat from the Turkish coast to the region of Agiasma Keramotis Nestos, near Kavala.

The speedboat ran aground in the area, while fishermen who saw the incident informed authorities.

The 10 Iraqis were subsequently arrested while walking in Kavala's streets. All are due to face a local prosecutor.

[10] UN envoy de Soto, Clerides not willing to divulge content of their discussions

NICOSIA 03/09/2001 (CNA/ANA)

On Sunday, de Soto was due to be the guest of Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash in Turkish occupied Cyprus and on Saturday the UN high ranking official went on a cruise, courtesy of President Clerides.

As the UN diplomat, who holds the rank of Under-Secretary-General, prepares for Monday's meetings with first the president and then Denktash, well informed sources have told CNA that "things will become clear at the eleventh hour and not before that" with regard to the possible resumption of the UN-led talks, interrupted last year by Denktash.

De Soto has another three days to consult with the president and Denktash and according to the same sources, at Wednesday's meeting with the president, the Greek Cypriot negotiating team, which participates in the UN talks, will join the president and de Soto at their scheduled morning meeting.

So far discussions on both sides of the divide seem to have focused on procedural matters, they told CNA, expressing the view that US intervention could be on the cards, if things are derailed from the expressed purpose of resuming the peace talks.

They also said that talks, if they are to resume, are likely to take place in mid October.

De Soto is due to give a press conference on Wednesday, before his departure, on the outcome of his eight-day visit here. Since his arrival on 29 August, de Soto has had three official meetings with the president and one with Denktash. The last time he visited Cyprus was January this year.

"I am only here for the cruise with Mr. de Soto," President Clerides told awaiting journalists as he boarded his boat on Saturday morning, for the short cruise which took them round Akamas peninsula, on the northeastern coast of the island.

De Soto, in good spirits, was also at ease as he arrived at the port in Paphos to board the presidential boat. And he kept to his word, making no statements to the press. During his stay here, the UN official is to meet other diplomats, interested or engaged in the Cyprus peace effort.

[11] Cyprus FM says his visit to Russia has further enhanced bilateral relations

NICOSIA 03/09/2001 (CNA/ANA)

Speaking on his return from Moscow, and ahead of Tuesday's visit to Cyprus by Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou, Kasoulides said this is a "particularly important visit" during which the latest developments in the Cyprus question and Cyprus' accession course to the European Union will come under scrutiny.

The minister refrained from commenting on ongoing contacts UN Secretary General's Special Adviser on Cyprus Alvaro de Soto is having on the island for the past four days, but warned Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash that his demands for recognition of the self-styled regime he set up in the northern Turkish occupied part of the Republic will not be accepted.

"I believe my meetings in Moscow and in Saint Petersburg have opened up new avenues for more concrete cooperation with Russia," Kasoulides said last night on his return, adding that Russia's role as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, the Cyprus issue and regional matters were part of his discussions in the Russian capital.

On the two-day visit here by Papandreou, he said "this will give the chance to the foreign minister to speak with the rest of the political leadership and communicate with the Cypriot people."

Describing the visit as "particularly significant", Kasoulides said there will be a joint review of the political situation with regard to recent developments in the Cyprus problem, Cyprus-EU relations and Turkey's diplomatic offensive on all fronts relating to Cyprus.

Commenting on de Soto's latest attempts to resume the stalled peace process, the minister said the government had been aware of some "procedural changes, which are not considered significant" that would take place, notably a meeting between Denktash and the UN Secretary General and de Soto's visit to the island with a view to prepare the next phase of the talks abroad.

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