Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English, 04-06-25

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

CONTENTS

[01] Greece not mulling dispatch of troops to Afghanistan, Iraq - Position 'understood' by NATO, int'l community

[02] Parliament passes new anti-terror legislation

[03] New Zealand Governor General postpones official Athens visit, returns home, due to 'serious family problem'

[04] Deputy FM discusses cooperation with Patriarch of Alexandria Petros

[05] Solution for reopening Halki School of Theology imminent, sources in Turkey say

[06] Greek Parliament President meets with Cypriot counterpart

[07] Athens and Nicosia FIR to have three new air corridors

[08] Greek government condemns terrorist attacks in Ankara and Istanbul

[09] London Mayor signs Olympic Truce

[10] Deputy minister meets SAE president Andrew Athens

[11] European Commission slams Greece's high deficits, calls for reforms by November

[12] NATO will help Greece hold safe Olympic Games

[13] Rogge and Oswald Olympic torchbearers in Lausanne

[14] The Olympic Flame arrives in Switzerland

[15] Post-Games use of the Olympic Village

[16] Culture Ministry submits Olympic bill

[17] S. Sakorafa to attend special Olympic event in Ramallah

[18] Last tract of Attiki Odos highway opens to traffic, no toll rate increase says minister Souflias

[19] The National Archaeological Museum reopens

[20] Anti-Drugs Organization holds press conference in light of World Day Against Drugs

[01] Greece not mulling dispatch of troops to Afghanistan, Iraq - Position 'understood' by NATO, int'l community

Athens 25/6/04 (ANA)

"The international community understands that Greece, which is already present militarily in Afghanistan" (with a 134-man contingent to the international peacekeeping force there), was "in the midst of a major effort" to ensure smooth and secure Olympic Games, Koumoutsakos told a regular press briefing, responding to a question on how Greece was responding to Afghani president Hamid Karzai plea for further international assistance for his country.

Karzai will be in Istanbul on June 28-29, during which he will have sideline contacts with the heads of state and government of the NATO member states and partner countries holding a summit there.

Koumoutsakos said that the Greek position was "absolutely understood" by the Alliance, and consequently, until the conclusion of this major effort, but also afterwards "further involvement by Greece is not being examined".

Regarding a similar request submitted to NATO by the leader of the transitional government in Iraq, Ayad al-Alawi, Koumoutsakos said that such a prospect was not being examined by the Greek side.

Greece, he said, "is participating in the reconstruction of Iraq, without the involvement or dispatch of a military presence".

Regarding the NATO summit, Koumoutsakos said that Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis will be accompanied by foreign minister Petros Molyviatis and deputy foreign minister Yannis Valinakis, in addition to defense minister Spilios Spiliotopoulos.

Karamanlis was due to leave for Turkey on Sunday (June 27) shortly after noon, and was scheduled to pay a visit to Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos in the afternoon, before attending a dinner in honor of the NATO leaders to be hosted by Turkish president Ahmet Necdet Sezer.

Alliance member countries' defense ministers are due to meet in Istanbul on the eve of the summit, with talks focusing on NATO's goals for 2004 and defense planning.

The summit will devote its first day (June 28) to discussions on operations currently underway, prospects for and restructuring of the forces, terrorism issues, and cooperation matters.

During a working breakfast, the leaders will discuss international security matters. Crisis management issues will be reviewed by the defense ministers at a working lunch, while foreign ministers will discuss cooperation in current international security matters at a separate working lunch.

On June 29, the summit will examine NATO relations with the Ukraine and other partner countries.

[02] Parliament passes new anti-terror legislation

Athens 25/6/04 (ANA)

The articles were criticized by all the opposition parties, including the main opposition, which said that its commitment to the framework-decision did not oblige New Democracy to adopt the articles within it word for word and that there were margins for improvements to protect individual and political freedoms.

The Coalition of the Left said the articles were dangerously vague and created serious risk of infringement of rights and liberties. The Communist Party of Greece (KKE) had walked out of Parliament on the first day the bill was discussed.

The government was accused of ignoring the objections of the opposition and a number of legal experts without allowing even a few days for discussion of its bill by an expert panel.

Justice Minister Anastasios Papaligouras also pointed out that the EU framework-decision was also binding on the definition of terrorism to ensure that all EU member-states treated certain types of acts in the same way and rejected concerns that the laws might be used to persecute trade union movements and other organizations.

[03] New Zealand Governor General postpones official Athens visit, returns home, due to 'serious family problem'

Athens 25/6/04 (ANA)

According to diplomatic sources, Cartwright was notified to return to New Zealand immediately due to a serious family problem.

[04] Deputy FM discusses cooperation with Patriarch of Alexandria Petros

Athens 25/6/04 (ANA)

Issues concerning cooperation between the Greek foreign ministry and the Patriarchate of Alexandria were discussed during the meeting, particularly in the sector of developmental diplomacy which could be exercised by Greece towards African countries.

The deputy foreign minister also requested the Patriarch's assistance as regards his using his prestige to influence African countries and making them support the candidacy of the city of Thessaloniki to organize the EXPO 2008 exhibition.

[05] Solution for reopening Halki School of Theology imminent, sources in Turkey say

ISTANBUL 25/6/04 (ANA - A. Kourkoulas)

The statement followed days of intense media speculation in the country and press reports that a committee created by the Turkish education ministry to examine this issue had submitted its proposals and that these had been accepted by Turkey's political and administrative leadership.

According to initial reports, the solution found is based on the regime governing the school before it was closed down in 1971, in which it is run and remains under the auspices of the Patriarchate while supervised by the Turkish education ministry.

The idea of inducting the School of Theology into the Turkish university system and its Higher Education Council was abandoned following pressure from the Patriarchate. Attempts to link the reopening of the school with 'mutual' exchanges from Greece are also said to have been abandoned.

The Ecumenical Patriarchate has campaigned incessantly for the reopening of the school since its closure in 1971 and the issue has recently attracted international attention following the interest shown by the United States in restoring religious freedoms throughout the world.

Direct requests to reopen the school have been made by the last three U.S. presidents to enter the White House in meetings with Turkey's leadership. According to diplomatic sources, Turkey does not want the issue to remain outstanding during an upcoming meeting between Erdogan and U.S. President George Bush next Sunday.

According to analysts, granting permission for the Patriarchate's seminary to reopen is a huge step for Turkey and marks the reconciliation of the Turkish state with the idea that the Ecumenical Patriarchate, which has operated in Istanbul without interruption for 17 consecutive centuries, is not a threat to the secular state founded by Kemal Ataturk.

Greek government denies being asked for 'exchanges' for school's reopening: Greek government spokesman Theodoros Roussopoulos on Thursday denied that the Turkish government had raised the issues of 'exchanges' in return for reopening the Halki school, saying no such issue had come up during the latest talks between Erdogan and Greek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis regarding the School.

Roussopoulos noted that the issue has remained outstanding for 33 years and that it was raised by the Greek premier in every meeting with his Turkish counterpart. He also pointed out that Erdogan had recently and for the first time made two public statements that indicated his willingness to respond to the Greek request, while Karamanlis had also raised the issue during talks in the White House last May and had received a promise of support from Bush on this issue.

[06] Greek Parliament President meets with Cypriot counterpart

NICOSIA 25/6/04 (ANA/G.Leonidas)

Psarouda-Benaki is on a three-day official visit to Cyprus and is expected to be received by President Tassos Papadopoulos.

Christofias emphasized that during the meeting they focused more on common issues, first and foremost being the Cyprus affair and dealing with any pressure from the international community. According to Christofias, the creation of new possibilities so that Cyprus is reunited was also discussed.

Benaki, on her part, said that developing a closer and more effective cooperation between the two bodies was "imperative" and underlined that during this difficult time for Cyprus, Greece will support and help "our Cypriot brothers who have the first word, the obligation and the responsibility for carving out their future course."

After the meeting, Benaki also attended the Plenary Session of Cypriot Parliament and was welcomed by Deputy Vassos Lyssarides.

[07] Athens and Nicosia FIR to have three new air corridors

Athens 25/6/04 (ANA)

They are air corridors L52, L53 and L995 which pass southwest of Rhodes, the Cyclades, Athens and Corinth and which will also contribute to minimizing flight delays.

The agreement on the creation of the new air corridors was achieved in Paris during a meeting of the International Civil Aviation Organization, despite objections by Turkey which did not want a change in the existing status in the Aegean, and was ratified in Athens on May 28, while the Turkish side lifted its reservations on June 17.

[08] Greek government condemns terrorist attacks in Ankara and Istanbul

Athens 25/6/04 (ANA)

"The Greek government condemns in the most categorical way today's terrorist attacks in Ankara and Istanbul and expresses its abhorrence over their tragic outcome in human lives. We express our sincere condolences to the families of the victims and our undivided support to the Turkish government," said government spokesman Theodoros Roussopoulos.

[09] London Mayor signs Olympic Truce

LONDON 25/6/04 (ANA)

The London Mayor also emphasized his satisfaction with the close relations the municipality has developed with the "dynamic" Greek community and also outlined his views on the Parthenon marbles.

"My views on the issue of the Marbles are very clear. I believe that the right thing is for the Parthenon Marbles to return to their land," he said. As for the Olympic Games he said he was looking forward to attending. "I have no doubt, since I am a man who usually ignores the pessimistic and negative reports appearing in the British press, that the Athens Games will be incredibly successful and I am proud that I will have the opportunity to represent London at this great event," he said.

Main opposition Panhellenic Socialist movement leader George Papandreou, who is in London promoting the Olympic Truce said that, "It is very important that the London Mayor has signed the Olympic Truce. He is a major personality and in a country that is currently at war with Iraq."

[10] Deputy minister meets SAE president Andrew Athens

Athens 25/6/04 (ANA)

[11] European Commission slams Greece's high deficits, calls for reforms by November

BRUSSELS 25/6/04 (ANA - M. Spinthourakis)

According to the revised figures for the Greek economy produced by the Commission in May, the Greek general government deficit has reached 3.2 per cent of GDP in 2003 and could remain above the 3-per-cent limit specified in EU treaties in 2004. Public debt has reached 103 per cent of GDP in 2003, substantially more than the treaty reference value of 60 per cent, and is not expected to decline to less than 102.8 per cent of GDP in 2004.

In a harshly worded announcement that criticizes the recalcitrantly high levels of debt in a period of " high nominal and widening positive output gaps", the Commission says the Greek government should take action regarding corrective measures by November 5 this year.

It says it will ask the ECOFIN Council to adopt its recommendations toward Greece on July 5, giving Greek authorities four months in which to take action to keep the deficit below 3 per cent of GDP from 2005, through the introduction of structural measures amounting to at least one percentage point of GDP.

The Commission statement was also acutely critical of what it called "serious deficiencies" in the quality of economic data supplied by Greece, calling on Greek authorities to improve the collection and processing of the general government data in order to correct these.

Responding to the Commission's recommendations, Greek Finance Minister George Alogoskoufis said this confirmed the poor fiscal management of previous PASOK governments and the unreliability of the figures that they presented.

He said the government will strive to restore the country's credibility by implementing a program for growth, high employment and social cohesion and to pare down public debt in order to meet EU requirements.

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