Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English, 04-07-06

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

CONTENTS

[01] Athens welcomes Greece's Euro 2004 champions in splendid ceremony

[02] Cyprus President Papadopoulos invites Greek soccer team to Cyprus

[03] Patriarch Vartholomeos congratulates Greek soccer team

[04] Greece captain Zagorakis named Euro 2004 Player of the Tournament

[05] PM expresses condolences over death of painter Kessanlis

[06] FM Molyviatis to meet French counterpart Barnier in Athens on Tuesday

[07] EU urges Greece to lower fiscal deficit, public debt

[08] Agriculture minister meets Saudi Arabian ambassador

[09] Athens Bourse Close: Stocks nose down in flaccid trade

[10] Olympic Torch Relay to pass through occupied parts of Cyprus

[11] Garbage container fire at OAKA stadium extinguished

[12] Cyprus President joins in celebrations for Greek Euro 2004 triumph

[01] Athens welcomes Greece's Euro 2004 champions in splendid ceremony

ATHENS, 6/7/2004 (ANA)

At least 150,000 people were in and around the stadium waiting for the coach carrying the players to arrive.

Not only was there a slight delay in the scheduled arrival at Athens airport of the plane carrying the players, it took the coach more than two and a half hours to arrive at the stadium from the airport as thousands of people thronged in front of it throughout the entire route. Moving at snail's pace, the coach finally arrived at the stadium at 10:30. The ceremony was initially due to start at 8:30.

With the situation prevailing within the stadium, it became impossible to respect the ceremonial program.

Archbishop of Athens and All Greece Christodoulos, welcoming the Greek team and its coach Otto Rehhagel, said: "What you see here tonight is all Greeks united, irrespective of their political and sporting convictions, young Greeks holding the nation's flag and defining themselves through it. We have many years to see this. We are grateful to you."

The Archbishop offered to each player and the coach a golden cross.

Greetings were also addressed by Deputy Culture Minister responsible for sports George Orfanos, Athens Mayor Dora Bakoyianni who gave each player and the coach a medal and announced that all of them, including Rehhagel, were declared honorary citizens of Athens. Immediately afterwards, Alternate Culture Minister Fani Palli-Petralia gave them all the gold medal of the 1896 Olympic Games.

The ceremony closed with the singing of the national anthem.

On arrival at the stadium, Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis said that "we should create all those prerequisites for soccer and sports in general to be a great celebration, as it should be. A celebration at which all citizens participate, far from behind the scenes, far from the phenomena of violence, far from things which poison this sport." The second point he made was "how far can we Greeks reach, when we believe in something, when we are united, when we work methodically and systematically."

Referring to the sentiments which the Greek national team's victory caused, Karamanlis spoke of "a great joy which we all share today, millions of Greek women and men in every corner of the world" and he related the course of the Greek national team in the European championship to the projection of the country.

"Greece these days and particularly since last night, is at the lips of the entire world which observes this mass and magical sport which is called soccer through its link with sport," Karamanlis underlined. He added that "this great joy associates us even more with sport" and expressed the conviction that "it will reach its peak during the course of the Olympic Games."

Concluding, he directed "a very big thank you to all the players, the coach, but of course to this terrific tier of fans from Lisbon to Athens, from Canada to Australia."

On his part, main opposition Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK) leader George Papandreou said on arrival at the stadium that Greece's victory in the Euro 2004 soccer tournament sends a message to the international community that "Greece can and wins when it wants, when we work collectively."

He termed the national team's victory "a great celebration for all of us, a national celebration."

[02] Cyprus President Papadopoulos invites Greek soccer team to Cyprus

NICOSIA, 6/7/2004 (ANA/G.Leonidas)

During a brief speech, Panagopoulos announced that President Papadopoulos has accepted an invitation to attend the opening ceremony of the Athens 2004 Olympic Games.

[03] Patriarch Vartholomeos congratulates Greek soccer team

ISTANBUL, 6/7/2004 (ANA/A.Kourkoulas)

"You displayed excellent sportsmanship, team spirit, methodical-ness, nobility, and especially faith in God's help," the Patriarch wrote, stating that the team's victory filled the Patriarchate with pride and joy. Vartholomeos also requested that the Patriarchate's wishes and congratulations be conveyed to the team's coach Otto Rehhagel.

The Patriarch also sent letters of congratulations to Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis and Deputy Sports Minister George Orfanos.

[04] Greece captain Zagorakis named Euro 2004 Player of the Tournament

ATHENS, 6/7/2004 (ANA)

Zagorakis, who was also voted MVP (Most Valuable Player) of the final, was named player of Europe 2004 in a vote by organizer UEFA's 8-man technical study group plus one vote from fans voting for their preferred player on the UEFA website.

UEFA's technical study group comprising coaches and technical experts that is compiling a report on technical and tactical trends to arise from the tournament in Portugal.

Zagorakis, named as the "JVC UEFA Euro 2004 Player of the Tournament", will receive his trophy at a gala on August 26 in Monaco.

[05] PM expresses condolences over death of painter Kessanlis

ATHENS, 6/7/2004 (ANA)

"Nikos Kessanlis was one of the most important modern painters, a spiritual person of international dimension who dared to open new roads of expression and creation," Karamanlis said.

Kessanlis, who won many international distinctions, was born in Thessaloniki in 1930.

[06] FM Molyviatis to meet French counterpart Barnier in Athens on Tuesday

ATHENS, 6/7/2004 (ANA)

The meeting will be followed by a working luncheon in the presence of delegations. Statements to the press will follow.

[07] EU urges Greece to lower fiscal deficit, public debt

BRUSSELS, 6/7/2004 (ANA/V.Demiris)

The Greek government was asked to devise by early November mainly structural measures that will help to lower the deficit, representing at least one percentage point of GDP over 2004-2005, preferably equally divided over the two years.

In addition, the government should ensure that the public debt should show a satisfactory decline, the EU's finance ministers said at a meeting in the Belgian capital.

The public debt, which was 103 per cent of GDP in 2003, is expected to slip to 102.8 per cent in 2004.

[08] Agriculture minister meets Saudi Arabian ambassador

ATHENS, 6/7/2004 (ANA)

Following the meeting, Tsitouridis said "we ascertained that there is scope for us to further improve cooperation in sectors such as agriculture," noting that it was a meeting "which opens a new road and a new era in the agricultural sector of the two countries, inviting to Greece my counterpart minister of Saudi Arabia."

On his part, the ambassador said "we spoke on the two countries' bilateral relations in the sector of agricultural development and I found a great response and enthusiasm for the strengthening of the two countries' relations." He added that "we agreed for there to be a meeting with the Agriculture Minister in Greece and one in Saudi Arabia for agreements concerning the agricultural sector to be reached."

[09] Athens Bourse Close: Stocks nose down in flaccid trade

ATHENS, 6/7/2004 (ANA)

The Athens general share index closed at 2,329.40 points, showing a 0.17 per cent decline. Turnover was 46.2 million euros.

The FTSE/ASE-20 index for high capitalization shares ended 0.30 per cent down; the FTSE/ASE-40 for medium cap stocks closed 0.22 per cent lower; and the FTSE/ASE-80 for small cap shares finished 0.67 per cent down.

Of stocks traded, declines led advances at 187 to 83 with 81 remaining unchanged.

[10] Olympic Torch Relay to pass through occupied parts of Cyprus

NICOSIA, 6/7/2004 (ANA)

According to an announcement by the Cypriot Olympic Committee, the decision was taken within the spirit of the Athens 2004 Torch Relay's motto, namely, "Our flame unites the world".

A limited number of torchbearers will carry the flame in the occupied areas, part of the so-called "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus", a pseudo-state that is recognized only by the occupying power, Turkey.

One of the conditions for the Torch Relay through the occupied areas is the free and unhindered movement for Torch Relay officials.

A delegation comprised of Athens 2004 Olympic Games Organizing Committee (ATHOC) and Cyprus Olympic Committee officials was due in occupied Nicosia on Monday afternoon to go over last-minute details.

[11] Garbage container fire at OAKA stadium extinguished

ATHENS, 6/7/2004 (ANA)

The blaze reportedly erupted in a large garbage container usually found at worksites, burning cables and rubbish, media reports stated. No damages were reported to nearby Olympic venues or facilities.

The OAKA stadium is the centerpiece of the 2004 Athens Games, with the Opening and Closing Ceremonies as well as the popular athletics events to take place at the venue. A massive twin-arched steel-and-glass roof recently erected over the stadium is also the architectural "signature project" for the 2004 Games.

[12] Cyprus President joins in celebrations for Greek Euro 2004 triumph

NICOSIA, 6/7/2004 (CNA/ANA)

Speaking at a reception, hosted by a jubilant Greek Ambassador Christos Panagopoulos to celebrate the victory of the national football team of Greece in Lisbon, Cyprus President said the outcome of the match was the result of methodical work, disciplined behavior and good planning.

He said he watched the final of Euro 2004, which Greece won by beating the host Portugal 1-0, at the house of his Commissioner Polakis Sarris.

He said when Angelos Charisteas scored the winning goal at the 57th minute of the match his reaction was similar to the one of Greek Premier Costas Karamanlis ''who was watching the match in the stadium''. Karamanlis and his wife Natassa both stood up and cheered their national team.

Papadopoulos said he had already spoken with the Prime Minister to congratulate him.

The Cypriot president signed a book at the Greek embassy here to congratulate the team and noted that the team's coach Otto Rehhagel got the best out of the players.

''My warmest and most sincere congratulations. This is a very small reward for the big joy and pride that the national team of Greece has given to us'', wrote the president.

Referring to the Greek achievement, the president said it was not pure luck but the result of methodical work, disciplined behavior and good planning.

Sunday night thousands of Cypriots of all ages and from all walks of life rallied at Nicosia's central downtown square to celebrate with fireworks, flags and slogans, singing the Greek national anthem to join their voice with millions of Greeks around the globe celebrating the unprecedented football victory of the national team.

Similar celebrations took place in the coastal towns of Larnaca, Limassol and Paphos with young and old joining in the huge outdoor parties, organized on the spot.

Newspapers covered the success of the Greek national team with full front page photographs of the winning team and extensive commentary, praising the players as well as their coach and describing the win at Sunday night's final as ''well deserved'' and ''a dream come true''.

''The entire Europe is in blue'', said one paper in its front page lead story, another had the banner headline ''Reh-angels'' a play on words on the name of the coach (Otto Rehhagel) and the man who scored the winning goal Angelos Charisteas. Two papers shared the same headline ''yes, he did lift it'' referring to the coveted trophy the Greek national football team is taking home Monday to a hero's welcome. Another paper said ''On top of Europe''.

The island's political leadership and hundreds of people went to the Greek embassy on Monday to congratulate Greece on this most impressive victory, as the team was considered more or less an outsider when the tournament began.

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