Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English, 04-12-03

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

CONTENTS

[01] 'Turkey's EU prospects depend on Turkey itself', Molyviatis tells Straw

[02] Greek foreign minister meets Italian counterpart in view of EU summit

[03] German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder hopes Cyprus's recognition by Turkey will not become main issue at EU summit

[04] Gov't underlines Greece's support for Ecumenical Patriarchate in Istanbul

[05] Archbishop Christodoulos slams Turkey's 'provocative' behavior toward Fanar

[06] US State Department fully supports ecumenicality of Ecumenical Patriarchate

[07] U.S. consul in Istanbul attends luncheon in honor of Ecumenical Patriarch

[08] Justice Minister stresses protection of personal data at EU ministers' meeting

[09] Mihaloliakos attends 2004 Nairobi Summit on a Mine-Free World

[10] Australian FM Downer reaffirms that gov't does not intend to change policy on FYROM

[11] Deputy FM Skandalakis meets 'OMONOIA' organization representatives

[12] University poll gives 5.7-point lead to ruling party in Thessaloniki 1st constituency

[13] PASOK youth group, MP Pangalos say debate on social insurance reform should re-open

[14] Government will stick to policy of 'mild adjustment' in fiscal issues, finmin reiterates

[15] Greek eurodeputies anxious over EU finances in 2007-2013

[16] Economy minister Alogoskoufis, KEDKE agree on recording municipalities' financial problems

[17] OTE Telecom union asks gov't to take stand on the firm's restructuring

[18] KKE leader visits Commercial Bank, makes statements on social insurance

[19] Bilateral agreement opens way for air route between Athens and Sarajevo

[20] ECB governor backs more powers for Eurostat

[21] Development ministry official to UK for know-how exchange

[22] Stocks rise in across-the-board buying

[23] Greece must be at Europe's forefront in fight against discrimination, employment minister Panagiotopoulos says

[24] Archbishop Christodoulos, political parties issue messages on occasion of World Handicapped Day

[25] Military court sentences 17N inmate Koufodinas to 2-year suspended sentence for draft evasion

[26] CoE proclaims Byzantine Museum of Thessaloniki 'Museum of the year for 2005'

[27] 4th MINEPS Conference to be held in Athens December 6-8

[28] Greece becomes member of International Francophonie Organization

[29] Greek seaman to be released from prison Friday

[30] Cypriot FM Iacovou addresses WEU Assembly

[31] Egyptian Speaker says his country rejects occupation of Cyprus

[01] 'Turkey's EU prospects depend on Turkey itself', Molyviatis tells Straw

LONDON 3/12/2004 (ANA/L.Tsirigotakis)

Asked what the 'mood' was concerning Turkey's EU accession possibilities, Molyviatis said: "I can't predict what will happen on December 17. We will aim for conclusions that we want." Molyviatis went on to add that the mood prevailing is for Turkey to receive a start date for negotiations, but said that he did not know the conditions, the requirements and the criteria Turkey must have met by then.

On his part Straw emphasized that the same conditions and requirements that apply to all candidate countries must also apply to Turkey. Asked whether he can imagine a candidate country not recognizing an existing EU member state, Straw said that "we are beginning negotiations, we are not at the final stage."

Molyviatis was also asked about the controversy surrounding the name of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), to which he replied: "The European Union, following actions taken by the Greek government on September 14, has adopted a common European position, whereby the two sides - Greece and Skopje - must seek a mutually acceptable solution. That is the European Union's common position and I am certain that it will maintain this position."

Finally, asked about Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos' comments on Wednesday, Molyviatis said, "Turkey's position towards the Ecumenical Patriarchate is known. That Greece will continue to support the Ecumenical Patriarchate is also known. What I would like to emphasize is that respect of religious freedom is a fundamental criterion, which all countries aspiring to EU membership must fulfill."

[02] Greek foreign minister meets Italian counterpart in view of EU summit

ROME 3/12/2004 (ANA - L. Hatzikyriakos)

The meeting is part of a tour of EU member-states by Molyviatis in the run-up to the summit.

After their talks, the two ministers expressed satisfaction with the steady progress in Greek-Italian bilateral relations, especially in the areas of culture and the economy. They said they had discussed Community and world affairs of mutual interest and stressed their satisfaction with the high level of Greek-Italian cooperation in the Balkans.

They also noted an identity of views between Athens and Rome on the need for reforms in the United Nations that will have widespread acceptance and ensure greater efficiency for the organization's policies.

With regard to Turkey's prospects of beginning accession negotiations with the EU, Fini and Molyviatis agreed that the Dec. 17 summit was an opportunity to set a date for the start of accession negotiations with Turkey.

They also noted a shared concern that the Community's short-term economic prospects - in view of the cost of enlargement - might possibly put cohesion policies for older member-states that were less developed on the back burner.

[03] German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder hopes Cyprus's recognition by Turkey will not become main issue at EU summit

BERLIN 3/12/2004 (ANA/P. Stangos)

"We are discussing this issue continuously both among ourselves and with the partners interested and I hope that it is not necessary for this issue to become a main issue at the summit," he said.

Schroeder was speaking at a joint press conference with French President Jacques Chirac, following their talks in Lubeck in northern Germany.

[04] Gov't underlines Greece's support for Ecumenical Patriarchate in Istanbul

Athens 3/12/2004 (ANA)

"Turkey's stance toward the Patriarchate for these past many years is known," alternate government spokesman Evangelos Antonaros said.

"For us but also for our partners in the European Union, it is obvious that respect for religious freedoms is a fundamental criterion in order for Turkey's European prospects to go ahead," he added.

Antonaros said the issue was being raised by Foreign Minister Petros Molyviatis during meetings with his counterparts in Rome, London, Berlin and Vienna to present Greek positions for the upcoming EU summit on December 17, when European leaders are to decide if Turkey will receive a date for the start of accession negotiations with the EU.

The spokesman also noted that Turkey's non-recognition of the Cyprus Republic was a "political and institutional paradox for the 25 EU member-states" and that negotiations were still underway.

[05] Archbishop Christodoulos slams Turkey's 'provocative' behavior toward Fanar

Athens 3/12/2004 (ANA)

"Any blow against the Patriarchate is also a blow to the conscience of the Greek people," he said, hinting that Turkey's behavior would make ordinary Europeans unwilling to have it join the ranks of the European Union.

He also accused the Turkish government of "behaving outrageously" toward the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the Greek minority and other religious minorities in Turkey, of carrying out maneuvers to prevent the re-opening of the School of Theology on Halki and to confiscate property belonging to the Church and the Greek minority, in direct contravention of religious freedoms and rights of self-determination that in most developed countries were protected under the Constitution.

"All this is taking place when Turkey's accession or non-accession into the EU is soon to be decided and it raises many questions in our souls. Why are they happening and who is actually behind these very provocative moves and behavior of the Turkish government?" Christodoulos said.

He also stressed that the Patriarchate in Istanbul was an institution with worldwide status in the eyes of all members of the Orthodox faith, and that this status was not dependent on worldly authority or the disposition of governments, dating back to the 4th Ecumenical Synod in the 5th century AD.

"It was a historic event on which the unity of all Orthodoxy is based," Christodoulos added.

Stressing the support of the Church of Greece for the "Mother Church of Constantinople", the Archbishop said that a letter from the Archiepiscopate to Fanar was sent out on Thursday morning that notes the "poor impression" created by the Turkish government's refusal to re-open the Halki School of Theology, the recent annulment of property deeds held by the Church for an orphanage within Turkish territory and a ban on holding Orthodox services at the grave of St Nicholas at Myra, where they had been held uninterrupted for the past 20 years.

[06] US State Department fully supports ecumenicality of Ecumenical Patriarchate

Washington, 3/12/2004 (ANA/T. Ellis)

"We have long regarded the Patriarch as ecumenical, and thus is the spiritual leader for many inside and outside Turkey," Boucher said during a regular press briefing.

Turkish prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan disputed the ecumenicality of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in an interview on Turkish television Wednesday night, calling on all state functionaries not to attend a reception Thursday in Ankara hosted by the Archons (Elders) of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in honour of US ambassador to Turkey Eric Edelman, saying that "we consider it a mistake that a citizen of ours should issue invitations using titles he does not have and which are attributed to him from abroad".

The Turkish government also decided that it would not be represented at a separate reception hosted earlier Thursday by Edelman for a delegation of Orthodox Church elders from the US visiting Ankara, for the same reason given that the invitation addressed by the embassy to Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos contained "Ecumenical Patriarch" in his title.

Boucher's full statement was as follows:

"There's a couple things to say on this. And firstly, for those of you not familiar with this, there is a visit under way of prominent lay leaders of the Orthodox Church to Turkey. We very much supported this visit to Turkey. These leaders traveled on a mission to highlight religious freedom and we hope they'll be able to meet with as many Turkish officials as possible.

Ambassador Edelman is hosting a reception for them (on Thursday). We would note that there is, as reported, I think, a decision of the Turkish Government not to have officials attend the reception. But we would also note that Foreign Minister Gul met with the delegation today (Thursday) in Ankara.

Finally, on the more general point, we have long regarded the Patriarch as ecumenical, and thus is the spiritual leader for many inside and outside Turkey."

[07] U.S. consul in Istanbul attends luncheon in honor of Ecumenical Patriarch

ISTANBUL 3/12/2004 (ANA/A. Kourkoulas)

"As you all know, Istanbul is the modern seat of one of the most respected and important foundations in the world, of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the first among equal in the leadership of the Orthodox Church of the 300 million, including millions of American fellow countrymen of mine who rely on the Ecumenical Patriarchate for spiritual guidance and direction," the general consul said.

According to the speaker, the future and viability of the Patriarchate have not been secured. The School of Theology remains closed and hundreds of historic properties have been confiscated. The legal situation of the Patriarchate and the possibility of selecting new clerics remains a question mark.

He added that "we are continuing to raise this issue with the Turkish government at every opportunity and we are also encouraging the Turkish government and the Turkish people to realize the invaluable wealth Turkey has with the Ecumenical Patriarchate."

Turkish FM holds talks with Ecumenical Patriarchate elders from U.S.: Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul held talks on Thursday with Ecumenical Patriarchate elders from the United States, who was accompanied by U.S. Ambassador to Ankara Eric Edelman.

Speaking after the meeting, the President of the Order of Saint Andrew A. Limberakis said that all issues concerning the Ecumenical Patriarchate and Istanbul's expatriates were raised and expressed the expectation that the meeting will produce positive results.

[08] Justice Minister stresses protection of personal data at EU ministers' meeting

BRUSSELS 3/12/2004 (ANA - V. Demiris)

Papaligouras said that there should be a specific list of what information could be preserved in order to facilitate investigation of serious criminal cases by law enforcement authorities and that this should be as small as possible and restricted to the absolutely necessary. He also stressed that this list should be common among EU member-states in order to ensure homogeneity and a similar technical approach.

The EU ministers' meeting focused on improving cooperation in the exchange of information between court and police authorities within the EU, in the framework of Eurojust and Europol, and on enhancing EU cooperation with the western Balkans.

[09] Mihaloliakos attends 2004 Nairobi Summit on a Mine-Free World

Athens 3/12/2004 (ANA)

Mihaloliakos expressed the Greek government's desire for closer bilateral relations with Kenya, while Kibaki said that his country would be eager to strengthen ties.

Referring to the summit, Mihaloliakos emphasized the need for all countries to intensify efforts so that "everyone can enjoy a mine-free world, as soon as possible."

According to facts presented at the convention, Africa has the most landmines of all continents; landmines are densely scattered in other regions as well, such as the Balkans; 80% of landmine victims are non-combatants and 1 in 5 are children; to date, 143 of the countries that have signed the treaty have destroyed more than 30 million stored mines, while another 38 countries have stopped producing them.

[10] Australian FM Downer reaffirms that gov't does not intend to change policy on FYROM

Melbourne 3/12/2004 (ANA/S. Hatzimanolis)

During a meeting with World Council of Hellenes Abroad (SAE) coordinator for Oceania Costas Vertzagias and Hellenic-Australian Council official John Kalokairinos, Downer reiterated Australian Prime Minister John Howard's assurance that Australia would not change its position on the FYROM name issue.

On rumors that Australia intended to withdraw its policing force from Cyprus, Downer said that the Australian government "has not taken any such decision".

He further noted that the term of Australia's special mediator on the Cyprus issue, Jim Short, ended on December 31, adding that the government had not yet decided on whether it would renew his term.

Downer also revealed that the Australian government had twice, in the recent past, put forward to Turkey the issue of the reopening of the Halki School of Theology, and would continue to bring the matter up until that goal was achieved.

The Australian minister further reconfirmed his country's full unreserved support for the return of the Parthenon Marbles to Greece by the British Museum.

[11] Deputy FM Skandalakis meets 'OMONOIA' organization representatives

Athens 3/12/2004 (ANA)

Discussed at the meeting were educational issues, the infrastructure problems in southern Albania and the problems of the expatriates who returned to Greece.

Also raised were issues concerning the Council of Overseas Hellenism and the participation in it of representatives of the ethnic minority of Albania.

According to a Foreign Ministry announcement, the two sides firmly supported the need for strengthening Greece-Albania bilateral relations in the sector of development policy and recognized the role of the minority as a bridge of peace, friendship and cooperation between the two countries.

Skandalakis hailed the presence of the ethnic minority in Albania and stressed that the Greek government will be actively supportive in the solution of their problems.

[12] University poll gives 5.7-point lead to ruling party in Thessaloniki 1st constituency

Athens 3/12/2004 (ANA)

According to the poll's findings, ND is supported by 29.1 per cent of the area's voters, PASOK by 23.4 per cent, the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) by 5.7 per cent, the Coalition of the Left, Movements and Ecology by 2.8 per cent and the Popular Orthodox Rally (LAOS) by 4.9 per cent. About 23.5 per cent of those responding were undecided.

Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis is considered most suitable for prime minister by 60 per cent of ND voters and PASOK leader George Papandreou is considered capable of returning his party to power by 40 per cent of PASOK voters.

Among the sample, 45 per cent agree that the country presents an image of overall corruption and 30 per cent disagrees with the way that the government carried out its audit of state books.

[13] PASOK youth group, MP Pangalos say debate on social insurance reform should re-open

Athens 3/12/2004 (ANA)

"Absolutely, the debate on the social insurance issue must be opened, we must provide answers for the future with courage, without dogmatism and with reference to the social spectrum we represent," Kamas told reporters.

The sentiments were also echoed by PASOK MP Theodoros Pangalos during an interview with "Athina" radio station, who said that the debate should also cover aspects of PASOK's own reforms.

[14] Government will stick to policy of 'mild adjustment' in fiscal issues, finmin reiterates

Athens 3/12/2004 (ANA)

Alogoskoufis said public deficit would be reduced to fewer than 3 per cent of GDP in 2005 but also pointed out that there was also the option of achieving the target in 2006 and stressed that the government would not "take anyone by surprise".

The government's plans for the future were to fulfill pre-election pledges to reform the tax system and pass new developmental legislation, which would come into force in the beginning of 2005, the minister added.

The minister blamed previous PASOK governments for creating the current situation by sending incorrect and incomplete figures for public debt and the public deficit ratio to the European Union.

He also stressed that the present government's policy of transparency had been fully vindicated in the reports of the European Commission and its statistical body Eurostat, which refer to the close cooperation with the present government to restore transparency, as well as by ministers participating in EU ministerial councils.

Alogoskoufis again repeated his conviction that Greece will not wind up before the European Court because of the government's decision to carry out an audit of state books and the formal notification sent to Greece by the Commission regarding the launch of an infringement procedure against Athens.

He said this would concern the practices in use from 1997 until 2003 and would include a demand to ensure the reliability of data in the future.

Alogoskoufis also noted that the National Statistics Service would henceforth bear sole responsibility for transmitting economic data to Eurostat and that relations between the NSS and the General Accounting Office of State would have to be clarified.

On the issue of social security and pensions, Alogoskoufis conceded that the bill passed by the previous government "left a gap" with regard to how the system should be funded but stressed that the government had no plans to legislate on this. With regard to banks, in particular, the minister said this was an issue between employers and employees and the government would not intervene at present.

Regarding new laws on property tax, Alogoskoufis said these will be implemented from 2006 and that the new E9 form to be filled out by taxpayers would help build up an accurate map of real estate ownership in order to restructure the tax system for property. He said taxpayers would be allowed a period of adjustment before the new rules begin to apply.

Government spokesman on state audit: Responding to questions on the 'state audit', meanwhile, alternate government spokesman Evangelos Antonaros denied that there had been an unfavorable statement on the issue by European Commissioner for monetary affairs Joaquin Almunia.

Antonaros said the press had picked up a statement by a Commission employee that was unimportant.

According to the spokesman, "it was at last becoming understood that PASOK governments had concealed the true state of the Greek economy" and had defamed the country over the space of many years.

He stressed that the country's image was now "fully restored", as indicated by Eurostat's reports and Almunia's positions.

On the pension system for bank staff, Antonaros said the government was waiting for negotiations between bank staff unions and employers to be completed before it announced its position, while stressing that the government had no intention of "re-opening" the issue of social insurance as a whole.

[15] Greek eurodeputies anxious over EU finances in 2007-2013

BRUSSELS 3/12/2004 (ANA/A Simatos)

Kostis Hatzidakis for ND and Dimitris Papadimoulis of the Coalition were addressing a debate in the European parliament.

Hatzidakis said Greece, Spain and Portugal were concerned about the amount of funding under the bloc's fourth Community Support Framework in terms of the distribution of enlargement costs, the extent of funding in the overall package, and the timescale for decisions to be taken.

Papadimoulis said that the Europarliament should reject a proposal to reduce funding to 1.0% of the EU's gross domestic product, seek the creation of a long-term fiscal framework, and insist on funding for cohesion policies in the enlarged Europe.

[16] Economy minister Alogoskoufis, KEDKE agree on recording municipalities' financial problems

Athens 3/12/2004 (ANA)

No decisions were made during their meeting on Thursday, but the two sides agreed that the municipalities' economic problems should be recorded at the present stage, so that the prospects for meeting the municipalities' needs could be examined.

KEDKE representatives conceded that all the problems faced by the municipalities could not be solved through the 2005 state budget, but could be resolved in the medium term.

[17] OTE Telecom union asks gov't to take stand on the firm's restructuring

Athens 3/12/2004 (ANA)

According to the union the retirement scheme will cost 1.6 billion euros, of which the state-owned company will pay 1.0 billion euros and the government 600 million euros.

The union also asked management of OTE, a heavily traded stock, to present its overall restructuring plan for the company so that selective recruitment can be agreed and the process completed rapidly.

Management and workers are to meet again on Monday, when decisions are due to be announced, the union said in a statement.

[18] KKE leader visits Commercial Bank, makes statements on social insurance

Athens 3/12/2004 (ANA)

Speaking to the employees on social insurance, she said: "The plan is clear. The bankers, utilizing all the anti-social insurance laws made by the New Democracy, after PASOK and now the New Democracy is continuing, find the suitable opportunity to rid themselves of their obligations to the social insurance funds."

[19] Bilateral agreement opens way for air route between Athens and Sarajevo

Athens 3/12/2004 (ANA)

For the time being however, it does not seem likely that the route will be exploited commercially. The two ministers also agreed on bilateral issues concerning air safety, customs and tariffs for the transport of passengers and goods.

Liapis was also received by Bosnia-Herzegovina's President Borislav Paravac, and participated in a seminar held by the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) on the development of transportation infrastructure in Southeast Europe.

[20] ECB governor backs more powers for Eurostat

BRUSSELS 3/12/2004 (ANA/M Spinthourakis)

Replying to a reporters' question at a news conference in Frankfurt on fallout from the EU Commission's major upward revision of Greek fiscal data, Trichet said that Brussels should find ways of ensuring that figures submitted by member states was reliable, and therefore not subject to revision.

He also exonerated the ECB's deputy governor, Lucas Papademos, saying that during his term as Greece's central bank head, defense spending had been entered into the institution's accounts; and that the method of calculation for the fiscal deficit did not fall under the Greek central bank's jurisdiction.

[21] Development ministry official to UK for know-how exchange

Athens 3/12/2004 (ANA)

The exchange focuses on industrial policy for small- and medium-sized enterprises, simplification of the legislative framework, and regional development.

[22] Stocks rise in across-the-board buying

Athens 3/12/2004 (ANA)

The Athens general share index closed at 2,683.25 points, showing a rise of 1.03%. Turnover was 216.3 million euros.

The FTSE/ASE-20 index for high capitalization shares ended 0.78% up; the FTSE/ASE-40 for medium cap stocks closed 2.15% up; and the FTSE/ASE-80 for small cap shares finished 2.07% percent higher.

Of stocks traded, advances led declines at 229 to 67 with 66 remaining unchanged.

[23] Greece must be at Europe's forefront in fight against discrimination, employment minister Panagiotopoulos says

Athens 3/12/2004 (ANA)

The activity of the media was at times liberating, but at other times exceptionally encumbering, given that creating the prejudice that the foreigners were the first to be suspected for criminal actions was not only bad, but also unrealistic.

Describing the function of the media as "conflicting", he said that the creative integration into Greek society -- a society in which the seeds of racism and xenophobia had not found fertile ground to flourish but in which certain reflexive perceptions are noted -- was a big challenge also for the media.

Panayiotopoulos said that the 'ideology of racism' had more to do with the chaos in Greek society, the lack of laws, and the confusion of the strange reflexes' in which the media moved, adding that the State could not allow the media to function along the rationale of a "completely commercialized market", given that "information is a social commodity".

He said that the State must provide equal opportunities in information, and consequently this sensitive area could not be regulated by the law of profit and of the lawless market, adding that this did not mean a disposition to censorship and explained that that was the reason for the existence of the ESR national radio/television council as an independent authority.

On the issue of fighting against discrimination, Panayiotopoulos said that Greece should have been the EU's flag bearer, with a Commissioner entrusted with such a portfolio.

The government's target was, in 2005, to have a modern law that would bring the country to the front line in Europe, and which would dynamically and creatively incorporate the economic immigrants into the national society, with order, and rights that also give rise to obligations, which would increase the revenues of the social insurance system and crate a new framework for social co-existence in Greece.

The integration of all in Greece society was not only not a threat, but also offered Greek society and culture even greater range and respect, he said.

"All the merchants of fear must be pushed aside. The chaos and easy residency permits must cease," the minister said, adding that "there must be order, and correct immigration legislation".

"Whoever cultivates racist syndromes and encourages racist concerns offers the worst services to and worst picture of Greece," Panayiotopoulos concluded.

[24] Archbishop Christodoulos, political parties issue messages on occasion of World Handicapped Day

Athens 3/12/2004 (ANA)

Archbishop Christodoulos praised handicapped people for their daily struggle in life and also offered assurances that the Church defends their just claims in an extremely competitive society.

In a similar message, Deputy Health and Social Solidarity Minister Giorgos Constantopoulos said this day is a day of thought and skepticism concerning the equal handling of all citizens.

The main message, he added, is "the citizen comes first, man comes first, equal opportunities for all and equal treatment."

The main opposition PASOK party said disability is an issue that must unite all the Greeks, adding that the party will continue its struggle for a Greece for all and for a society for all, without discriminations and exclusions.

The Communist Party of Greece (KKE) said that handicapped people and their families are experiencing "in the most dramatic way the barbarism of capitalist restructuring with the commercialization of health, welfare, education and special training, with a simultaneous blow being dealt at social security and labor relations for the maximization of the profits of capital."

The Coalition of the Left, Movements and Ecology party said that despite announcements made every year, the problems of handicapped people are being perpetuated, adding that what is lacking is responsible planning at all levels which would make life easier for handicapped people.

[25] Military court sentences 17N inmate Koufodinas to 2-year suspended sentence for draft evasion

Athens 3/12/2004 (ANA)

Koufodinas is currently serving a sentence of 13 times life plus 25 years in a top security cell at Korydallos prison, near Piraeus, for his "17N" involvement.

The military court ruled affirmatively on the prosecutor's proposal to convert the charge from a felony for draft evasion during a general mobilization, to the indictable misdemeanor of draft evasion in times of peace.

Koufodinas, the group's main hit-man, was transported from Korydallos to the martial court under draconian security measures to attend the proceedings, during which he said the transgression he was charged with was an "honor", and that he had chosen the camp to which he was "drafted" on November 17, 1973 (the date of the Polytechnic students' uprising that paved the way for the end of the military dictatorship in Greece, which the urban guerrilla group adopted as its name), and that he had opted to "serve the memory".

[26] CoE proclaims Byzantine Museum of Thessaloniki 'Museum of the year for 2005'

PARIS 3/12/2004 (ANA/O. Tsipira)

The announcement of the decision by the special committee was issued on Thursday and the presentation of the award will take place during the next Conference of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe in spring 2005.

According to a Council of Europe announcement, the committee assessed "The excellence of the museum and the balance it maintains between maintenance, restoration and presentation."

It further underlines the particularly friendly atmosphere for the visitors and the educational role it can play for the children.

[27] 4th MINEPS Conference to be held in Athens December 6-8

Athens 3/12/2004 (ANA)

Among those attending the conference will be IOC President Jacques Rogge, WADA President Richard W. Pound, IPC President Phil Craven and UNESCO Director-General Koichiro Matsuura.

Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis has been invited to open the conference.

One of the main objectives of the conference is to formulate a draft international convention against doping in sport; aside from doping however, the conference will also examine the themes of physical education and women in sport.

Speaking of UNESCO's decision to hold the conference in Athens, Deputy Culture Minister responsible for sports George Orfanos said: "This is evidence of the country's substantial contribution to international sports and cultural activities that not only concern the staging of major sports events, but deal with strategic decision-making regarding sports and society."

[28] Greece becomes member of International Francophonie Organization

Athens 3/12/2004 (ANA)

Present in all five continents, Francophonie is composed of peoples who have a common political and cultural ambition: to create real states of law and to promote lingual and cultural variety.

Francophonie has gathered over a quarter of the countries of the world. Member-states host 10 percent of the world's population and account for 11 percent of world produce and 15 percent of world trade.

These issues were referred to by speakers during Francophonie's General Assembly held at the Concert Hall in Athens on Thursday night, while Education Minister Marietta Yiannakou stressed the importance of Francophonie for the 56 countries sharing the same values and pointed out that Greece's application had been made in 2003.

[29] Greek seaman to be released from prison Friday

Athens 3/12/2004 (ANA)

The First Instance Court accepted Kastanias' request that his sentence be adjusted according to Greek law. If convicted in Greek court, Kastanias would have been sentenced to 10-20 years in prison. Therefore, the court, interpreting the international agreement between Greece and Egypt on the transfer of prisoners, ruled that Kastanias has served the appropriate time in relation to the crime committed.

Kastanias thanked the governments of Egypt and Greece, Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis and all those who contributed to the success of his long-term efforts, in a statement he made shortly before the trial.

[30] Cypriot FM Iacovou addresses WEU Assembly

NICOSIA 3/12/2004 (CNA/ANA)

solution of the Cyprus problem so that Cypriots will look forward to a new era of relations not only between Greek and Turkish Cypriots, Cyprus and Turkey, but also between Turkey and the EU.

Iacovou told the Assembly of the Western European Union meeting in Paris on Wednesday that ''if such an approach is adopted it will, we believe, reinforce both Turkey's transformation and its EU candidacy, while also significantly contribute to the stability of the sensitive region of the Eastern Mediterranean."

Iacovou said that Cyprus has ''no objections of an ideological character against Turkey's accession prospects. He further said that Cyprus expects that Turkey will embark on a process of speedy normalization of its relations with the Republic of Cyprus. At the same time, he added, we should ensure that the issue of the way forward for a solution to the Cyprus problem will be kept on the agenda of the relations between Turkey and the European Union.

Iacovou underlined that the new Europe, to have a truly effective role in tackling international problems, must develop the means of a credible foreign and security policy.

The Cypriot minister said ''security concerns have changed overtime'' as ''we are now faced with challenges from both state and non-state actors. New challenges, like terrorism and globalized criminal activity, and more conventional ones, such as regional conflict and Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMDs)''.

In his speech, Iacovou said Cyprus is particularly interested in and concerned about the Middle East and the wider Mediterranean area.

''We believe that this is an area of strategic importance to the Union and will continue, well into the 21st century, to be of crucial importance to Europe's security'', he said.

He noted that in this context Cyprus' accession has much to offer to the Union. ''By virtue of its location at the crossroads of three continents and of different religions and cultures, Cyprus is in a unique position to play a valuable role in the promulgation of the global aspirations of the Union, particularly in this region as a forward base of operations, as a shield against new threats and as a

bridge: political, economic and cultural,'' he added.

The minister said that Cyprus has been and will continue to be as helpful as possible to the parties in the Middle East conflict and to the wider effort of the EU.

The Cypriot minister noted that ''when we talk of problems in our region of the Eastern Mediterranean there is, of course, our own long-standing problem which has remained unresolved and a tragic anachronism ever since the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974."

He said that ''Cyprus' foreign policy was based on the twin pillars of solving the Cyprus problem and our acceding to the European Union, preferably in that very same order. Regrettably, the most recent efforts at finding a solution of the problem led instead to the submission of an inequitable and unworkable plan that did not meet the fundamental concerns and expectations of the Cypriot people and, thus, could not be accepted."

He stressed, however, that in rejecting the particular plan, the Greek Cypriots most certainly did not reject the solution of the problem and reunification in the form of a bicommunal, bizonal federation.

''We remain firmly committed to achieving the soonest possible a comprehensive, just and viable, mutually-agreed settlement, consistent with relevant UN Security Council Resolutions, international law and the values and principles on which the European Union is founded. This has been and will always be our principal strategic objective and foremost priority," he added.

Iacovou said that ''we continue to believe that the achievement of such settlement will usher in a new era on the island and the wider region at large'' and will also bring Turkey closer to the European norms and traditions on inter-state relations, whilst cementing the much-needed peace and stability in the region.

''However in order to achieve this, we must work as partners within the context of the membership of Cyprus to the EU and Turkey's accession aspirations. The period leading up to the 17th of December and beyond provides, in the words of an esteemed colleague, a historic, golden opportunity for the positive realignment of the situation in the Eastern Mediterranean in a sustainable way to the benefit of all. We fully agree that we should all utilize this opportunity,'' he added.

[31] Egyptian Speaker says his country rejects occupation of Cyprus

NICOSIA 3/12/2004 (CNA/ANA)

Speaking on Thursday after meeting Cyprus House of Representatives President Demetris Christofias who had invited him to Cyprus, Sorour said his country welcomes the position of the people of Cyprus who did not accept a proposal for a solution to island's long standing division which was contrary to their interests.

Welcoming Sorour, Christofias pointed out that with the island's accession to the European Union, ''Cyprus will not forget its neighboring friends and co-fighters in the Non-Aligned Movement and hoped Cyprus will become an ambassador for these countries to the EU."

Sorour was also received by Cyprus President Tassos Papadopoulos.

In his statements after meeting Christofias, Sorour said the Egyptian Assembly ''always supported the unity of territories and the people of Cyprus. We support international order which is based on UN resolutions."

''We resolutely reject the division of Cyprus and support the resolution of the Cyprus issue through negotiations and according to international law," the Egyptian official added.

Egypt, he said, ''rejects the occupation of territories," adding ''it is not possible the occupation to be a reason to create new states on foreign land."

''We welcome the position of the people of Cyprus who did not accept proposals for a solution to the problem, which is contrary to their interests and for refusing to accept any solution that would not safeguard its unity," Sorour said, referring to the rejection of the Annan Plan by the Greek Cypriot side in a referendum last April.

''We call for international legality to prevail and not the rules of the powerful," he added, noting that the Cyprus problem is a struggle between the fair and the unfair, the powerful and the law and what should undoubtedly prevail is the law and legality."

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