Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English, 06-02-11

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

CONTENTS

[01] PM to meet telecoms authorities over phone-tapping affair

[02] EU Commission unveils anti-bird flu measures for Greece

[03] Germany announces Karamanlis-Merkel meeting next Wednesday

[04] Informal NATO defense ministers conference focuses on operational readiness

[05] PASOK leader, government address ESAEA conference

[06] 'We must respect every religion,' Ecumenical Patriarch says

[07] Govt reports private energy investment projects, worth 495.6 mln euros

[08] Stylianidis meets head of Greek-Chinese chamber of commerce

[09] Greek MEPs hold press conference on Bolkestein directive

[10] Northern Greece needs tailored economic policy, SYN leader says

[11] Eurostat: Greek tax revenue down since 2000

[12] Intracom launches technology centre

[13] School buildings mostly aged in Greece, report

[14] Tellas SA announces new board

[15] Foreign Exchange Rates: Monday

[16] Protocol for establishment of Balkan Universities Network to be signed

[17] Bench prosecutor wants charge against Yiossakis converted to misdemeanour

[18] Lawyer, three other women, face manslaughter charges in death of Down's Syndrome infant

[19] Two former clerics acquitted of antiquities smuggling charge

[20] Passenger ship develops engine trouble, returning to port of Piraeus

[21] Britain will not recognize the pseudostate, Foreign Office says

[22] Cyprus welcomes US approach to British remarks

[23] Cyprus disagrees with PACE President's remarks

[24] Cyprus hopes for new effort by UN Secretary General

[25] Russia interested in having active role in Cyprus, says Nesterenko

[01] PM to meet telecoms authorities over phone-tapping affair

Athens 11/2/2006 (ANA)

Apart from ADAE president Andreas Lambrinopoulos and EETT president Nikitas Alexandridis, the meeting will also be attended by Justice Minister Anastasios Papaligouras and Transport and Communications Minister Mihalis Liapis.

In addition, the prime minister has also arranged to meet with six legal experts on Monday in order to discuss ways in which to strengthen the legal framework for protecting telecommunications and intends to set up a committee to assess their proposals, Antonaros announced.

He also stressed that the premier clearly supported the appropriate authorities so that they could do their work as well as possible.

Asked to comment on the absence of Public Order Minister George Voulgarakis from the meetings, Antonaros said that the specific committees came under the remit of the two ministers that were called to be present.

Antonaros reiterated that the government had acted responsibly and within the law in the phone-tapping affair, handing the case over to justice immediately and informing Parliament about it in depth at the correct time, while the ministers responsible had informed the public.

He also noted that discussion in Parliament on this issue following questions put for Karamanlis had not been cancelled but merely postponed until next Friday.

Asked why the ADAE had not been informed, the spokesman replied that this "was not the government's obligation". He also denied that the government had additional lists of people whose phones had been tapped, noting that all the facts at the government's disposal had been made public.

Supreme court prosecutor briefed on phone-tapping investigations: The public prosecutors in charge of two investigations linked to the phone-tapping conspiracy disclosed last week by the government on Friday briefed Supreme Court Public Prosecutor Dimitris Linos on the course of their inquiries

The investigation into the phone-tapping conspiracy itself is headed by the head of First-Instance Court Public Prosecutors Dimitris Papangelopoulos, while first-instance court public prosecutor Dimitris Diotis has set up an inquiry investigating links between the phone-tapping affair and the death of Vodafone systems manager Costas Tsalikidis, who was found hanged shortly after the security breach at Vodafone was discovered.

According to sources within the public prosecutors' office, the evidence so far points to suicide - the initial conclusion of the investigation - but all possibilities are being examined.

PASOK party spokesman comments on phone-tapping, government reshuffle: Main opposition PASOK party spokesman Nikos Athanassakis on Friday called on the present administration of the National Intelligence Service (EYP) and the public order ministry's leadership to state now whether mobile phones were being monitored when PASOK was in power.

"The continuation of the state exists, technical possibilities at the time are known to EYP's present administration. They must reply now and not allow such issues to drag on," he said.

Commenting further on the issue, Athanassakis said the prime minister "has ultimately discovered the relevant Independent Authorities, which he had ignored and downgraded over the past two years."

Replying to a question on a possible government reshuffle, Athanassakis said the government's policies will remain the same, adding that no reshuffle will save the government.

Lastly, the spokesman said that PASOK leader George Papandreou will travel to Brussels on Monday for a discussion with the Barroso Committee on "The future of Europe in the world."

Gov't secretly met with mobile phone execs,

SYN leader says: Coalition of the Left, Movements and Ecology (SYN) President Alekos Alavanos on Friday accused the government of keeping secret a meeting between high-ranking government officials and representatives from the country's mobile phone companies three months ago.

During the meeting it was decided that more than "30,000 mobiles per company would be monitored," Alavanos said.

He also said that the government failed to disclose another decision taken during the same meeting concerning the installation of double codes and safes in the mobile phone companies' telecoms networks and centre access areas. This, Alavanos said, was done within the context of an EU directive which provides for the monitoring of phone calls by foreign agencies.

Alavanos called on main opposition PASOK President George Papandreou to cooperate with SYN in pushing for Greece's withdrawal from the EU's 2000 Treaty which allows foreign agencies to monitor phone conversations of EU member states' residents and to prevent the implementation of measures the EU is currently promoting.

Asked if SYN is planning to adopt PASOK's motion of censure against the government in light of the recent phone-tapping affair, Alavanos said that, "our main priority is to support Democracy and not to impress. On this basis we are ready to discuss joint courses of action."

PASOK party secretary says proposal by Coalition party for cooperation on phone-tapping issue 'very positive' Main opposition PASOK party Secretary Mariliza Xenoyiannakopoulou said on Friday that the proposal made by Coalition of the Left, Movements and Ecology (Synaspismos) party leader Alekos Alavanos for cooperation between the two opposition parties on the phone-tapping issue was "very positive."

Speaking in Xanthi, northern Greece, where she arrived to participate in a banquet organized by the party's local organization, Xenoyiannakopoulou said that PASOK was always in favor of a dialogue with all progressive forces in the country on joint action and initiatives on major social issues.

Referring to Alavanos's proposal for cooperation to enable Greece to quit the Treaty concluded in the year 2000, which allows the monitoring of telephone conversations of European Union member-state citizens by foreign services, and for the non-implementation of all corresponding decisions taken by the EU, the secretary said that cooperation is necessary to prevent phenomena of state of law violations.

[02] EU Commission unveils anti-bird flu measures for Greece

Athens 11/2/2006 (ANA)

A spokesman for European Commissioner for health Markos Kyprianou, Philip Todd, said the course of action decided had already been discussed and agreed with Greek authorities and essentially called for establishing two zones around the area where the three wild swans were found dead.

The first zone will be protective and have a radius of three kilometres, within which strict measures will be enforced. This will include the obligatory confinement of all poultry within closed facilities and disinfection measures. Poultry will be forbidden to leave poultry farms in this zone except when they are being taken to be slaughtered, while outdoor poultry markets will be forbidden.

The second, outer zone will be a "monitoring" zone and have a radius of 10 kilometres. Here again, there will be restrictions on the movement of poultry and a ban on outdoor poultry markets, as well as a ban on hunting.

According to the Commission, it was the job of Greek authorities to locate the poultry farms in the two zones and to take measures to inform poultry farm staff of the measures.

Todd said the situation would be reviewed by a special EU scientists committee next Wednesday, when the Community Reference Laboratory (CRL) in Weybridge had announced the results of further tests on the suspect samples to locate the deadly H5N1 form of the virus.

If the samples were negative for H5N1 then the measures might be lifted, while if they were positive the measures would be extended for 21 days in the first zone and 30 days in the second zone, he added.

The spokesman said that there were no plans at present to send Community experts to Greece and that this would only happen if the Greek government decided it was necessary.

[03] Germany announces Karamanlis-Merkel meeting next Wednesday

BERLIN 11/2/2006 (ANA - P. Stangos)

The announcement said they will discuss issues concerning bilateral relations, and matters of international and European politics.

According to the announcement, Karamanlis and Merkel will hold a joint press conference after 15 minutes of private talks, after which there will be a meeting between Greek and German delegations.

[04] Informal NATO defense ministers conference focuses on operational readiness

Athens 11/2/2006 (ANA)

Defense Minister Spilios Spiliotopoulos called for the use of the NATO Response Force (NRF) in operations of a humanitarian nature as well, and the adoption of the possibility of member-states to revise their relevant commitments every two years, in accordance with the force's needs.

As regards cooperation with Mediterranean Dialogue countries, Spiliotopoulos expressed support for its deepening in the military sector and announced the holding again this year of the aeronautical exercise codenamed "Dolphin", which Greece had held for the first time last year with the participation of military forces from Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Morocco and Tunisia.

The minister also referred to Greece's participation in the multinational security force in Afghanistan and announced the training of six Iraqi military doctors at Greek military hospitals in the coming months.

Spiliotopoulos reiterated Greece's active support for the further strengthening of cooperation between NATO and Russia and its intention to host, at the Souda Naval Base, Russian warships that will be participating in the "Active Endeavor" operation.

Spiliotopoulos met on the sidelines of the conference with Russia's Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov, whom he invited to pay an official visit to Greece in the second half of the year. He also met his counterparts from Israel and Britain Shaul Mofaz and John Reed. Talks focused on issues concerning bilateral political and military cooperation and international developments.

[05] PASOK leader, government address ESAEA conference

Athens 11/2/2006 (ANA)

The conference is taking place with the support of the health and employment ministries, as well as the national prefecture union ENAE and the municipalities and communities union KEDKE.

An address from Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis was read out during the conference by Deputy Health Minister George Constantopoulos, who said the government planned to have a law for people with special needs that executed the Constitution tabled in Parliament within a year.

Main opposition PASOK leader George Papandreou asked for close cooperation with the ESAEA, pledging his party's and his own personal best effort to ensure greater participation by people with special needs in Greek society.

[06] 'We must respect every religion,' Ecumenical Patriarch says

NEW YORK 11/2/2006 (ANA-MPA/P. Panagiotou)

Asked to comment on the cartoon run by a Danish newspaper of Mohammed the Prophet which has caused tensions and protests around the world, Vartholomeos said, "We are unequivocally in favor of respect for the faith and religion of all people."

He added that "Just as we want others to respect our faith, our religion, our Church, so too must we respect and honor the faith of all our fellow human beings."

Vartholomeos noted that on February 2 all representatives of Christian churches and the Chief Rabbi in Istanbul signed a joint statement condemning "these cartoons and improprieties at the expense of the Muslim faith."

Speaking during a press conference held in Mexico City, Vartholomeos said that "We came to Mexico at a time when there is much going on due to the upcoming elections in your country. Of course, as men of the cloth, we do not become involved in politics nor in the domestic affairs of the country hosting us. We are only interested in the people's progress and prosperity."

Asked to comment on the recent murder of a Catholic priest in Turkey, Vartholomeos said, "Of course, we condemn such a terrorist, criminal act and not only because it was against a Christian priest. We would condemn it if it was done to any other human being."

On Thursday evening, Mexican President Vicente Fox hosted a dinner in Vartholomeos' honor.

Fox welcomed the Ecumenical Patriarch to Mexico, a country which agrees with Vartholomeos' message of peace, tolerance and dialogue.

On his part, Vartholomeos referred to Mexico's cultural legacy as well as to the role the country plays on the international political scene.

[07] Govt reports private energy investment projects, worth 495.6 mln euros

Athens 11/2/2006 (ANA)

The ministry announcement said that 150 investment projects covered the renewable energy sources sector, budgeted at 335.16 million euros, another 58 projects covered the energy saving sector, budgeted at 125.6 million euros, six projects covered the co-production of electricity and heating/cooling sector (26.2 mln euros) and 25 projects covered the sector of replacing compatible fuel with fuel gas (8.65 million euros).

Investment projects in the Renewable Energy Sources sector covered the construction of wind power parks (179.7 million euros), the production of bio-fuel (102.7 million) and photovoltaic systems (22.04 million euros).

Development Minister Dimitris Sioufas said "the big investment interest on private investments in the energy sector, highlights the prospects and the dynamism of a new energy policy in Greece".

[08] Stylianidis meets head of Greek-Chinese chamber of commerce

Athens 11/2/2006 (ANA)

Stylianidis said he had asked the chamber to continue promoting cooperation between the Greek and Chinese markets in order to boost Greek exports and attract Chinese investors.

He said the ministry last week sent out a letter to all the ministers involved in implementing Greece's strategy for China and the actions they must take in order for the agreements to be carried out.

During Friday's meeting, an agreement was made for a bilateral meeting between Stylianidis and China's deputy minister for external trade, who is due to visit Greece within the next month.

Visits by Greek ministers and business delegations to China would follow, the minister added.

[09] Greek MEPs hold press conference on Bolkestein directive

Athens 11/2/2006 (ANA)

ND MEP Costas Hatzidakis noted that the directive had been significantly changed in November by the internal markets and consumer protection commission and that it would be even further amended when it came before the European Parliament next Thursday.

He said the changed included the exclusion of gambling, the audiovisual sector, legal services and health services from the directive, as well as the removal of articles 24 and 25 governing the transfer and rights of company employees relocated from other countries.

Hatzidakis' assertion that the controversial "country of origin" clause had been amended was questioned by Coalition MEP D. Papadimoulis, however, who said that it remained in article 16 of the directive and would allow foreign companies to offer services in Greece using the standards of their country of origin, including the eastern European countries that just recently joined the EU.

Papadimoulis said his party would vote against the directive when it came before the Euro-Parliament.

PASOK MEP Mary Matsouka stressed that PASOK would also vote against unless all the amendments to protect the interests of workers were made.

KKE's MEP said that his party had signed in favor of withdrawing the directive, which had triggered massive objections from workers.

[10] Northern Greece needs tailored economic policy, SYN leader says

Athens 11/2/2006 (ANA)

Alavanos openly criticized both the Federation of Greek Industries (SEB) and the Federation of Northern Greek Industries (SBBE) for being opposed to collective labor agreements for employees in northern Greece so that they can compete with Balkan countries which have low labor costs.

"It is not possible for us to compete in this way with economies that have emerged from difficult political situations. We have to compete with them based on a high level of education, with the emphasis on new technologies and provision of services," he said.

According to Alavanos, the government needs to drastically change its policies in order to put emphasis on the public investment program, "which has been abandoned"; ensure that the 4th Community Support Framework funds are allocated fully for development of regions, not the capital; formulate and adopt sector-specific policies; eliminate bureaucracy; and adopt measures to combat youth unemployment.

Alavanos noted that Drama prefecture is an economically-deprived area, a fact which calls for specific action.

Finally, Alavanos announced SYN's candidate for the prefecture, saying that the nomination of Christos Karagiannidis has symbolic meaning, since Karagiannidis had been unemployed for a considerable length of time.

[11] Eurostat: Greek tax revenue down since 2000

BRUSSELS 11/2/2006 (ANA/M Aroni)

In a report on tax revenue in 1995-2004 in European Union member states, the bloc's statistical office said that Greece showed a peak year in 2000, with the ratio between tax revenue and gross domestic product falling from 40.9% to 37.7%.

Nevertheless, revenue as a percentage of GDP in Greece was higher in 2004 than in 1995-97.

For the majority of the EU's 25 member-countries, the ratio fell within a range of 35-45% of GDP. Weighted by

countries' GDP, the average level in the EU-25 was 40.7% in 2004.

The median or middle value of the 25 countries was somewhat lower at 37.7%, corresponding to the figure for Greece, because of the relatively low levels of GDP (and therefore low weight) in countries that tended to have lower ratios of tax revenue to GDP, Eurostat said.

Imputed social contributions, which represent the counterpart of unfunded social benefits provided by the government as employer in the national accounts system, were equal to 1.0% of GDP in the EU-25 in 2004, ranging from 2.4% in Greece to less than 0.05% in the Czech Republic.

In 2004, tax revenue, or the total amount of taxes and social contributions in the EU25, stood at 40.7% of GDP,

compared with 40.9% in 2003. After increasing from 41.2% in 1995 to 42.4% in 1999, the tax-to-GDP ratio then declined steadily to 40.8% in 2002.

The trend in the euro-zone was similar: tax revenue rose from 41.6% of GDP in 1995 to 43.0% in 1999, then fell to

41.1% in 2004. In 2004 versus 2003, tax revenue as a proportion of GDP showed the largest reduction in Greece (from 39.0% to 37.7%), along with Germany and Italy.

[12] Intracom launches technology centre

Athens 11/2/2006 (ANA)

"Our vision is to contribute, through our products and services, to the modernization and advancement of communities...(and) our objective is to help as many people as possible get access to knowledge and IT, starting with the local communities we are active in, said Intracom CEO George Deligiannis.

The Peania Technology Centre was opened by the general secretary of industry of the ministry of development, Spyros Papadopoulos, the firm, an information technology and telecommunications manufacturer, said in a statement.

It was created by Intracom with the municipality of Peania as part of the company's wider investment program to enhance technological education and development in local communities.

Among guests at the ceremony were government officials, members of parliament, and corporate executives, the statement said.

The facility is a modern information technology lab, fully equipped with computers, state-of-the-art software and Internet access, which is housed in the municipality's cultural centre.

Offered will be seminars on basic information technology programs, free of charge, for Peania residents.

Beyond creating and equipping the centre, Intracom is to organize lectures and job orientation presentations. Athens Information Technology (AIT) will provide scholarships to leading students in the area.

AIT is a non-profit research and education center, established in 2001 by Intracom with Carnegie Mellon University of the USA and the University of Harvard, offering post-graduate and adult training programs.

Also contributing to creation of the center through products and services are AIT, Hellas on Line, Hewlett Packard, Logitech, Microsoft, Sofland and Symantec, the statement added.

[13] School buildings mostly aged in Greece, report

Athens 11/2/2006 (ANA)

The report, covering 14,446 school buildings (or 97.1 pct of total public school buildings) in the school period 2003-04, also showed that 4.4 percent of all buildings were working double shifts because of lack of available space, particularly in the regions of Attica-Piraeus, Central Macedonia and Thessaly.

The report said that 40.9 pct of school buildings around the country were aged 30 years or more, while 20.9 pct of buildings have an age of 1-10 years. Primary schools are based on buildings with an age of more than 40 years. An 89.1 pct of schools is property of the state, another 7.2 pct (mostly kindergardens) are using leased buildings and another 11 percent buildings originally supposed to be shops or homes.

Half of the country's schools (50 pct) reported insufficient equipment), while 30 high schools around the country failed to offer foreign language lessons and another eight schools did not have heating.

The report said 88 pct of schools offered central heating systems, 7.8 pct air conditioning and 85 pct of schools reported adequate water supply. Another 73.1 pct of schools said they had libraries but only 61.1 pct of them were operational, while only 9.2 pct of school libraries offered Internet access.

The report said public schools offered one computer to 23 pupils.

The Attica-Piraeus and Central Macedonia regions reported the highest number of schools (35.2 pct of kindergardents, 32.6 pct of primary schools, 40.8 pct of high schools and 43 pct of lyceums).

[14] Tellas SA announces new board

Athens 11/2/2006 (ANA)

Tellas announced its new board, including Andrea Costa (vice-chairman), and Khaled Bishara, Pierroberto Folgiero, Stefano De Santis, George Aggelopoulos and Dimitrios Bousdekis (members).

[15] Foreign Exchange Rates: Monday

Athens 11/2/2006 (ANA)

by the European Central Bank:

U.S. dollar 1.206

[16] Protocol for establishment of Balkan Universities Network to be signed

Athens 11/2/2006 (ANA)

The initial network will comprise 10 universities from the Balkan countries -- the universities of Trana and Gjirokastr in Albania, the University of Sofia in Bulgaria, the Cyrillus and Methodios University in Skopje (FYROM), Iasi University in Romania, the universities of Belgrade and Novi Sad in Serbia-Montenegro, and the University of Canakale in Turkey, and, from Greece, the Aristoteleio University and University of Macedonia, with prospect for further expansion of the network with other universities.

The university rectors were due to sign a protocol for the Balkan University Network on Friday afternoon. The purpose of the network is to assume actions aimed at facilitating cooperation in the education sector, and the utilization of their knowledge and experience. In that framework, meetings among the sides involved will be held, as well as annual conferences, the establishment of working groups, and the organization of cultural events.

Aristoteleion University rector Yannis Antonopoulos spoke of a joint strategic policy on education in the Balkan region. "The university places a small stone to he meaning 'Thessaloniki, metropolis of the Balkans'. In the initial stage, this network will be used for our common issues, for a cooperation in the sector of humanities sciences (history, religion, fine arts, etc.), after which the expansion of the cooperation will be examined into the sector of sciences and research," he said.

Aristotelion deputy rector for academic affairs Ekaterini Douka-Kampitoglou stressed that the initiative will give a new dimension to Aristotelion University's existing bilateral relations with the other Balkan universities, while it would also reinforce the exchanges among the students.

"We decided to establish the network in order to advance studies in the Balkans region, and so that the region may dynamically enter the European sector of higher education. Collaborations among the universities will be examined for joint programs of studies, post-graduate studies, student exchanges, and research programs," she said.

Also attending the meeting was Thessaloniki deputy mayor for culture Haris Aidonopoulos, as the representative of the Network of Balkan Cities, which was established five years ago at the initiative of the municipality of Thessaloniki, who expressed the city's support for the university network venture, and its preparedness to provide knowhow to the network.

[17] Bench prosecutor wants charge against Yiossakis converted to misdemeanour

Athens 11/2/2006 (ANA)

According to the prosecutor, the evidence would not support a criminal charge and the offence would be statute-barred after five years elapsed.

Yiossakis and 45-year-old cleric Kyrillos Stavropoulos, as well as a third man named Costas Noos, are being tried for removing antiquities from the Aghios Theodosios Monastery on the island of Kythera.

If the court agrees with the prosecutor's recommendation, Yiossakis and Stavropoulos may well be acquitted.

Yiossakis will be returned to Korydallos prison, however, since he has been remanded in custody until he stands trial for his alleged participation in a judicial corruption scandal.

[18] Lawyer, three other women, face manslaughter charges in death of Down's Syndrome infant

Athens 11/2/2006 (ANA)

According to the father's lawsuit, his lawyer wife killed the infant in January 1995 because it was suffering from Down's Syndrome and she did not want to take on the problems entailed by the baby boy's illness.

The father said the delay in filing the charges was due to the fact that he had been investigating the case for years, and did not want to have in on his conscience.

He said the infant had not died of cardio-respiratory problems as diagnosed, and intimated at a cover-up of the killing by the funeral home and also by officials.

[19] Two former clerics acquitted of antiquities smuggling charge

Athens 11/2/2006 (ANA)

The court accepted a proposal by the prosecutor to have the charge changed from a felony to a misdemeanour, meaning that the defendants will not be prosecuted since five years have passed since the day the offence was perpetrated, while evidence was considered inadequate to substantiate charges.

Stavropoulos will be released, while Yiossakis will continue to remain in custody for his involvement in the illegal judicial activities case.

[20] Passenger ship develops engine trouble, returning to port of Piraeus

Athens 11/2/2006 (ANA)

The "Agios Georgios", heading for the islands of Kithnos, Serifos, Sifnos, Milos and Kimolos, was ordered to return to the port of Piraeus from which it had sailed early in the afternoon.

[21] Britain will not recognize the pseudostate, Foreign Office says

LONDON 11/2/2006 (CNA/ANA-MPA)

British government does not and will not recognize the illegal regime of the northern Turkish occupied part of Cyprus.

Invited by CNA to comment on the Greek Cypriot reaction regarding Straw's statements, the Spokesperson said that Straw "was expressing his deep concern at the lack of progress towards a solution."

"Straw emphasized the need for dialogue under the UN auspices that will lead to a settlement, acceptable to both communities. Unless there is dialogue prospect for a reunification will fail. We believe strongly that the absence of a settlement is bad to Cyprus, bad to the UK and bad to the EU," the Spokesperson noted.

He concluded that "the Foreign Secretary's comments were not a threat."

[22] Cyprus welcomes US approach to British remarks

NICOSIA 11/2/2006 (CNA/ANA-MPA)

statements and for more understanding and serious effort to reach a solution.

''We consider such approaches productive, they are in the right direction, and can help create the necessary climate to prepare the ground so that we can proceed with a process, which we have on many occasions described, to achieve a solution and the reunification of Cyprus,'' Lillikas said.

Referring to Britain, Lillikas noted that the government does not wish to continue the controversy but would not remain apathetic when it is provoked.

Asked what the government expected from the representations it made to the British High Commissioner in Cyprus regarding Straw's remarks, Lillikas said it expected an explanation and expressed certainty that it would receive it.

He added that the government wanted from Britain ''the necessary objectivity and neutrality so that its role can be constructive and creative.''

Replying to questions, Lillikas said the structured dialogue between Cyprus and Britain continued on a series of issues, where there is a potential for cooperation.

[23] Cyprus disagrees with PACE President's remarks

NICOSIA 11/2/2006 (CNA/ANA-MPA)

''With all due respect, I participate in the Councils and I have seen neither Holland nor France, which rejected the European Constitution, being set aside,'' Lillikas pointed out.

He furthermore welcomed the reaction of Greek MP Christos Papoutsis to Van der Linden's remarks, who had called on Greece to persuade the Greek Cypriot side to show more willingness for a Cyprus settlement.

Papoutsis had questioned the manner in which Van der Linden comprehended legitimacy in Cyprus, noting that Cyprus is an independent member state of the UN and the EU.

[24] Cyprus hopes for new effort by UN Secretary General

NICOSIA 11/2/2006 (CNA/ANA-MPA)

Asked what the government's position was on the Annan plan, which was rejected by the majority of the Greek Cypriot community in 2004, Lillikas said ''it is pointless to discuss the name of plans or the name of the solution.''

[25] Russia interested in having active role in Cyprus, says Nesterenko

NICOSIA 11/2/2006 (CNA/ANA-MPA)

''Russia, being a permanent member state of the United Nations Security Council, expresses its strong interest to undertake an active part in any new effort to reach a correct formula for a

comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem,'' Nesterenko stated on Friday, after a meeting with President of the main opposition party, the Democratic Rally (DISY), Nicos Anastasiades.

The Russian Ambassador added that his country ''wishes to see an exchange of views and cooperation with the UN Security Council members, including the US, Great Britain, France and China, in the framework of the Security Council.''

''Regarding the initiatives, we have stated many times that both communities in Cyprus have to find a comprehensive settlement together,'' he said.

Invited to comment on British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw's recent statements about Cyprus, the Russian Ambassador refrained from commenting, saying that ''it is not diplomatically common to make comments on the statements of Foreign Ministers of other countries.''

DISY's President said that Russia's involvement in any efforts for a Cyprus solution is welcome.

''I informed the Russian Ambassador that, for us, Russia's involvement in any new initiative or new effort that would contribute to the resumption of a dialogue leading to an agreed solution, is welcome,'' Anastasiades told reporters.

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