Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English, 07-08-16

Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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

CONTENTS

[01] Greece celebrates Dormition of the Virgin holiday amid peak summer period

[02] Statements by government officials on possible early election date

[03] Yiannis Rangousis PASOK party's spokesman after elections are announced

[04] KKE leader Aleka Papariga on country's defence doctrine

[05] Alavanos says his party ready for elections

[06] Greece's new liaison head in FYROM presents credentials

[07] Foreign Exchange Rates - Thursday

[08] Robbers seize 13,000 euros from ATM machine in Crete

[09] Forest fire breaks out on Mount Olympus

[10] Police arrest woman in Thessaloniki for wounding policeman

[11] Man stabbed to death outside Iraklio bar

[12] Sunny on Thursday

[13] Cypriot president urges UN to arrange a meeting with Talat

[14] Cyprus not intimidated by Turkey's gunboat policy Politics

[01] Greece celebrates Dormition of the Virgin holiday amid peak summer period

In keeping with tradition, most of the country' s top political leadership attended church services at a handful of revered cathedrals dedicated to the Madonna, most notably on the Cyclades island of Tinos and at the Panaghia Soumela Monastery in central Macedonia (Imathia prefecture).

As in previous years President of the Republic Karolos Papoulias attended the service at Panaghia Soumela Cathedral in Vermio, the focal point for celebrations by ethnic Pontian communities - ethnic Greeks of the wider Black Sea region - around the world. Papoulias was also honoured by the Panaghia Soumela foundation. From the township of Vermio, where the Panaghia Soumela Monastery is located, President Papoulias sent a message of national unanimity, solidarity, love and creation to all Greeks, stressing the importance of the day for Orthodoxy.

Meanwhile, on Tinos, Church services began at 8:30 a.m. and an hour later dignitaries boarded a Hellenic Navy vessel to lay wreaths in the sea at the site where the light cruiser had sunk.

Speaking after the events, Karamanlis reiterated that the Dormition of the Virgin feast day was one of the greatest celebrations for Hellenism and Orthodoxy, a celebration that sends "messages of love, hope, solidarity and messages of humanity."

On a political note, Karamanlis underlined that "many significant things have taken place over the past three years. We are, however, in the middle of a difficult and uphill path. We are determined to continue to proceed along this path, the path of responsibility, the path of work, the only path that guarantees a better future for the country and the citizens."

On his part, Papandreou said from Vermio that "we honour the struggles and tradition of Black Sea Hellenism, this beautiful part of Hellenism and Greece. It gives us inspiration; it gives us strength, strength to struggle for a better Greece, for a better future of dignity, solidarity, love and humanity."

The government was represented at the services in northern Greece by Minister of Macedonia-Thrace George Kalantzis, while Parliament was represented by Vice President Georgios Sourlas. Other officials included ruling New Democracy party secretary Lefteris Zagoritis, the head of the out-of-Parliament Popular Orthodox Rally (LA.OS) party George Karatzaferis, former minister and founder of the newly established Democratic Revival party, Stelios Papathemelis, as well as several deputies, deputy ministers and diplomats.

[02] Statements by government officials on possible early election date

"They asked the President of the Republic what he will be doing afterwards and he said that he will continue his vacation, in which case I do not think that the scenario for tomorrow is tangible," said Minister of Macedonia and Thrace George Kalantzis.

Deputy Culture Minister for Sport George Orfanos said on his part that "nobody knows the prime minister's thoughts."

[03] Yiannis Rangousis PASOK party's spokesman after elections are announced

Rangousis will be included in the party's State Ticket in the elections.

He was born in 1965 and had served as mayor for Paros and had also worked as the first general director of the Research Centre on Equality Issues over the 1994-1995 period. He was elected a member of PASOK's Central Committee in 1994.

[04] KKE leader Aleka Papariga on country's defence doctrine

"The country's armed forces are already participating in occupation armies, in the policy of imposing military extortions, in the changing of borders and the use of force against peoples who are struggling or resisting," she said.

Papariga also expressed her party's opposition to "the enactment, that also took place with the agreement of the New Democracy and PASOK parties, of the involvement of the military in the suppression of strikes and of mobilisations in order to protect the profits of businessmen," adding that it is also "against the turning of the armed forces into a mercenary army for NATO or the EU."

[05] Alavanos says his party ready for elections

Alavanos, who also met the foundation's management, said his party is ready for elections, "even for this coming Sunday."

"However, we consider the manner in which (ruling) New Democracy views them (elections) as outside the framework of our democratic culture. It is not possible for us to go to elections without a budget and plan for pensions."

He also charged that half the pensioners in Greece receive less than 500 euros (a month).

[06] Greece's new liaison head in FYROM presents credentials

The new director of Greece's liaison office in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), Alexandra Papadopoulou, on Wednesday presented her credentials to FYROM Foreign Minister Antonio Milososki.

According to a FYROM foreign ministry announcement, during the meeting Milososki expressed a conviction that bilateral relations and cooperation will be promoted in the coming period "in the spirit of expressed intentions for good neighborliness, friendship and the Euro-Atlantic integration of the region."

Papadopoulou, in statements to reporters after her meeting, expressed a "desire for constructive cooperation which will allow existing difficulties to be overcome and for cooperation between Greece and FYROM to be promoted."

In reference to the ever-present "name issue", Papadopoulou said:

"I believe that every effort must be made so that a mutually agreed solution is reached on the name issue, within the framework of talks in New York, as well as through the constructive and friendly neighborly relations between the two countries, which constitute a basic parametre for European and Euro-Atlantic relations."

Financial News

[07] Foreign Exchange Rates - Thursday

U.S. dollar 1.37

Pound sterling 0.684

Danish kroner 7.501

Swedish kroner 9.389

Japanese yen 162.03

Swiss franc 1.655

Norwegian kroner 8.038

Cyprus pound 0.588

Canadian dollar 1.446

Australian dollar 1.631

General News

[08] Robbers seize 13,000 euros from ATM machine in Crete

The robbers had previously tried unsuccessfully to pull the machine out of the wall with their vehicle. They then smashed the windows of the bank and the ATM machine itself with hammers and succeeded in reaching the cash.

At the time of the burglary, another jeep carrying people returning from a night out passed by and the robbers opened fire on it, but without injuring any of its occupants.

[09] Forest fire breaks out on Mount Olympus

[10] Police arrest woman in Thessaloniki for wounding policeman

The woman had been begging in the area, having her small child with her, and refused to show the policeman her identity card. When he took her by the arm to take her to a police precinct for an identity check, she pulled out a knife, stabbed him in the hand and fled with her child.

The woman will be charged with resisting authority and causing slight bodily injury.

[11] Man stabbed to death outside Iraklio bar

The victim had been drinking in the bar when the two men came in and told him to follow them outside. A quarrel followed and the two assailants stabbed the victim all over his body.

An ambulance rushed to the scene and carried the injured young man to a hospital in Iraklio where, however, he was pronounced dead on arrival.

Weather Forecast

[12] Sunny on Thursday

Cyprus Affairs

[13] Cypriot president urges UN to arrange a meeting with Talat

President of the Republic of Cyprus, Tassos Papadopoulos, on Tuesday urged Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General in Cyprus, Michael Moller, to make immediately all necessary arrangements for a meeting between the leaders of the two communities in Cyprus.

An official press release confirms statements made by Turkish Cypriot leaders spokesman, Hasan Ercakica, that Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat has sent a letter to the President of the Republic of Cyprus.

"It is confirmed that the President of the Republic today received a letter sent by the leader of the Turkish Cypriot Community, Mehmet Ali Talat, regarding the 8th July process," the press release said.

It adds that "the President of the Republic replied on the same day through a letter to the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General in Cyprus, asking him to make immediately the necessary arrangements for a meeting between the leaders of the two communities, aiming at the immediate implementation of the 8th July Agreement."

According to Ercakica, "the Turkish Cypriot side has communicated a letter directly to the Greek Cypriot leader Tassos Papadopoulos concerning the positions of the Turkish Cypriot side in terms of the meeting that is expected to take place in the near future between Mr Talat and Mr Papadopoulos."

President Papadopoulos and Talat agreed on July 8, 2006, during a meeting in Nicosia in the presence of the then UN Undersecretary General Affairs, Ibrahim Gambari, to begin a process of bicommunal discussions on issues that affect the day-to-day life of the people and concurrently those that concern substantive issues, both contributing to a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem.

Cyprus, an EU member state since 2004, is divided since 1974 when Turkish troops invaded and occupied 37% of its territory.

[14] Cyprus not intimidated by Turkey's gunboat policy

Cyprus stands solid and firm on its positions of principle and will not be intimidated by Turkey's long-standing gunboat policy, which belongs to another era.

The position is outlined in a letter dated August 6 from the Charge d' affaires of the Permanent Mission of Cyprus to the UN, Andreas Hadjichrysanthou to the UN Secretary General, in response to a letter dated July 23 by Turkey's Permanent Representative, which was circulated as a UN document. In the letter, Turkey questioned Cyprus' right to explore and exploit its natural resources located in its exclusive economic zone and threatened to proceed with new fait accomplish and threats of further use of force.

Noting that the content of the Turkish letter does not come as a surprise, "its inexcusable assertions compel my Government to respond as a matter of principle," Hadjichrysanthou said "it seems that the mere existence of the Republic of Cyprus is considered by Turkey as an obstacle to the latter's pursuit of its geostrategic interests, as Turkey itself defines them, and an obstruction to the variable geometry of what it conceives as its 'rights' in the Eastern Mediterranean."

"The Republic of Cyprus, its convictions fortified by the certainty of upholding and defending international legality and the fundamental principles of international relations enshrined in the Charter of the UN, stands solid and firm on its positions of principle and will not be intimidated by Turkey's long-standing gunboat policy, which belongs to another era," Hadjichrysanthou said.

He reminded that the government of Cyprus has made its position known in a letter dated January 31, 2007 addressed to the UNSG, by the Permanent Representative of Cyprus, and a second letter on May 25 where Turkish violations of Cyprus' maritime space with the purpose of illegally exploring the country's sovereign natural resources are recorded.

"The Government of Cyprus has no doubts about its sovereignty over the totality of its territory, its territorial sea and its airspace and/or about its sovereign rights over its exclusive economic zone and its continental shelf. Within the framework of exercising such sovereign rights and in compliance with its obligations under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea - Cyprus is proceeding to the delimitation of those areas with neighbouring countries where such delimitation is needed under the Convention and is appropriate," the letter stressed.

Furthermore, the letter added, "Cyprus' sovereign right to explore and exploit its natural resources located in its exclusive economic zone and/or its continental shelf cannot be questioned under the

Convention or general international law. It is indeed in exercising a sovereign right in full conformity with international law that Cyprus is proceeding with international tenders for granting authorizations for the prospecting, exploration and production of hydrocarbons in its exclusive economic zone."

By contrast, it said, "Turkey, one of the few states not to have ratified the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, refuses to comply with its letter and spirit."

Cyprus has recently announced that international tenders for the exploration and exploitation of possible hydrocarbon reserves in its exclusive economic zone should be submitted by August 16th.

Turkey has reacted to Cyprus' sovereign right to conduct investigations in line with international conventions, in its effort to halt the process.

36, TSOCHA ST. ATHENS 115 21 GREECE * TEL: 64.00.560-63 * FAX: 64.00.581-2 INTERNET ADDRESS: http://www.ana-mpa.gr * e-mail: anabul@ana gr * GENERAL DIRECTOR: GEORGE TAMBAKOPOULOS

Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article