Athens News Agency: News in English, 00-03-19

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

CONTENTS

[01] Simitis-election campaign

[02] Sports roundup

[03] Swimming - Championships - Athens

[04] Election - Opinion polls

[05] Kosovo - NATO

[01] Simitis-election campaign

Prime Minister Costas Simitis continued his campaign tour over the weekend in the Aegean, with stops on the eastern Aegean islands of Samos, Ikaria and Fournoi on Saturday, followed by a speech to supporters on Crete¢s largest city of Irakleio on Sunday.

General elections are scheduled in Greece on April 9.

In Iraklion, Crete, Simitis lashed out at main opposition New Democracy, the greatest rival to his ruling PASOK for assuming power.

?Ignorance by ND¢s leadership is more dangerous than a total lack of (policy) views. A few days ago ND¢s leader said something unprecedented, something incredible. He said there is no negotiation underway over Economic and Monetary Union (EMU). The Greek people should? judge and decide: The government that is elected on April 9 must be strong, because during the negotiations in April and May over the country¢s EMU course the Greek government will negotiate particularly serious issues,? he said at the rally.

Simitis also called for a ?clear mandate? for the government elected on April 9, noting that ?we want ? a large majority to complete the social state; to expand and upgrade the policies of social cohesion and solidarity, just as during the period 1996-2000 when we achieved all the economic goals, between 2000-2004 we will complete the social state in Greece.?

He also noted that Greece was entering EMU on its own powers.

[02] Sports roundup

Soccer

Olympiakos wins in PAOK¢s sold-out Toumba stadium

Olympiakos Piraeus retained its three-point lead over cross-town rival Panathinaikos Athens by downing PAOK Thessaloniki 2-0 in the latter¢s tough home pitch on Sunday.

Young ex-Roma striker Lambros Choutos scored twice for the Piraeus club in the second half to hand Olympiakos the coveted victory over a PAOK club led by Serbian coach Dusan Bagevic · who began the season on Olympiakos¢ bench. PAOK had been left with 10 players since the closing minutes of the first half, as former Newcastle midfielder Giorgos Georgiadis was expelled with a direct red card following a fracas between players from both sides.

Panathinaikos stayed on its port rival¢s heels with a 3-1 victory at home against the provincial Paniliakos club. Olympiakos now has 66 points to Panathinaikos¢ 63.

[03] Swimming - Championships - Athens

Russia¢s Roman Sludkov broke the world record in the 200-metre breastroke on Sunday during the world short-course championships at the Athens Olympic complex¢s natatorium.

Sludkov¢s record-breaking time was 2:07.59, just besting the record held for the past two years by his compatriot, Andrei Korneyiev. South Africa¢s Terence Parkin took second place with a time of 2:07.91, while Russia¢s Andrei Ivanov came in third with 2:09.90.

Another world record was set earlier at the same championships by US swimmer Neil Walker, who broke the men¢s 100-metre backstroke record held since Feb. 5 by his compatriot Lenny Kraizelberg. Walker posted a time of 50.75.

Cuba¢s Rodolfo Falcon came in a distant second with 52.87, while Turkey¢s Derya Buyukuncu was a close third with 52.88.

[04] Election - Opinion polls

The results of two opinion polls published on Sunday give the ruling PASOK party a slight lead over the conservative main opposition New Democracy (ND) ahead of the April 9 general election.

One, conducted by the Metron Analysis company between March 1 and 13, and carried by the Ethnos on Sunday newspaper, gives PASOK 35.9 percent and ND 35 percent. Three other left-wing opposition parties gather no more than 4.2 percent each, while 17.2 percent of the 1,403-strong, nationwide sample said were undecided, would vote for other parties, cast a blank vote or abstain.

A Kapa Research poll, conducted between March 1 and 16, and carried by the newspaper To Vima, gives PASOK 37.5 percent over ND's 37.1 percent. The other parliamentary opposition parties gather no more than 4.9 percent each, while 12.5 percent said were undecided, would vote for other parties, cast a blank vote or abstain.

[05] Kosovo - NATO

Allied force en route to Kosovo

An estimated force of about 2,000 U.S.-led troops landed in two different locations in northern Greece on Saturday night and swiftly made their way to Kosovo by road through the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, reports said.

The allied force, which includes troops from Argentina, the Netherlands, Poland and Romania, is scheduled to take part in the Dynamic Response exercise in Kosovo between March 24 and April 10.

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