Athens News Agency: News in English, 04-02-29

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

CONTENTS

[01] Weather Monday -- Partly cloudy

[02] Candidates tour the provinces a week before election (recast)

[03] Greek first division football results, standings

[04] Ministry flatly denies quote attributed to DM in 'Financial Times'

[01] Weather Monday -- Partly cloudy

Chance of rain in western Greece on Monday, with thunderstorms in the northwest; partly cloudy elsewhere. Temperatures between 4C to 17C in the north; 8C to 19C on the rest of the mainland. Southwesterly winds, mild to moderate. Partly cloudy in Athens, 9C to 18C; the same in Thessaloniki, 8C to 16C.

[02] Candidates tour the provinces a week before election (recast)

Candidates were out in full force over the weekend, days after a nationally televised debate of all Parliament or Europarliament-represented political leaders and only a week before voters cast their ballot in the March 8 general election.

PASOK president and former foreign minister George Papandreou spoke to supporters on the Ionian islands of Zakynthos and Cephallonia on Saturday, where he emphasised what he cited as the main differences between his party and rival New Democracy (ND).

Main opposition ND leader Costas Karamanlis, meanwhile, first spoke from the eastern Aegean island of Lesvos, where, among others, he promised to help transform the archipelagos into a centre of development and culture.

Speaking from the western port city of Patra, Communist Party of Greece (KKE) general secretary Aleka Papariga called on supporters to resist the dilemma of ?Papandreou or Karamanlis?.

On his part, Coalition of the Left (Synaspismos) leader Nikos Constantopoulos spoke at a news conference in the northwest city of Ioannina, where he charged that the country will face conservative policies of the past regardless of whether a PASOK or a ND government assumes power. The solution, according to him, is to reduce two-party control on government by voting for the Coalition of the Radical Left, the grouping that Synaspismos heads.

Finally, Democratic Social Movement (DIKKI) leader Dimitris Tsovolas referred to Greek-Turkish relations while on a campaign swing through the northeastern prefecture of Xanthi.

The one-time PASOK minister whose party is currently represented in the Euro-parliament said DIKKI wants good relations with the neighboring country and people, while emphasizing, though, that Ankara must respect International Law and international treaties.

[03] Greek first division football results, standings

Olympiakos Piraeus remained a point ahead of its bitter rival Panathinaikos Athens after edging a tough Kallithea side 2-1 away on Saturday. Panathinaikos remained in the championship hunt by outlasting this season's ?Cinderella team?, Aegaleo Athens 2-0 at home.

Iraklis Thessaloniki-Panionios, 0-3

AEK Athens-Aris Thessaloniki, 1-0

Akratitos Athens-Xanthi, 1-3

Proodeftiki Piraeus-Paniliakos Pyrgos, 2-0

Ionikos Piraeus-Halkidona Piraeus, 0-1

PAOK Thessaloniki-OFI Crete, 2-0

The standings after 22 matches:

Olympiakos 56 points, Panathinaikos 55, PAOK 47, Aegaleo 39, AEK 38, Halkidona 38, Panionios 33, Iraklis 32, Xanthi 26, OFI 23, Ionikos 22, Aris 19, Paniliakos 15, Kallithea 15, Akratitos 14, Proodeftiki 13.

[04] Ministry flatly denies quote attributed to DM in 'Financial Times' story

The defence ministry over the weekend issued a press release categorically denying that Defence Minister Yiannos Papantoniou referred to patrols by Italian and Turkish naval vessels in the Ionian and Aegean, respectively, in a recent interview with a major foreign daily.

The statement, denied by the minister, was included in a story published on Friday (Feb. 27) by the ?Financial Times?, and later picked up by several Athens dailies.

?The reference to patrols by the Italian and Turkish navies in the Ionian and Aegean has absolutely no basis in reality. Such a reference was never made in the ministers interview, as the taped transcripts (of the interview) show. It is obvious that this is a personal view of the journalist, something she herself accepted in communication with the National Defence Ministrys press directorate, while she offered a commitment to fully restore the truth,? the ministry press release read.

The ministry reiterated that Papantoniou has repeatedly stressed that Greece will not allow foreign patrols will be allowed on Greek territory, including the seas and air.

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