Athens News Agency: News in English, 05-09-03

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

CONTENTS

[01] Two-day events marking 31st anniversary of the founding of PASOK

[02] PM Karamanlis in New York this month for UN General Assembly

[03] ND's Roussopoulos lashes out against PASOK leader Papandreou

[04] PASOK's National Council Secretary says party 'has adjusted and enriched its policies'

[05] Greece's Polymeros wins gold medal at World Rowing Championships in Japan

[01] Two-day events marking 31st anniversary of the founding of PASOK

Absent from the event will be former president of the Movement and former prime minister Costas Simitis who is at Korakohori of Ilia in the Peloponnese. It is the second time in the recent period which Simitis did not attend a PASOK event. The previous one was at the memorial service marking the ninth anniversary since the death of the founder of the Movement, Andreas Papandreou.

On Sunday, again at Faliro, a small conference of the Movement will be held, as the newly members on a local, prefectural and regional level will convene with Papandreou to exchange views and pave PASOK's tactics throughout the country, which will include Papandreou's visits to the prefectures.

[02] PM Karamanlis in New York this month for UN General Assembly

According to an announcement by the UN, over 170 heads of state and government will have the opportunity of examining international issues and taking decisions on human rights, the struggle against terrorism and providing aid for countries suffering from conflicts.

Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis will represent Greece and address the UN's special session. He will also attend meetings and receptions with UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, U.S. President George W. Bush and many other leaders from all over the world.

The prime minister will be accompanied by Foreign Minister Petros Molyviatis, who will address the UN's 60th General Assembly and meet with many of his counterparts.

The Republic of Cyprus will be represented by President Tassos Papadopoulos and Foreign Minister George Iakovou.

The 2nd Conference of National Parliament Presidents will also be taking place between September 7-9. The Greek Parliament will be represented by its President Anna Psarouda-Benaki, who will be making an address on Thursday and will be meeting counterparts of hers from other countries on the sidelines of the conference.

The Parliament of Cyprus will be represented by its President Demetris Christofias. The national parliament presidents will also be meeting Kofi Annan.

[03] ND's Roussopoulos lashes out against PASOK leader Papandreou

Roussopoulos added:"For twenty years he knew, saw and kept quiet. He compromised for twenty years. He compromised with the interests of the few and the powerful with political expediencies against principles and values, with policies which led to isolation from society."

The minister of state and government spokesman went on to say:"Now, as leader of the main opposition, he declares that he 'must' clash. We fully agree. However, why did he not do so for twenty years? He must answer this. More so when he dares to dispute the credibility and sincerity of a prime minister and of a government which in 18 months of governance has already made daring effective work for the confrontation of untransparency and vested interests, for the service of public interest."

[04] PASOK's National Council Secretary says party 'has adjusted and enriched its policies'

She added that the people of PASOK "demand unity, political consistency and effective action."

In reply to a question regarding what is said about the setting up of a political directive, she stressed that "the PASOK organs are elected through democratic procedures, while regarding the "personal strategies" of certain cadres, she answered that "personal ambitions are desirable to the degree that they are incorporated into a collective political effort."

To a question whether PASOK has changed in the past 31 years, she said that it has adjusted and enriched its policies, firmly maintaining, however, its stable values and its basic objectives." She added that PASOK is developing but not changing."

Regarding opinion polls that the ruling New Democracy (ND) party is dwindling and that PASOK is unable to take advantage of this, Xenoogiannakopoulou observed that "despite all this, the political climate is changing." She said that PASOK does not want the ND to simply dwindle but for the opposition party to "daily convince the citizens of its own proposal."

The PASOK Secretary said that the policies of the government and of Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis "have exposed their neo-right and autocratic face."

[05] Greece's Polymeros wins gold medal at World Rowing Championships in Japan

The 29-year-old champion from Volos, central Greece, became the first Greek rower to win a gold medal in a world championship.

He had won a bronze medal, along with Nikos Skiathitis, at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games.

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