Athens News Agency: News in English, 05-10-11

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

CONTENTS

[01] Government on FYROM name issue

[02] Pavlopoulos on immigration policy

[03] Greece ready to deal with avian flu problem

[01] Government on FYROM name issue

Koumoutsakos was replying to questions during a regular press briefing regarding Greece's reaction to developments in Brussels regarding FYROM's European course.

The spokesman said that the Greek side wanted to continue the effort to find a mutually acceptable solution to the FYROM name issue.

"Greece can and desires to be constructive, and this is well-known," the spokesman added.

Questioned on the Greek government's actions before the submission of UN special mediator on the FYROM name issue Matthew Nimetz's new proposal -- which was rejected as "unacceptable" by Athens -- Koumoutsakos said that present Greek government, as all the preceding governments in the 10 years since the commencement of the UN-mediated talks between Greece and FYROM for finding a commonly acceptable name, have done that which they must do so as to reinforce and protect the country's negotiating position.

"Over a space of 10 years, no solution has been found to this matter," he noted.

Koumoutsakos further announced that the National Council on Foreign Policy would be convened next Tuesday, following a request tabled in parliament on Monday by the Coalition of the Left, Movements and Ecology (SYN) party.

[02] Pavlopoulos on immigration policy

Pavlopoulos said that Europe had been caught off-guard and unprepared by the sudden rise in immigration some years ago, so that it was seen as a problem rather than a natural phenomenon.

"Immigration is not a problem, it is a bonus through which societies are enriched by the contributions of people. It is a means of fertilising cultures," he added.

Outlining government policies and priorities for immigrants, meanwhile, he stressed the need to respect the rights and identity of immigrants and to incorporate them in society.

He said this process should begin through volunteerism and the integration of immigrants into Greek society on the best of terms, letting them know that they can contribute and can become Greeks if they so wish.

The conference was also addressed by Archbishop Christodoulos of Athens and All Greece, the head of the Greek Orthodox Church, who stressed that the Church was both willing and able to contribute to the integration of immigrants into Greek society, regardless of their national or religious origins.

According to other speakers at the conference, there is currently one immigrant for every 35 people on the planet. In Greece, about 13 per cent of the workforce is made up of immigrants and one in six school students is also an immigrant.

[03] Greece ready to deal with avian flu problem

Speaking to reporters after a meeting with Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis, Kaklamanis said Greece was following specific instructions offered by the World Health Organisation, adding that an informal EU Health ministers council on October 20 would discuss the issue, before the EU reached any decisions by the end of November.

"We don't need to panic, nor to be complacent," the Greek minister said. Kaklamanis said Greek has a plan ready to deal with the problem and expected its plan to be incorporated into the EU's set of actions. The Greek minister underlined that the national pharmaceutical organisation has already secured the necessary antibiotics to deal with any sign of pandemic.

Kaklamanis said the PM approved his plans to make a more efficient use of the ministry's real estate assets, while he announced that a meeting with Economy and Finance Minister George Alogoskoufis, in the next few days, would discuss 2006 draft budget's provisions on social welfare issues.

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