Athens News Agency: News in English, 08-05-13

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

CONTENTS

[01] Fuel Truck Federation to hold assemblies

[02] PM chairs Inner Cabinet meeting

[03] FM on Turkish website

[04] Athens Newspaper Headlines

[01] Fuel Truck Federation to hold assemblies

A convergence of views was ascertained in the meeting with Bezas, that took place in a very good climate, according to the truckers' representatives. They did not make any commitments regarding strikes, stressing that the decisions will be taken by their general assemblies.

Employment and Social Protection Minister Fani Palli-Petralia had her own meeting with the Federations of Truck Owners and Public Utility Trucks on Monday on the issue of the sector's social security matters.

Petralia pointed out that social security issues are not top priority issues regarding the truckers' strike and added that their demands will be probed in the framework of the restructuring of the organisation of OAEE, to which their sector has now been joined.

The minister proposed the creation of a working group between the truckers and the ministry to substantiate the issues and to support the creation of a new study, whose conclusions will be brought before the new restructured OAEE for implementation.

[02] PM chairs Inner Cabinet meeting

Caption:ANA-MPA file photo of Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis

[03] FM on Turkish website

"We have proceeded with a protest note to the Turkish foreign ministry, via our ambassador in Ankara, and with the general secretary of our foreign ministry, Amb. (Aristeidis) Agathoklis, to the Turkish ambassador in Athens," Bakoyannis said when asked about the issue.

She added that relevant Greek foreign ministry officials are studying the changes on the Turkish website, which expresses official Turkish policy and goals.

"We hope that these baseless claims are corrected ... the Internet is a space for the free exchange of ideas, but not a venue to disseminate groundless claims."

Among others, in one chapter entitled "Turkish Minority of Western Thrace", the website entry notes that "(the) Turkish Minority of Western Thrace whose status is established by the Lausanne Peace Treaty of 1923", whereas the Lausanne Treaty actually states, in Article 45: "The rights conferred by the provisions of the present Section on the non-Moslem minorities of Turkey will be similarly conferred by Greece on the Moslem minority in her (Greece) territory."

'Largest enclave group in the world'

In terms of Thrace, in fact, the Turkish foreign ministry boldly refers to "...the Turkish Minority who live in the military restricted zone and make up the largest enclave group in the world today", while lamenting, further down in the text, the purported existence of a "restricted military zone" and "military checkpoints" in Evros prefecture.

Regarding the Istanbul-based Ecumenical Patriarchate, considered the "primus inter pares" of the world's Orthodox Patriarchates, the Turkish foreign ministry notes, in conclusion, that "... Considering that the Patriarchate is a Turkish institution and the Patriarch has to be a Turkish citizen, the usage of the title of 'Ecumenical' is incongruous with the agreement reached during the Lausanne Peace Conference."

More curiously, in a chapter entitled "Setting The Record Straight On Pontus Propaganda Against Turkey", the foreign ministry in Ankara first examines the "background of the Pontus claims" in order to finally conclude that "... The Greek priority target is the destabilization of Turkey, presumably to be achieved by inciting assumed micro-nationalist feelings. The aim is to challenge Turkey's territorial integrity."

Gov't spokesman

Asked about the same issue on Monday, the government spokesman merely referred to the foreign ministry's statements, while adding that Athens will continue to exhibit a positive mood in terms of Greek-Turkish relations, "believing that good-neighbourly relations also pass through the European Union."

"We believe, therefore, that Turkey's European prospects will help solve a series of issues - I will not get more specific at present - even verbal or other exaggerations, all within the framework of the European family. We lay our hope in this direction and we back it," Roussopoulos said.

PASOK

In a later statement, a main opposition PASOK spokesman charged that "the new website by the Turkish foreign ministry includes lies and is a provocation."

Caption: ANA-MPA file photo of Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis

[04] Athens Newspaper Headlines

The measures the government intends to take to curb atmospheric pollution, the 7.8 Richer earthquake in China, and the continuing strike by fuel truck owners and ensuing problems dominated the front pages in Tuesday's newspapers.

ADESMEFTOS TYPOS: "How we will tackle air pollution - Environment, town planning and public works ministry announces drastic measures".

APOGEVMATINI: "Siemens scandal - Antonia Markou's (tax bureau officer) revealing deposition".

AVGHI: "Incendiary blackmail of the universities - Education minister incites new clash" regarding the minister's demand that the higher education institutions submit four-year programmes in three weeks' time.

AVRIANI: "Mobilisation of the strikers if they don't end their strike today - Society and the economy can no longer tolerate the hassle from the privileged guilds".

CHORA: "7.8R - Thousands of dead and injured in China - Grave for 1,000 children in five schools".

ELEFTHERI ORA: "Fuel truck owners continue strike till further notice".

ELEFTHEROS: "Souflias (environment minister) took his enemies by surprise, with the 'storm' of (well-thought-out) measures (announced) for environmental protection".

ELEFTHEROS TYPOS: "18 natural habitats disappearing - Experts sound warning bell for NATURA-protected areas".

ELEFTHEROTYPIA: "Government terrified - Sudden interest in the demands of the strikers".

ESTIA: "Competition (on the market) not working, due to the spiralling prices".

ETHNOS: "Traffic restriction zones in all municipalities - Souflias proposal for tolls and surcharges on 'dirty' (high pollutant emission) cars".

KATHIMERINI: "The strikes paralyzed transports - Fuel tank owners' meeting with Bezas (deputy economy and finance minister) last night fruitless".

LOGOS: "Withdrawal of old vehicles and...'green' restricted traffic access zones planned by YPECHODE (environment, town planning and public works ministry) - National plan against air pollutants unveiled by Souflias".

NIKI: 'Souflias 'green sur-tax' on cars - Traffic circulation tax fees, with environmental criteria".

RIZOSPASTIS: "Abolition of the framework law, with demand for universities benefiting the people - Abstention from the elections for the AEI-TEI (higher education institutions) administrative bodies".

TA NEA: "Green attack on jeeps and old-technology cars with restricted access zones, extra taxes, and withdrawal".

TO VIMA: "Natural gas obligatory for homes (central heating systems), and pollutant cars barred access to urban centers - Implementation (gradually) over three-year period".

VRADYNI: "China: 7.8R - 900 children buried under the wreckage of their schools - Thousands dead from the deadliest earthquake of the last 30 years".

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