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Monday, 23 December 2024
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Athens News Agency: News in English, 08-11-10Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>CONTENTS
[01] Gov't on PPC, banks"All electricity rate hikes suggested cannot get through and be implemented without the approval of the government and the competent minister," government spokesman Evangelos Antonaros stressed on Monday, in reference to recommendations by Public Power Corp. SA (PPC) President Takis Athanasopoulos. Antonaros declined to make a comment when asked if the PPC head will be forced to resign. Asked whether domestic banks will be obliged to join a state-sponsored bailout plan, Antonaros said the framework of the government draft law, which is aimed at increasing liquidity, is well known.[02] US envoy: Washington will 'embrace' Greek-FYROM solution to 'name issue'The US ambassador to Greece on Monday briefed local reporters on a myriad of issues of international, regional and bilateral interest, days after Democrat Sen. Barack Obama emerged as the next president of the United States.US envoy Daniel Speckhard echoed many of the reports emanating out of the Washington over the past week in reiterating that a normalisation of the situation in Iraq and Afghanistan -- as well as overturning the global credit crisis -- will dominate the new US administration's priorities. Turning to issues of increased Greek interest, including the still timely FYROM "name issue", Speckhard said the United States will "embrace" a solution mutually agreed to by Greece and its northern land-locked neighbour, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM). Moreover, he said it would be a mistake to delay negotiations on the thorny dispute in order to wait for the new US administration to take over (Jan. 20.) Regarding Greece's inclusion in the US visa waiver program -- a distinct "sore spot" in Greek-US relations -- the US ambassador simply noted that negotiations are continuing and that the process is proceeding, adding his hope that a successful conclusion will be reached shortly. Speckhard dismissed assertions, mostly press speculation, that the Bush administration is upset with Greece's burgeoning cooperation with Russia in the energy sector, stressing that the US welcomes Athens' policy of turning the east Mediterranean country into a regional energy "hub", and what he called its support of Europe's energy security and diversification of sources. The US ambassador clarified that Washington's concern focuses on the domestic situation in Russia with the occupation of parts of Georgia, rather than on concerns linked with energy. Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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