Athens News Agency: News in English, 09-11-04

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

CONTENTS

[01] 3rd Global Forum on Migration and Development opens in Athens

[02] Bartholomew meets Obama

[03] Athens Newspaper Headlines

[01] 3rd Global Forum on Migration and Development opens in Athens

The UN chief will hold a press conference after the Forum, while he is due to have private meetings during the two-day visit with the President and the Prime Minister, and also address a special session of the Hellenic Parliament.

Ban Ki-moon is the first UN secretary general to pay an official visit to Greece.

The UN chief will meet later on Wednesday with Papoulias for a discussion focusing on climate change, illegal migration, the global financial crisis, and the peacekeeping missions in which Greece is participating, as well as issues of Greek interest, including the Cyprus problem and the FROM name issue.

Afterwards, he will attend a luncheon in his honor hosted by the Greek President.

In the afternoon, the UN chief and his wife will visit the New Acropolis Museum, while in the evening they will be the dinner guests of prime minister and foreign minister George Papandreou and his wife Adam.

On Thursday morning, Mrs. Ban will visit the "Elide" (Hope) foundation for children with cancer.

Ban will further meet with main opposition New Democracy (ND) leader Costars Karamanlis, and with the foreign minister under the preceding ND government Dora Bakoyannis.

[02] Bartholomew meets Obama

"Mention was made of human rights and of our problems of the Patriarchate. Indeed, he told us that he is expecting the prime minister of Turkey in December. And he will mention all these issues to him as he had done on other occasions. As you are aware, during his visit to Turkey he raised the issue of the reopening of the Halki School of Theology at the Grand Turkish National Assembly and said that he will not cease to speak about these issues which for him are issues of religious freedom and human rights for which he is interested for all the world. This was his message. We also spoke about the Greek community here and the freedom enjoyed by the Orthodox people in America. And the president said that this is self-evident because it is anticipated by the Constitution of America," he said.

Speaking outside the White House, Vartholomeos said that he also discussed environmental protection issues with President Obama.

"With the politeness and kindness characterising him he received us, the Archbishop of America and the other metropolitan brothers. With great politeness and kindness he referred to our first meeting in Istanbul. He said he was pleased that we were meeting again. We spoke about ecological issues, about the banquet that we had, while he is not yet sure if he will go to the world conference in Copenhagen," he added.

The Ecumenical Patriarch was accompanied by Archbishop of America Demetrius and the three metropolitans who have travelled to the United States with him.

Caption: Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew talks with US President Barack Obama on Tuesday 3 November 2009 at the White House in Washington. ANA-MPA/DIMITRIS PANAGOS

[03] Athens Newspaper Headlines

EU forecasts for zero growth in the Greek economy in 2010 and its strict recommendations and the situation in main opposition New Democracy ahead of the elections for the party's leadership, dominated the headlines on Wednesday in Athens' newspapers.

ADESMEFTOS TYPOS: "Storm of additional contributions - Tax evasion hunt against property owners for debts".

APOGEVMATINI: "The government's inconsistency is verified - Every decision is not well prepared and lacks prospect".

AVGHI: "Poor social benefit package".

AVRIANI: "Who will receive the solidarity benefit, and how".

CHORA: "The leadership race in main opposition New Democracy is turning into a derby".

ELEFTHERI ORA: "EU foresees zero growth and skyrocketing of unemployment in 2010".

ELEFTHEROS: "Who will receive the social solidarity benefit"?

ELEFTHEROTYPIA: "EU warns: Alas if .... The gloomiest messages on the Greek economy since 2002".

ESTIA: "The new taxes are preposterous- They burden the honest taxpayers".

ETHNOS: "Benefit/breather for 2.5 million Greeks".

KATHIMERINI: "EU stance gets tougher on Greece".

LOGOS: "EU forecasts zero growth and unemployment over 10 percent for Greece in 2010".

NIKI: "Mutiny in PASOK over the abolition of the old vehicles withdrawal incentives, and the taxes and extraordinary contributions".

RIZOSPASTIS: "The government's sensitivity equals a one euro charity to the destitute".

TA NEA: "300 enterprises and 60,285 property owners will pay extraordinary contributions ".

TO VIMA: "From whom they take and to whom they give - Government proceeds with first part of income redistribution policy".

VRADYNI: "Knives unsheathed in ruling PASOK - We promised one thing and are doing something else".

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