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The Hellenic Radio (ERA): News in English, 00-01-07
From: The Hellenic Radio (ERA) <ert.ntua.gr/>
CONTENTS
[01] GREECE CELEBRATES EPIPHANY YESTERDAY
[02] GOVERNMENT UPBEAT ABOUT THE ECONOMY
[03] GREEK PRESIDENT IN FIRST-EVER VISIT TO PALESTINE
[04] STRENGTHENING OF GREEK-ISRAELI MILITARY TIES SUGGESTED
[05] SLIGHT POPULATION INCREASE MAINLY DUE TO IMMIGRANTS
[06] AUSTRALIAN CAMPAIGN FOR RETURN OF PARTHENON MARBLES
[07] KURDISH ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS DISCOVERED IN TRUCK
[01] GREECE CELEBRATES EPIPHANY YESTERDAY
Greece and Greeks around the world celebrated the Epiphany yesterday.
The prime minister, Costas Simitis, and almost the entire political and
military leadership attended the traditional blessing of the waters in
Piraeus yesterday morning. In a speech delivered after the ceremony, Mr
Simitis said Greece was now stronger, more capable, more prepared and
generally in a position to open up new avenues, new prospects and new
horizons. The prime minister declined to answer questions about the
date of the upcoming general elections. However, the speaker of the
Greek parliament, Apostolos Kaklamanis, said people should forget about
early elections, as the Constitution has provided for a 4-year term in
office for the government. In Kolonaki, in central Athens, the
traditional blessing of the waters ceremony was conducted at Dexameni
in the presence of the city's mayor, Dimitris Avramopoulos, the
education minister, Gerasimos Arsenis and Dora Bakoyanni, representing
the main opposition New Democracy party. It would appear that the
chilly weather discouraged many people from diving into the sea to
retrieve the Cross, as is customary at ceremonies conducted during the
Epiphany. New Democracy leader Costas Karamanlis attended the Epiphany
service on the island of Zakynthos, where he was on tour. He took the
opportunity to visit the island's elderly people's home, before
departing for Athens in the afternoon.
[02] GOVERNMENT UPBEAT ABOUT THE ECONOMY
The government's financial advisors appear optimistic about the course
of the Greek economy, whose major objective is admission to the
Economic and Monetary Union. Also, a recovery of the Greek stock market
is soon expected, following the recent downward slide of stock markets
world-wide. National economy minister Yannos Papantoniou echoed the
optimistic forecasts, in statements made after the blessing of the
waters in central Athens, yesterday morning.
[03] GREEK PRESIDENT IN FIRST-EVER VISIT TO PALESTINE
The Greek president Constantine Stefanopoulos and Palestinian leader
Yasser Arafat had a half-hour meeting yesterday. This is the first
visit by a Greek president to Palestine and the event was hailed with
special honors by the local authorities. Togther with leaders of other
Orthodox nations, President Stephanopoulos then attended the service at
the holy church of Christs' Nativity, within the context of events
celebrating the 2000th anniversary since the birth of Jesus Christ.
[04] STRENGTHENING OF GREEK-ISRAELI MILITARY TIES SUGGESTED
Israel's acting prime minister, transport minister Mr Mordechai
yesterday suggested to the Greek foreign minister, George Papandreou,
the strengthening of Greek-Israeli military cooperation, during talks
the two men had in Jerusalem. Mr Mordechai described the level of the
two countries' relations as very good and added that the Greek
experience could contribute positively to the relations between Israel,
Syria and Iran. In the course of talks also held in Jerusalem with the
Greek national economy minister Rodoula Zissi, the Israelis expressed
the wish to participate in bids for the construction projects planned
for the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens.
[05] SLIGHT POPULATION INCREASE MAINLY DUE TO IMMIGRANTS
According to recent European Union statistics, the Greek population
marginally increased in 1999 by 18,000 people- of which 14,000 are
immigrants-while the birth rate per one thousand people was 9.9 and
deaths 9.5. Eurostat has further assessed that the European population
has increased by 980,000 people, stressing that the number of elderly
people is steadily increasing and that the birth rate is at its lowest
post-war level.
[06] AUSTRALIAN CAMPAIGN FOR RETURN OF PARTHENON MARBLES
A major campaign has been launched in Australia for the return of the
Parthenon Marbles to Athens. Most radio and television channels as well
as many newspapers have reported the main points of an interview with
the members of the Australian Committee in Sydney and are harshly
critical of the British government's refusal to return the Marbles to
Greece. Meanwhile a spokesman for the British High Commission in
Canberra said calls for the Marbles to be returned before the staging
of the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens were irrational and impracticable.
[07] KURDISH ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS DISCOVERED IN TRUCK
13 Kurdish illegal migrants have been discovered hidden in a truck at
the port of Patras, shortly before embarking on a ship that would take
them to Italy and, eventually, to Germany. The driver and his co-driver
have been arrested by the port authorities and will appear before a
public prosecutor today, along with the illegal migrants.
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