The Hellenic Radio (ERA): News in English, 00-02-10

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From: The Hellenic Radio (ERA) <ert.ntua.gr/>

CONTENTS

[01] PROXIMITY TALKS ON CYPRUS

In statements, the Greek foreign minister, Yorgos Papandreou, said that the Cyprus issue was the center of the Greek government's foreign policy and Athens remained firm on the framework of a settlement the UN has formed through its resolutions and its decisions.

The UN secretary general's special advisor on the Cyprus issue, Alvaro De Soto, yesterday had scheduled meetings with representatives of many countries to brief them on his recent contacts with the Greek-Cypriot and Turkish- Cypriot sides.@@ Mr De Soto is expected to visit Cyprus on February 29th or March the 1st. After Cyprus, Mr de Soto will visit Athens and Ankara.

Meanwhile, The American presidential envoy for the Cyprus issue, Alfred Moses, intends to visit Cyprus in early March, while the British envoy, Sir David Hanney, is expected on the island towards the end of March.

[02] DEVELOPMENTS REGARDING UPCOMING ELECTIONS

The inter-party committee responsible for election expenses will meet this afternoon to make final decisions on the limits of election campaign expenses of the parties and candidate deputies. The interior minister Vaso Papandreou will table in parliament the relative regulation that will be worked out.

Election fever prevails in Athens, despite the fact that there are still two months to go till the elections on April 9th.

Addressing a party assembly in the suburb of Kallithea yesterday, the opposition New Democracy party leader, Kostas Karamanlis, accused the government of having set blackmailing dilemmas.

Speaking in Piraeus, the secretary general of the Greek communist party has launched a strong worded attack both against the ruling Pasok party and the New Democracy.

The leader of the Coalition of the Left Wing and Progress Nikos Konstantopoulos yesterday urged the press minister Dimitris Reppas and the presidents of the Radio and Television Council of Greek state Radio - ERT - to make sure that the rules were followed and the parties share equal air time on television.

The Democratic Social Movement leader Dimitris Tsovolas has criticized the mass media.

In Reply to Mr Tsovolas' statements, the press minister Dimitris Reppas said that the state radio and television responded to the citizen's pluralistic information.

Athens mayor Dimitris Avramopoulos has finally refused to join the main opposition New Democracy party's ticket, in the April 9 general elections.@@ Mr Avramopoulos stated that he backed the party he came from, but would remain a mayor, consistent with his pledges to the citizens of Athens.

Meanwhile, the New Democracy party spokesman, Aris Spiliotopoulos, and top members of the party have said that Dimitris Avramopoulos is useful to the party from the post himself has chosen.

[03] MAJOR ISSUE OVER FLIGHTS TO MELBOURNE

The chairman of the board of Cronus, Mr Manetas, has notified the Greek community of Australia through a letter that his company has decided to take all legal steps to obtain the relative permit, as the company shares the view of Greek- Australians that the specific flight should continue for national reasons.

In his letter, Mr Manetas is proposing to create an affiliate company of Cronus, in which the Greek-Australian community will be participating by 49% for the Athens-Melbourne itinerary.

Meanwhile, Olympic Airways' decision to cancel the flights to Melbourne has triggered-off strong reactions.

Eighty Greek-Australian organizations have issued a joint announcement urging OA to reverse its decision, while OA employees are also reacting to the situation.

In the framework of its summer programme that will start on March 15th, Olympic Airways has announced its new flights Athens-Tehran-Manchester, Manchester-Boston and direct flights from Thessaloniki to 8 destinations in Europe. Also, the flight Athens-Benghaz will operate again.

[04] PREPARATIONS FOR THE 2004 OLYMPIC GAMES

The agenda of the meeting includes issues such as the transfer of Hellinikon airport and the creation of sport installations in the present area, the creation of a rowing center in the region of Schinias, a speed highway Stavros- Elefsina and a suburban railway.

[05] INAUGURATION OF NEW HOSPITAL

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