The Hellenic Radio (ERA): News in English, 01-06-14

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

CONTENTS

14/6/2001 2:28:00 μμ

[01] NATO summit in Brussels deals with FYROM crisis

The Greek prime minister Kostas Simitis presented Greece's plan on intense deliberations regarding a solution to basic issues in the region, within 10 days at the most.

Prime minister Simitis said he is in favor of maintaining the present borders in the Balkans and placed emphasis to the fact that the EU should back the government of FYROM.

NATO secretary general Lord Robertson will fly to Skopje today for talks, in the spirit of the Greek proposals. Meanwhile, Albanian extremists attacked Tetovo again, thus breaking the cease fire and after that a partial mobilization of reserve officers was declared.

In Athens, there is evident concern about the safety of the Greek forces stationed in FYROM. ND deputy George Voulgarakis raised a question in parliament yesterday regarding the possible danger of Greek interests being harmed in the OKTA refineries.

Furthermore, American president George Bush had a contact with EU leaders for the first time at the NATO summit yesterday. President Bush expounded Washington's plan to promote the anti-missile defense system. However, France is opposing to the American plan as it fears that a new race of world armaments may begin.

The issues of NATO's expansion and cooperation between the EU and NATO were also dealt with at the Brussels NATO summit. Prime minister Simitis stressed that the European Union needs to decide by its own, about activities it has to take up, adding at the same time that cooperation with NATO is also necessary. Greek foreign minister George Papandreou and his American counterpart Colin Powel signed an overall technical agreement between Greece and the US on the sidelines of the summit.

The Agreement aims to modernize Greek - American defense relations and especially the status of the American bases in Greece and of Greek officers in the US.

Mr. Papandreou said that the agreement was the result of two years of negotiations, creating mutual ties and showing the two countries equal cooperation.

[02] Greek state budget in surplus

[03] Measures to deal with water shortage

[04] 89th Conference of the International Labour Organization

Mr. Yannitsis stressed among other things that Greece respects the fundamental principles of ILO - as a founding member country - and has ratified the majority of international labour treaties. He also stressed that Greece recently ratified the treaty on the fight against the worst forms of child labour.

[05] Issue over Greek research vessel in the Aegean

In a letter to the Turkish news agency, the Greek embassy points out that the specific vessel is merely checking cables of the Greek Telecommunications Organization in the Aegean.

[06] Problems in domestic flights

[07] 2004 Olympic Games budget

Meanwhile, the views of the government and the Organizing Committee "Athens 2004" diverge around the nature of the visit IOC vice-president Jacques Rogues will pay to Athens on June 19 and 20, following the surprise demand of the International Olympic committee that the IOC Belgian official should be briefed on 6 key sectors of preparations for the 2004 Olympics.

[08] New fuel prices

[09] Athens bourse

Of the stocks trading yesterday, the majority namely, 298 recorded gains and 44 had losses, while 39 stocks remained stable.

[10] 48th Rally Acropolis

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