The Hellenic Radio (ERA): News in English, 01-11-27

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

CONTENTS

[01] NEWS IN ENGLISH THE VOICE OF GREECE

Olympic Truce tabled at the UN Human cloning meets with opposition Discussion in Bonn today on Afganistan' s future 800 billion drachmas to allocated for schoolbuildings in 2006 Farmers' mobilisations and cotton production to be discussed in Brussels today Discussion on the privatisation of Olympic Airways Economic cooperation between Greece and Lebanon

[02] Olympic Truce tabled at the UN

Rogge and Foreign Minister George Papandreou spoke to reporters after participating in a meeting of the International Olympic Truce Centre's Executive Committee at the IOC's facilities in Lausanne.

"Mr. Papandreou and the Executive Committee's members had a good discussion on the issues of the Olympic Truce Centre. As you are aware, it is a joint programme by the Greek government and the IOC and we are very happy about this cooperation. We determined the strategy for the coming years, we analysed all measures to promote this idea and we shall have the next meeting next year," Rogge said.

The IOC president thanked Papandreou "for his great devotion to the issue. It expresses the full support of Greece, which invented the idea of the Olympic Truce which in the present era has even greater value than 3,000 years ago, due to the escalating nature of conflicts."

He also congratulated Papandreou for the initiative which resulted in the collection of signatures of support from 14 leading personalities in the Balkans who represent 14 different nations.

"I have absolute confidence in the successful organising of the Olympic Games by Athens. We shall have good Games in Athens without doubt. I received the report from the president of the IOC's inspection delegation, which visited Athens last week, concerning the very great progress of which he was satisfied.

However, he reiterated his advice on the request for efforts to continue at the same pace, in which case there shall be an excellent result," Rogge said. Meanwhile, following an inter-ministerial meeting yesterday, Prime Minister Costas Simitis stated that the Olympic Games constitute a national issue and should stay out of political party confrontations.

He also stressed that a lot of people were involved in that effort, each one with his own role.

On a relative development, in an interview yesterday evening with NET (New Hellenic Television), the President of the Organising Committee for the Olympic Games ATHENS 2004 Gianna Angelopoulos-Daskalaki stated that she was aware of the importance of the Games, calling the Prime Minister a "great ally" and describing her relations with Culture minister Evagelos Venizelos as "excellent".

Finally, the President of the Hellenic Republic Costis Stephanopoulos will pay a visit to the headquarters of the Organising Committee for the Olympic Games ATHENS 2004 at 12:30 today.

[03] Human cloning meets with opposition

ACT said the single, six-celled embryo it had created was aimed at treating illnesses such as cancer and Aids - and not for the creation of human beings.

Mr Bush is opposed to all forms of cloning and recently supported moves in the House of Representatives to outlaw both reproductive and therapeutic cloning.

The Vatican, the Greek and Russian Orthodox Church and the European Commission have also condemned ACT's research project.

Finally, the House of Lords in UK has passed a draft-law yesterday forbidding human cloning for reproduction reasons.

The law forsees penalties that can reach even to 10 years imprisonment.

[04] Discussion in Bonn today on Afganistan's future

Meanwhile, yesterday an American jet fighter attacked a number of tanks near the Kandahar airport, the last stronghold of the Taleban, where acording to information Osama Bin Laden and Moulah Omar are trapped.

Yesterday, the American Airforce bombarded by mistake the Northern Alliance forces in Kunduz, causing an unidentified number of casualties. At the same time, a cameraman of the Swedish Television lost his life in Northern Afganistan.

On a relative development, American President George W. Bush issued a strict warning to Iraqi President Saddam Hussein calling him to allow the inspection of his arsenal.

Finally, a discussion on the Afganistan issue is to take place in the Greek Parliament today following the request of the Coalition of the Left Wing and Progress party leader Nikos Constandopoulos.

[05] 800 billion drachmas to allocated for schoolbuildings in 2006

[06] Farmers' mobilisations and cotton production to be discussed in Brussels today

[07] Discussion on the privatisation of Olympic Airways

[08] Economic cooperation between Greece and Lebanon

Both sides stressed that bilateral trade transactions are not at a satisfactory level and therefore, there is huge potential for their further improvement.

Mr. Habib conveyed to Mr. Bakatselos the wish expressed by his country's businessmen for cooperation deals with their Greek colleagues mainly, in the sectors of building material supplies, as huge projects are in progress in Lebanon for the construction of infrastructure and housing settlements.

In the meeting an agreement was reached on two business missions to be held in Beirut and Thessaloniki.

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