The Hellenic Radio (ERA): News in English, 03-04-01

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

CONTENTS

[01] Weather forecast

The temperature in Athens will range from 11 to 17 C and in Thessaloniki from 10 to 16 C.

(1/4/2003 11:44:00 рм)

[02] American forces kill more than seven civilians in Iraq

According to foreign correspondents, the telephone lines in Baghdad are out of order, after telecommunications buildings have been bombarded.

Meanwhile, an American jet fighter fell in the Persian Gulf while trying to land on 'Constellation' air carrier. Its pilots were rescued.

At the same time, American soldiers shot dead at least seven Iraqi civilians whose vehicle failed to stop at a checkpoint at the town of Najaf.

Additionally, the Iraqi positions in Northern Iraq were bombed last night, while fierce battles took place at the towns of Nasiriyia, Basra and Mosul until late at night.

According to the Reuters news agency, an Iraqi soldier was killed and three more were wounded when they did not stop their truck at a checkpoint at the town of Samua near the Euphrates river.

In the meantime, the American Pentagon announced that the Iraqi forces had sustained heavy losses, maintaining at the same time that Iraqi President Saddam Hussein's family is trying to leave the country. At the same time, the Iraqi TV presented a video with Mr Hussein and his two sons.

From his side, in a televised address, the American President George W. Bush maintained that the American and British forces are close to Baghdad and victory.

Earlier, a representative of the American command in Qatar stated that the military operations would not be hindered by the arrival of thousands of Arab volunteers in Iraq, among which many are suicide bombers.

Meanwhile, the American Secretary of State, who is visiting Ankara today, expressed his opposition for Turkey's penetration to Iraq. Later, Mr Powel will visit Brussels for deliberations with European Union and NATO officials regarding Iraq's future.

According to diplomatic sources, the American Secretary of State has asked to meet with the Foreign and Defence commissioner for the EU, Havier Solana, Cris Paten the commissioner responsible for EU Foreign Affairs and the Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou.

At the same time, the Arab countries have asked the United Nations to hold an extraordinary meeting, while Saudi Arabia and Syria asked for the war to stop immediately. From his side, the Egyptian President Hosni Moubarak warned that that war would create '100 new Bin Ladens'.

Moreover, in an interview with the ABC TV network, the Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Saud Al Feysal asked from the Iraqi President to resign, adding that since he had asked from his people to sacrifice themselves for their country, then he should be the first one to sacrifice himself.

On a relative development, the British newspaper the Daily Mirror that is against the war launched against Iraq, announced that it would hire the veteran American journalist Peter Arnet, who had been sacked from NBC network and the magazine National Geographic due to his statement at the Iraqi TV, according to which the war against Iraq would not have a beneficial ending for the USA.

Finally, the Greek EU Presidency is trying to find a political solution of the war against Iraq within the framework of the United Nations. During a meeting held for the small and medium sized enterprises in Greece, Prime Minister Costas Simitis stated that those had launched that war did not want Europe to be strong.

At the same time, Defence Minister Giannos Papantoniou will meet with his American counterpart Donald Rumsfeld and the President's National Security Advisor Condolesa Rice in Washington to discuss the war against Iraq, Turkey's role, bilateral defence cooperation between Greece and the USA, as well as the relations among the USA, the EU and NATO.

Moreover, Defence Minister George Papandreou and the Secretary of the Arab League discussed the issue of humanitarian aid to Iraq, as well as the possible joint initiatives between the EU and the Arab League for peace in the region.

Meanwhile, under the initiative of the Athens Municipality and non-governmental organizations, food and medicine began to be collected to be sent to Iraq.

The Ministry of Education has issued a circular, according to which all high school students and teachers are urged to participate in Unisef's campaign to send humanitarian aid to Iraqi children.

On a relative development, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisations have made an appeal to secure capital that will allow humanitarian aid to be sent to Iraq.

(1/4/2003 11:47:00 рм)

[03] '17 November' trial continues

(1/4/2003 11:48:00 рм)

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