The Hellenic Radio (ERA): News in English, 03-04-09

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

CONTENTS

[01] Weather forecast

The temperature in Athens will range from 4 to 15C and in Thessaloniki from 1 to 12C.

(9/4/2003 11:32:00 рм)

[02] Papandreou hopes that the UN will play a leading role in post &#8211; war Iraq

Meanwhile, the international public opinion is shocked from the Americans' attack against the Palestine hotel, where foreign correspondents are staying and at the same time many governments reacted strongly to that development.

At the same time, American marines are not meeting with any resistance in north-eastern Baghdad, while fierce fighting broke out at the southern suburbs during the morning hours. It should be noted that the American ground forces took a military airport yesterday in Baghdad.

Additionally, six American marines were wounded when they clashed with Iraqi forces in Tikrit. Besides, two American pilots are reported missing after their F-15 jet fighter went down last Sunday.

In southern Iraq, the British militaries stated that they agreed with a leader of a local tribe to undertake the command of Basra, where except for shortage of water and food, looting is taking place.

At the same time, the Americans' next target is Iraqi President Saddam Hussein's hometown Tikrit, which is being defended by the most loyal military forces of the Iraqi regime.

In northern Iraq, a Kurds' representative stated that the American forces and Kurdish fighters took the mountainous area of Maklub and are 18kilometres northeast of Mosul. At the same time, they are advancing towards Kirkuk with the cover of Americana and British military aircrafts.

On a relative development, in a recorded message that reached the Reuters news agency, Al Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden, has called for new suicide attacks against Americans and British in retaliation to the deaths of Iraqi civilians.

Meanwhile, the British Press reported that the Iraqi President Saddam Hussein and his sons escaped death in the attacked building they were holding a meeting because they had the left the building, before American jet fighters attacked it.

At the same time, most foreign correspondents have stated that they will remain in Iraq despite yesterday's attack against the Palestine hotel that resulted in the death of three journalists. It should be noted that the premises of Al Jazeera and Al Arabia TV networks were bombed yesterday, resulting in the death of one Al Jazeera journalist. As a result, Al Jazeera is withdrawing its journalists, while Portugal and the Reuters news agency have ordered their journalists to abandon Baghdad.

Moreover, according to NET correspondent Panos Charitos, the American forces are refusing to allow the transfer of the dead journalists' bodies from Baghdad invoking security reasons.

In the meantime, the International Journalists Federation announced that those who committed war crimes would have to be taken to justice, while the Journalists without borders accused the USA of an intentional strike against journalism.

Moreover, the Journalists Protection Committee announced from New York that the Americans violated International Law since they knew that journalists were staying at the Palestine hotel.

However, the American Pentagon only expressed its sorrow, reiterating that it had warned the Media that 'war is a very dangerous business'.

In Athens, the government and the opposition denounced the death and injury of the journalists strongly, while the Foreign Ministry press spokesman Panos Beglitis told our station that ForeignMinister George Papandreou complained on behalf of the EU to the American Deputy Secretary of State Mark Grossman.

Meanwhile, during their meeting in Northern Ireland, American President George W. Bush and the British Prime Minister agreed that the UN should play a vital role in post war Iraq.

Their statement caused satisfaction at the UN headquarters yesterday, while the French President Jacques Chirak, who is expected meet with the German Chancellor Gerhard Shroeder and the Russian President Vladimir Putin in Petersburg on Friday, stated that the UN only should undertake Iraq's reconstruction.

From his side, the Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou expressed the hope that the UN would really play a substantial role, so as to establish the leading role of the International Law and lead to stability in the region.

Besides, the UN announced from New York that the United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan cancelled his tour to Europe, since he will participate at the Athens Summit Meeting next week.

(9/4/2003 11:46:00 рм)

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