The Hellenic Radio (ERA): News in English, 08-04-05

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

CONTENTS

[01] In Somalia

05 Apr 2008 11:24:00

By Katerina Ioannidou

Sources: Reuters

Pirates stormed a French luxury yacht off the coast of Somalia on Friday and took its 30 crew hostage, prompting Paris to send troops to the area to secure the prisoners release. The yacht, shown on the tour companys Web site, is an 88-metre (289 ft), three-mast ship capable of housing 64 passengers in its 32 cabins, all of which are equipped with a flat-screen television and a minibar. Luxury sailboat the Ponant was heading from the Seychelles to the Mediterranean Sea when pirates stormed it in the Gulf of Aden. "It is a blatant act of piracy. French Prime Minister Francois Fillon said "in the coming hours and minutes", adding that he had activated an emergency plan to send French troops to the area and ask Frances allies in the region to do the same. France Info radio said surveillance aircraft had been diverted to the area and a ship from the U.S.-led Operation. Pirate attacks are often on Somalia and IMO (International Maritime Organization) has issued warnings to all ships not to reach the Somalia seacoasts.

Translated by Sofia Gartziou

[02] Tsipras Tours in Macedonia

By Katerina Ioannidou

Sources: ÁNA-ÌNA-ÍÅÔ 105,8

SYN president Alexis Tsipras is touring in central Macedonia. His tour will be completed with his speech in an open rally at 12:00 in the afternoon in "Ivanofeio" sports center in Thessaloniki. "We must take initiatives now so as to start contacts and discussions for the finding of a solution to a problem which should have been resolved years ago but unfortunately remains unsolved", SYN president said regarding FYROM name issue. As per the outcome of NATO Summit in Bucharest and for the exclusion of FYROM from NATO he stressed: "We would have been happy if we had a solution to the problem. And certainly we said from the start that we did not expect the difference we have with our neighboring country to be resolved in the framework of NATO expansion, in the framework of US pursuits in the area; pursuits that are extremely worrying for our national interests and for the wider prospective of security and the stability in Balkans."

Translated by Sofia Gartziou

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