The Hellenic Radio (ERA): News in English, 08-07-21

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

CONTENTS

[01] Raising "Macedonia" Minority Issues

21 Ιουλ 2008 08:41:0

Sources: ΝΕΤ, ΝΕΤ-105.8

Three days after Greeces Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis sent an answering letter to his FYROM counterpart Nikola Gruevski, a letter which was also handed over to the UN Secretary-General, the FYROM Premier has not given up on making provocative claims.

In his letter to European Commission President Jos&#233; Manuel Barroso, Gruevski asked him to mediate so that the living conditions of the Macedonian minority, as Gruevski called it, living in Greece can be improved.

Gruevskis letter has crossed the line, since it is after making the EU an arbitrator, putting the name dispute aside.

Focus should be shifted on the FYROM name dispute only, while no controversial issues should be raised, commented Deputy Assistant of the US Secretary of State Matt Bryza in his interview with Eleftheros Typos daily.

Bryza stressed that the US State Department has taken no stand on the matters raised by Nikola Gruevski.

In the meantime, the two-day celebrations in honour of Saint Elias in the northern Greek village of Meliti ended smoothly. The celebrations are attended by the areas residents and a small number of FYROM nationals.

Translated by Areti Christou

[02] Approved by the Development Ministry

21 Ιουλ 2008 09:27:0

Sources: NET, ANA

The Greek Development Minister approved Friday new selling prices for medicines. Nearly 29 medicines are to post a rise ranging from 7% to 24%, while prices for 13 newly created medicines that resulted from research and technology are to go down by up to 54%. The new selling prices will take effect as of 21 July.

In its announcement, the Development Ministry stressed that it remains committed to its campaign to have medicine prices controlled so that the working class has free access to them, as they are closely associated with public health.

[03] Seeking to Boost His Foreign Policy Credentials

21 Ιουλ 2008 08:42:0

Sources: ANA-MPA, AFP, Reuters

US Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama is visiting Iraq, as part of his tour in the Middle East and Europe.

Obama has pledged to withdraw the US troops deployed in Iraq within 16 months if he wins the elections.

Obama arrived in Iraq after his weekend visit to Kuwait and Afghanistan, where he met with US soldiers.

The Democratic presidential candidate will hold talks with Iraqi officials, the heads of the alliance and US diplomats, as well as with US soldiers and people working in Iraq, said a US embassy spokeswoman.

It is Obamas second visit to Iraq after a short one in January 2006. It was then that he made the promise to withdraw the US troops from the country the very moment he would assume office. With his trip to the Middle East and Europe, Barack Obama seeks to boost his foreign policy credentials in view of the US presidential elections scheduled for November.

The 46-year-old Democratic hopeful leads the polls, however his foreign credentials are his major weakness, said his Republican rival John McCain.

Last week, Obama said that when he would visit Iraq as a US president, he would assign the US troops a new mission: to end the war.

After Iraq, Obama will visit Israel, Jordan, Germany, France and Britain.

Translated by Areti Christou

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