Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English, 07-09-12

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From: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>

CONTENTS

[01] SYRIZA party leader Alekos Alavanos addresses Athens rally

[02] PM Karamanlis calls for a stable government able to take fast decisions

[03] PASOK party leader Papandreou addresses rally in Kozani

[04] LA.OS leader holds press conference at TIF

[05] Democratic Revival party leader addresses election rally in Larissa

[06] School year officially kicks off throughout Greece

[07] Education minister attends school-year opening in Athens

[08] PASOK leader attends school year opening in Thessaloniki

[09] KKE leader addresses secondary school teachers

[10] Alavanos attends school year opening in Nea Penteli, Athens

[11] ND spokesman accuses PASOK of 'rejecting political dialogue'

[12] Caretaker interior minister briefs President on election preparations

[13] PM confers with ND Europarliamentarians' head

[14] PM meets with ND secretary

[15] Resolution proposes fewer MEPs per member-state after 2009

[16] Public Real Estate Corp signs agreement with fire-ravaged Zacharo

[17] 3rd Business Forum in Thessaloniki

[18] Visitors at 72nd TIF increase by 25 percent on 3rd day

[19] 'Energon 2007' energy exhibition to be held in Thrace in November

[20] Dionysos Leisure unveils public offer to acquire remaining stake in Regency

[21] PASOK spokesman on VAT, tax policy

[22] Athens hotels report higher occupancy rates in July

[23] Building activity down 5.6 pct in Jan-June, yr/yr

[24] Centric Multimedia completes sale of 23-mln-euro bond issue

[25] Greek stocks end 0.98 pct higher on Tuesday

[26] Greek bond market closing report

[27] ADEX closing report

[28] Foreign Exchange Rates - Wednesday

[29] 'Where is the art?' opens in Athens

[30] Thessaloniki to sell Mytara painting to raise money for fire victims

[31] Illegal migrants intercepted off Samos island

[32] Three-year-old seriously injured by car in school playground

[33] Partly cloudy on Wednesday

[34] Papadopoulos: initiatives underway towards a solution

[35] Cyprus-Malta to work together to combat illegal immigration Politics

[01] SYRIZA party leader Alekos Alavanos addresses Athens rally

Alavanos refered at length to the positions of the two mainstream parties, ruling New Democracy (ND) and main opposition PASOK, on a strong government enjoying a majority in Parliament.

"-They want a strong government so as to be able to break their election commitments, as all the governments have done until now.

"-They want a strong government so as to be able to dismantle labour rights, to dissolve the social security system, to place the market in the universities, to revise article 24.

"-They want a strong government so that they can term those who react minorities.

"-They want a strong government so that they can continue to favour banking profiteering and the looting of the public sector.

-They want a strong government so that they can have a weak society."

Alavanos said that a strong government "means a signature on a blank piece of paper so that they can promote whatever they want," adding that "in the past there was the extortion concerning the lost vote. Now that the vote for two-party rule is considered to be the most lost one, they found the extortion of the lack of governance."

Referring to relevant statements by Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis, the SYRIZA party leader wondered "really, who is the prime minister threatening, when he is extorting that if he does not have a majority he will take the country to the polls again? Is it maybe the thousands of new hostage contract workers who he has left out of the (interior minister Prokopis) Pavlopoulos decree?".

Criticising the PASOK party as well, Alavanos said that for 3.5 years it had "watched with perplexity SYRIZA exercising opposition to the government in Parliament and in the streets."

Alavanos added that the main opposition party "is coming once again shortly before the elections and speaks generally and vaguely of progressive majorities and post-election cooperations."

"We shall continue to cooperate widely with the people of PASOK, with all those who we found ourselves with throughout the entire previous period, but we shall not cooperate with its leadership because we cannot support the policies that we fought against harshly throughout the entire previous period," he said.

Focusing as well on the recent wildfires and on the ecological problems facing the country, Alavanos criticised both big parties, saying that "they are ecologists of conferences and of receptions, ecologists of the camera, of the balcony and of political communication."

[02] PM Karamanlis calls for a stable government able to take fast decisions

"The citizens select positively, choose for a stable course towards the future, they ask of us to take Greece forward with unity and national unanimity. The supporters of polarization have remained by themselves," Karamanlis told his audience.

He also posed to his audience the question, "should we return to yesterday, to populism and insecurity, or we will insist on progress, development, responsibility and on reforms? My faith in the judgment of the citizens is unshakable. Society is mature. T he citizens judge, compare and choose." Karamanlis again asked, as he did at Iraklio, Crete, on Monday, "for us to put down the party banners, to hoist the symbol of unity, of history and of our culture."

"Hoist the symbol of our common struggles, the Greek flag. Our flag reminds that there are targets which exceed party dividing lines and that there are common targets, national targets. We can make these targets practice, if understanding prevails instea d of conflicts," Karamanlis emphasised.

Making an account of his party's governance, Karamanlis said that as of March 2004 "we had in front of us two roads: on the one hand populism and on the other responsibility. On one hand the hiding of the problems and on the other, the struggle for their solution. On one hand stagnation and decline and on the other, changes and reforms. We chose the difficult road. The road which leads with certainty and security to development and progress. We chose the policy of changes and of reforms."

The prime minister committed himself that all the "adjustments which the government has submitted for the abolition of injustices of the past will be voted immediately" and noted that these will be basic elements in the next budget, which will be implemen ted before the four-year period since March 2004 will be completed.

The ruling ND came to power after winning the March 2004 general elections.

Specifically, he said, "we are setting up a national social cohesion fund for the support of the poorer households, we are granting from early 2008 the subsidy for large families, we are increasing the unemployment subsidy and the farmers' pensions and a new salary is being voted in favor of the Armed Forces and the Security Corps."

Premier Karamanlis referred at length to the government's policy for the strengthening of the regions. He noted that within the national strategic framework, 80% of the national and EU funds are being promoted for the regions and underlined that "it is so mething which is happening for the first time and which radically changes the Greek regions. In the new period, fully implemented will be the greatest public works projects which the country has ever experienced: the Ionian highway, the Central Greece E65 motorway, the great motorways of the Peloponnese, the compeletion of the Egnatia Highway," in northern Greece.

[03] PASOK party leader Papandreou addresses rally in Kozani

Papandreou insisted once again on appealing to voters of a leftist origin, saying that "Sunday's victory will be the victory of all the forces of democracy, progress and of the left."

Papandreou said that PASOK guarantees national revival, national consensus, the national awakening and the unity of the Greeks, as well as the rebuilding of all that the country has lost and, indeed, even better than it was before.

Responding to slogans shouted by the audience, the leader of PASOK stressed his differences from the way with which Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis ruled the country, placing emphasis on the phrase "I will not hide at the Maximos Mansion, I will always b e close to you."

Papandreou stressed that Sunday "is the time for the great decision and for the crucial vote. No vote must be lost, he said, adding that "a new contract with the people will be signed on Sunday and an end will be put to misery and decline and to those who wanted to take the country back to the past."

He then outlined what he called dilemmas in Sunday's elections that include:

"-A democratic and progressive party or a right wing and conservative party.

"-PASOK or New Democracy in government.

"-A PASOK government or poverty, a high cost of living, unemployment and insecurity.

"-A PASOK government or going back to middle ages labour conditions.

"-A PASOK government or an increase in VAT to 21 percent and an upsurge in the high cost of living.

-A PASOK government or the collapse of the social state and the dissolution of public education and of the National Health System."

"The reply to these dilemmas is one and only:a PASOK government, a government of a new change, of confidence, of hope and of prospects," he said.

[04] LA.OS leader holds press conference at TIF

The prime minister, Karatzaferis said, "has not convinced on his intentions. I do not question his patriotism. I question his handlings," of the issue.

He termed as "blackmailing the dilemma 'majority party government or new elections' put forward by the prime minister," saying that there were no impasses in democracy.

Regarding main opposition PASOK leader George Papandreou, Karatzaferis said the former had delayed "his finishing performace".

[05] Democratic Revival party leader addresses election rally in Larissa

Papathemelis, who stressed that he is linked with the local agricultural population with bonds of friendship and relations of mutual trust, reiterated his conviction that his party will pass the election limit (a party has to garner at least 3 percent of votes nationwide to be able to enter Parliament) and it will be represented in Parliament.

[06] School year officially kicks off throughout Greece

Several political party leaders also put in an appearance at several schools, such as the visit paid by main opposition PASOK president George Papandreou to the 12th & 16th state school in Stavroupolis, Thessaloniki or the visit paid by Coalition of the R adical Left (SYRIZA) leader Alekos Alavanos to the Nea Penteli high school.

Education minister Marietta Yannakou attended the blessing at Athens' 13th state primary school and wished teachers and pupils a good year, stressing that "school life is, as Kavafis said, a long journey, an adventure", adding that this adventure would be shared with their parents and teachers.

Schools in the fire-stricken Peloponnese also opened as normal on Tuesday, while according to the regional director for education in the Peloponnese Nikos Marabeas the unfilled staff positions were minimal and would be filled in the next few days.

The return to the classrooms also prompted a revival of labour disputes in the teaching profession, meanwhile, with nursery and primary school teachers holding a symbolic march toward Parliament on Tuesday to demand that two years of pre-school education be made mandatory. Nursery school teachers were also against the introduction of a longer school day that they said did not take into account the needs of pre-school children and their teachers.

The primary teachers' union DOE also held a press conference about the unfilled teaching positions at the start of the school year, noting that primary schools and kidnergartens were missing 4,000 regular staff and about 7,000 substitute teachers paid by the hour that were needed for the smooth running of extended-day schools. These shortages would lead to thousands of lost teaching hours, the union stressed.

The year also started with a protest - this time a musical one - at the Pylea Musical School in Thessaloniki where parents and children turned up bearing banners and drums to demand that the state sort out shortages in teaching staff and books.

[07] Education minister attends school-year opening in Athens

She said the new school year was opening with optimism, adding that the education ministry was making every effort so that no pupil would be lacking in knowledge due to vacancies or deficiencies.

[08] PASOK leader attends school year opening in Thessaloniki

Papandreou wished the pupils and their teachers a "good and creative school year", and assured them that he would be at their side in their struggles for better conditions and prospects.

"Education is my top priority. The children are the most precious posession of the family and the country. The state must stand at their sides, give them a sense of security, and prospects and opportunities to allow them to keep their smiles, their beauty and their hopes," Papandreou said.

Later, he visted the PASOK local organisation in Stavroupolis and also spoke with residents and shopowners.

[09] KKE leader addresses secondary school teachers

"School books contain many irrational, anachronistic and anti-scientific ideas," she said, criticising at the same time "the methods of teaching emanating from these books."

"It is the so-called anglo-saxon system which is currently met with strong reaction even in the countries of its origin," she claimed.

Papariga told her audience that the new year will be more difficult "because the real value of their incomes is decreasing" and reiterated her party's proposal for a minimum salary of 1,700 euros in the sector.

She noted that if schools came under the authority of local government institutions (OTA), labour relations in the teachers' sector would change radically, and teachers would be hired by OTA.

[10] Alavanos attends school year opening in Nea Penteli, Athens

Alavanos stressed the need for students to become active in environment protection-related issues while urging them to maintain teamwork spirit.

Alavanos wished the students a good school year, stressing that his party will work hard to ensure that the sector of Education will be funded with 5 percent of the GDP, consolidate the state's obligation to offer 14-year education from the kindergarten t o secondary education, guarantee vocational training and dignified salaries for teaching personnel and teamwork spirit in education.

[11] ND spokesman accuses PASOK of 'rejecting political dialogue'

According to Arvanitopoulos, Papandreou had been repeatedly asked to name one positive achievement of the present government and had failed to mention even one.

"This attempt to nullify and devalue the government's work, this disaster-mongering and acrimony, show a lack of positions, rejection of political dialogue but chiefly demonstrate PASOK's unreliability," he underlined.

The main opposition would be answered by Greek citizens who knew and were able to judge what the government had achieved over the past 3.5 years, the spokesman added.

He also went on to list 50 measures and achievements of the government since its election, starting with the reduction of the public deficit to 2.6 percent of GDP in 2006 from an estimated 7.9 percent of GDP in 2004 and the reduction of unemployment from 11.3 percent in the first trimester of 2004 to 7.7 percent in May 2007.

In addition, Arvanitopoulos pointed to progress in major public works like the doubling of the Athens metro, completion of the Egnatia highway within 2008, start of work on building a metro for Thessaloniki and the drawing up of the largest public works p rogramme in the history of the country with a budget of 17.6 billion euros, 80 percent of which was destined to be spent in Greek regions.

[12] Caretaker interior minister briefs President on election preparations

Flogaitis told reporters afterwards that preparations were progressing smoothly, adding that everything was being prepared properly, particularly in the fire-stricken regions, and expressed belief that elections would be carried out orderly, as demanded b y the Constitution and desired by the Greek people.

[13] PM confers with ND Europarliamentarians' head

After the meeting, Varvitsiotis told waiting reporters that he was certain that ND would emerge the winner in Sunday's general elections.

"Having actively taken part in 14-15 elections, I see Monday finding us, with Costas Karamanlis, easily a majority government," Varvitsiotis said.

[14] PM meets with ND secretary

No statements were made after the meeting.

[15] Resolution proposes fewer MEPs per member-state after 2009

The number of MEPs representing most individual member-states in the European Parliament is set to be cut back after 2009 if a proposal tabled in the EuroParliament's Committee for Institutional Affairs on Tuesday is approved. Under the new rules, Greece will be represented by 22 instead of the current 24 MEPs, while Germany will lose three (96 instead of 99 today), France four (74 instead of 78) and Britain five (73 instead of 78).

In order to be adopted, the proposal must be adopted by the EuroParliament plenum and then unanimously by the EU member-states. The change follows the addition of Romania and Bulgaria to the now 27-member EU and seeks to keep the number of MEPs at 750 in total.

According to the proposal, no member-state will have more than 96 MEPs and none less than six.

This means that the smallest EU member-states such as Malta, Luxembourg, Cyprus and Estonia will each have six MEPs in the European Parliament.

Based on the proposals, each German MEP will represent 858,729 people, each French MEP will represent 849,811 people, each British MEP 827,699 people, each Greek 505,682 people, each Cypriot MEP 127,667 people and each Maltese MEP 67,333 people.

Financial News

[16] Public Real Estate Corp signs agreement with fire-ravaged Zacharo

The HPREC reached this decision within the framework of the policy adopted by the ministry of finance and economy following the recent disastrous fires in the country.

An agreement will be signed for investments in a 2,593,041.80 sqm-state-owned property while an additional 780 real estate properties in the wider region will also be exploited. The municipality of Zacharo will be the recipient of 75 percent of all result ing revenues while the investments made are expected to boost local tourism through the creation of high-quality tourist facilities and recreation grounds.

[17] 3rd Business Forum in Thessaloniki

This was stressed on Tuesday at the 3rd Business Forum of the Thessaloniki International Fair (TIF) in Thessaloniki by Richard Reeves, the owner of an international business research and consulting company, who has been termed by the "Guardian" newspaper as being "the greatest expert on labour environment issues in Europe."

According to Reeves, on a scale from 1 to 10, if the working man goes higher by even one level, as regards the satisfaction he derives from his work, this is tantamount to a salary increase of up to 50 percent, according to past research conducted in the United States.

[18] Visitors at 72nd TIF increase by 25 percent on 3rd day

Specifically, the number of visitors at the Fair on Monday amounted to 20,800 as against 16,631 last year.

Consequently, the upward trend registered over the first two days of the Fair (September 8-9), when it was visited by 51,428 people compared to 50,344 over the corresponding period last year, has continued.

[19] 'Energon 2007' energy exhibition to be held in Thrace in November

Those interested in taking part in the exhibition must apply by September 21 at the latest.

The exhibits will concern conventional sources of energy (lignite, oil, anthrax, petroleum products) and renewable sources of energy (hydro-electric, Aeolian, geothermic, solar energy), natural gas, electricity, heating, refrigeration. air conditioning, s ecurity systems, electronic and electronic tools, machines and the production, conversion and transfer of energy.

[20] Dionysos Leisure unveils public offer to acquire remaining stake in Regency

Dionysos Leisure is owned by TBU-4 International SA, a company based in Luxembourg, indirectly owned by investments funds managed by BC Partners Limited, a UK-based private equity fund.

Regency Entertainment's equity capital totaled 30,240,000 euros, divided into 84 million nominal voting shares of a price of 0.36 euros per share. Dionysos owns directly 81.6161 percent in Regency.

[21] PASOK spokesman on VAT, tax policy

"The government does not say that an increase of VAT is out of the question, because it obviously intends to increase it," he told reporters.

"[The] fiscal stability [claimed by the government] exists only in words and has nothing to do with real economy, otherwise the prime minister could have said last Thursday (during the political party leaders' televised debate) that he could predict what would occur in the Greek economy after one or two years," Raggousis added.

Referring to the ND's pledges concerning taxation on big properties, the PASOK spokesman asked: "What rationale for guaranteeing state budget revenues imposes the exemption of rich people from paying taxes?"

[22] Athens hotels report higher occupancy rates in July

A report by the Association of Athens' Hoteliers said five-star hotels recorded an 1.6 pct increase in occupancy rates, three-star hotels were up 3.9 pct, four-star hotels rose 0.4 pct and two-star hotels rose 0.7 pct in July, compared with the same month last year.

The report said average occupancy rates rose 5.7 pct in July, average room price was up 5.5 pct and average revenue per available room jumped 11.6 percent over the same month, compared with other European capitals' hotels.

Average occupancy rates were better compared with Madrid, Rome, Vienna, Berlin and Munich, but lower compared with London, Amsterdam, Paris, Istanbul and Barcelona.

[23] Building activity down 5.6 pct in Jan-June, yr/yr

NSS said building activity, measured by permits, fell in most regions of the country, with the exception of Thessaly (up 1.0 pct), Epirus (up 0.5 pct), northern Aegean (up 2.8 pct) and Crete (up 3.8 pct).

Central Macedonia (14.1 pct) Ionian islands (7.9 pct), Peloponese (2.1 pct) and Attica (1.7 pct) recorded the biggest percentage declines.

[24] Centric Multimedia completes sale of 23-mln-euro bond issue

The five-year bond loan comprises of 460 anonymous bonds worth 50,000 euros each at a convertible price of 2.48 euros per share. The bond issue carries an interest rate of Euribor plus 2.0 pct annually. Merit Securities acted as consultant and manager of the issue.

Meanwhile, SEE Sports Ltd (a Centric Multimedia subsidiary based in Malta) acquired Morna Investments (based in the Marshall islands) for 22.5 million euros. The purchase was fully covered by the proceeds of the bond issue. Morna Investments owns Flyer SA (based in Panama), a joint venture partner of Sporting BET plc.

[25] Greek stocks end 0.98 pct higher on Tuesday

Most sectors moved higher with the Utilities (2.91 pct), Food/Beverage (2.58 pct) and Telecommunications (0.78 pct) scoring the biggest percentage gains of the day, while the Insurance (1.13 pct), Media (0.89 pct) and Industrial Products (0.52 pct) suffer ed losses.

The Big Cap index rose 0.80 pct, the Mid Cap index ended 0.45 pct higher and the Small Cap index fell 0.33 pct.

Klonatex (10 pct), Galis (9.09 pct) and Tzirakian (9.09 pct) were top gainers, while Ideal (9.72 pct), ANEK (8.64 pct) and Athina ATE (6.59 pct) were top losers. Broadly, advancers slightly outnumbered decliners by 118 to 115 with another 65 issues unchan ged.

[26] Greek bond market closing report

The 10-year benchmark bond (July 20, 2017) was again the most heavily traded security with a turnover of 435 million euros. The yield spread between the 10-year Greek and German bonds rose to 0.35 percent, with the Greek bond yielding 4.46 pct and the Ger man Bund 4.09 pct.

In the domestic interbank market, interest rates moved higher. National Bank's overnight rate rose to 4.10 pct from 4.00 pct on Monday, the two-day rate rose to 4.20 pct from 4.00 pct, the one-month rate was 4.45 pct and the 12-month rate rose to 4.75 pct from 4.70 pct.

Sector indices ended as follows:

Insurance: -1.13%

Industrials: -0.52%

Commercial: +0.44%

Construction: +0.32%

Media: -0.89%

Oil & Gas: +0.18%

Personal & Household: +0.32%

Raw Materials: +0.27%

Travel & Leisure: +0.52%

Technology: +0.21%

Telecoms: +0.78%

Banks: +0.65%

Food & Beverages: +2.58%

Health: +0.66%

Utilities: +2.91%

Chemicals: +0.75%

Financial Services: +0.76%

The stocks with the highest turnover were National Bank, OTE, Eurobank and Piraeus Bank.

Selected shares from the FTSE/ASE-20 index closed in euros as follows:

Alpha Bank: 23.34

ATEbank: 3.70

Public Power Corp (PPC): 22.50

HBC Coca Cola: 37.20

Hellenic Petroleum: 10.32

Emporiki Bank: 20.10

National Bank of Greece: 43.06

EFG Eurobank Ergasias: 24.44

Intralot: 26.40

Cosmote: 22.20

OPAP: 26.30

OTE: 23.48

Titan Cement Company: 34.64

[27] ADEX closing report

Volume in futures contracts on the FTSE 20 index totaled 7,805 contracts worth 99.560 million euros, with 44,650 open positions in the market, while on the FTSE 40 index volume was 237 contracts worth 7.381 million euros, with 1,255 open positions.

Volume in futures contracts one equities totaled 15,055 contracts worth 25.482 million euros, with investment interest focusing on Marfin Popular Bank's contracts (2,653), followed by MIG (598), PPC (612), Piraeus Bank (576), National Bank (595), Alpha Ba nk (1,721), Intracom (1,875) and Motor Oil (892).

[28] Foreign Exchange Rates - Wednesday

U.S. dollar 1.393

Pound sterling 0.685

Danish kroner 7.506

Swedish kroner 9.394

Japanese yen 158.57

Swiss franc 1.653

Norwegian kroner 7.914

Cyprus pound 0.588

Canadian dollar 1.458

Australian dollar 1.684

General News

[29] 'Where is the art?' opens in Athens

The aim of this experiment is to change the viewer's preconceptions about contemporary art that are linked with the way that art is presented as a finished product of the creative process in the environment of a "white cube" that is a museum or a gallery.

'Where is the art?' intends to present the entire creative process, revealing all its individual stages and the structures that determine it, exposing all the artists' tools (sketches, preliminary work and materials) to public view.

The 47 artists of different ethnic backgrounds that are taking part in the project will open their studios to the public and give viewers the chance to explore the spaces in which creative work takes place and art is ultimately born.

At the same time, finished artworks will be installed in public spaces which will inject the element of surprise into the relationship between art and its viewers or passers-by.

Also part of the project are the 'Bar Station' that opens from noon to midnight at Efpatridon 7 in Gazi on September 12-23 and film screenings on September 24-25 at the ReMap KM theatre on Iasonos Road, Keramikos.

The opening exhibition at Myllerou 22 will run until September 15, while from September 12 until September 23 the public will also be able to visit the open studios of some 47 artists based in central Athens from 17:00 until 21:00.

[30] Thessaloniki to sell Mytara painting to raise money for fire victims

The painting depicting St. Demetrius was donated to the municipality for this purpose by the artist himself.

The money raised by the auction will be paid into a special account set up by the Central Union of Municipalities and Communities of Greece (KEDKE), where more than 2.5 million euros have already been collected.

[31] Illegal migrants intercepted off Samos island

A total of 18 males, 5 females and 2 infants from Iraq, Afghanistan and Lebanon were spotted on a small boat at dawn.

Coast guard officers rushed to their assistance and took them to Samos Hospital for precautionary medical tests before leading them to a special reception centre operating on the island.

[32] Three-year-old seriously injured by car in school playground

The teacher had parked her car within the school playground and was asked to move it by the headmaster. In her attempt to remove the car she hit the little girl and then, according to witnesses, she abandoned it.

The child was initially taken to the Kavala Prefecture General Hospital where she was intubated and taken to the paediatric ward of Thessaloniki's Ippokration Hospital by ambulance. Doctors at Kavala hospital said she had suffered to her head and thorax.

The teacher responsible for the accident was arrested and charged with a hit-and-run, while she is due to appear before a first-instance court public prosecutor in accordance with the procedure for offenders caught in the act.

According to Chrysoupolis mayor Savvas Mihailidis, the teacher had arrived early and parked her car within the school playground, even though there was a large car park outside the school.

Weather Forecast

[33] Partly cloudy on Wednesday

Cyprus Affairs

[34] Papadopoulos: initiatives underway towards a solution

Cyprus President Tassos Papadopoulos has said that already initiatives towards a political settlement have been undertaken.

He also said that the insistence of the UN Security Council and significant states to implement a UN-brokered agreement with the Turkish Cypriot community "will yield results.''

Speaking at a televised interview here Tuesday evening, the president called for unity, stressing that the only enemy is the Turkish occupation army.

"Unfortunately there was no positive outcome at my recent meeting with the leader of the Turkish Cypriot community because the necessary political will to implement the agreement was not there. We shall not be disappointed, nor shall we relinquish our eff orts irrespective of the difficulties," he said.

The president said that he believed that the worst has been avoided when a UN-proposed solution plan (the Annan plan) was rejected.

"We have overcome the difficulties we had to face in the period following the referendum on the Annan plan through our initiatives," he said, adding that Turkey did not achieve its goal to have the illegal Turkish Cypriot regime in occupied Cyprus recogni zed.

Cyprus, he went on to add in his opening remarks, has strengthened its status by joining the European Union and the forthcoming membership of the Euro zone will bring important economic and political benefits in Cyprus.

"We have managed to improve our finances, we have put our house in order, enlarge the social role of the state, strengthened social cohesion and promoted institutional changes. We are improving the quality of life for every citizen," he said.

Papadopoulos pointed out that not everything has been rectified nor is everything perfect but there have been many and significant steps towards progress.

"What we have achieved so far proves in practice that we can and shall achieve even more. We shall continue on our course, a sure path forward," he said.

Concluding his opening remarks, the president called on all citizens to stay away from fanaticism that divides people.

"History teaches us that division can only bring bad things to the country and to our struggle. We have to safeguard our unity as the most valuable basis of our struggle. There are no enemies among us. The enemy is one: the Turkish occupation army. The op ponents in the political arena and in elections are only political opponents with different positions and not enemies," he said.

Finally, he urged people to deal with all presidential candidates with due respect, saying that each candidate has something to propose.

"Everybody has something to offer to the country and their intention is to do just that. Citizens have to listen to the positions, proposals and arguments of the candidates and judge for themselves," he added.

[35] Cyprus-Malta to work together to combat illegal immigration

Talks between Cyprus and Malta on Tuesday focused on the need for joint action to deal with the increasing number of illegal immigrants that flood these two countries, which joined the European Union in May 2004.

"We have compared notes and experiences and talked about working together within the EU, as we face similar problems and illegal immigration is not a Cypriot or a Maltese problem but a European one," Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice and Home Affairs of Malta Tonio Borg said after a meeting with Interior Minister Christos Patsalides.

Borg said that European assistance on this matter should move from mere financial aid to something more concrete, pointing out that "burden sharing" is ultimately the real alternative to dealing with this problem.

He said he also discussed the FRONTEX operations in different areas in Europe, which help highlight the human tragedy of illegal immigration in central Mediterranean.

Some 600 persons die every year on Europe's doorstep trying to cross from Libya to Malta or Sicily, he added.

"We believe we should cooperate more within the EU at the political level to give a Mediterranean vision or dimension of things, which is extremely important in the same way that other regions give a Scandinavian or Balkan vision," he pointed out.

Interior Minister said Cyprus and Malta, being island states, share common concerns, in particular illegal immigration issues following EU accession.

"We have agreed to strengthen our cooperation within the EU to ensure that our problems, when it comes to illegal immigration, can be tackled through our own proposals and solution as well," he added.

The objective is to operate correctly and effectively within the EU, bearing always in mind the peculiarities of both countries, since both have become a magnet for illegal immigrants.

"I have explained that the most significant problem Cyprus is facing comes from the northern Turkish occupied areas of the Republic, when people try to cross into the southern government controlled part of the island," Patsalides said, adding that in this respect Nicosia is seeking support from Malta.

Earlier Tuesday the Maltese official was received by President Tassos Papadopoulos, with whom he also discussed immigration issues.

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