Athens News Agency: News in English, 08-04-17

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

CONTENTS

[01] PM interviewed foreign policy issues

[02] Greek press in Istanbul

[03] Compensation to stricken areas

[04] Athens Newspaper Headlines

[01] PM interviewed foreign policy issues

Karamanlis pointed out at the same time that it is up to FYROM to show a compromising mood and to meet Greece halfway.

The prime minister further said that whatever irredentist designs, passions and hatred of the past will be abandoned with the complex name with a geographical qualifier that will be valid for all.

In relation to the issue of Cyprus, Karamanlis mentioned that the ultimate goal is the reunification of the island. Greece supports the resumption of intercommunal talks. The resolutions of the UN Security Council are the framework for the creation of a bizonal federal state with two ethnic entities.

The prime minister underlined the willingness of Athens for the full normalisation of relations with Turkey and added that the climate has already been improved over the past years, while in connection with Ankara's accession course he mentioned that it has proceeded with enthusiasm in the effort for its adjustment to European "standards", but this effort has lost its initial momentum.

Lastly, Karamanlis stressed that there are criteria that have to be fulfilled for Turkey to become a member of the European Union, something that is no easy undertaking.

The Greek prime minister's interview is accompanied by a reference to his political origin, and to his uncle Constantine Karamanlis, as well as by a curriculum vitae.

Caption:ANA-MPA file photo of Greek prime minister Costas Karamanlis

[02] Greek press in Istanbul

The book, which was published on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the publication of the newspaper "Icho" of Istanbul by its publisher Andreas Rompopoulos, is a result of 20 years of research by the author and includes 147 newspaper headlines.

Caption: The collector and researcher Stratis Tarinas on Wednesday 16 April 2008 in Athens presents his book "The Greek Press of Istanbul"

[03] Compensation to stricken areas

This was stated by Agricultural Development and Food Minister Alexandros Kontos, who added that 45,000 entitled producers have already received compensation (in the form of advance payments) amounting to 36 million euros. A total of 8,780 million euros have been provided for animal feeding, of which 3,080 million euros in the prefecture of Ilia in the Peloponnese.

[04] Athens Newspaper Headlines

The FYROM name issue and UN special mediator Matthew Nimetz's talks in Skopje on Thursday and Athens on Friday, the ten-year high in the inflation rate, spiralling fuel prices and the concern it has caused in Europe, the National Town Plan tabled in parliament on Wednesday, and opposition reactions to Marfin Investment Group's (MIG) sale of its 19 percent share package in OTE (Hellenic Telecommonications Organisation) to Deutsche Telekom were the main front-page items in Thursday's newspapers.

ADESMEFTOS TYPOS: "Skopje backing down on the name? Number of fanatics decreasing", adding that recent survey by respected "think tank" in FYROM after Greece's veto on FYROM membership at the recent NATO summit indicates that the FYROM public is moving away from absolute intransigence on the name issue and that the correlations are changing on the domestic front in the neighboring country.

APOGEVMATINI: "Earthquake in the global economy - Oil prices hit all-time high (at 115 dollars per barrel)", adding that the spiralling oil prices and continuing collapse of the dollar parity against the euro is causing new problems in the world economies.

AVGHI: "Government to sell the TAP-OTE's (OTE employees' social security/pension fund) package of shares in OTE - The legality of the transaction in doubt".

CHORA: "The Condoleezza (US secretary of state Rice) Mysteries - US diplomatic 'dribble', with pressure on Turkey", adding that the Greek veto on FYROM accession to NATO, the rejection of the Annan Plan for Cyprus, and the Greece-Russia cooperation in the energy and armaments were altering the US foreign policy plans.

ELEFTHEROS: "The civil servants' lump-sum retirement benefit at risk - Warning bell sounds following the wave of applications for early retirement".

ELEFTHEROS TYPOS: "Thriassio Plane a toxic waste dump site - Thousands of cubic metres of (toxic) waste to be stored in totally inappropriate site in Meletani, Mandra".

ELEFTHEROTYPIA: "National...Concrete...Plan - Build: Outside the town plans, on the coast - National Town Plan of wishes and discounts tabled by Souflias (environment, town planning and public works minister)".

ESTIA: "Shameless lies by PASOK (main opposition party) - The 'inanities' on the OTE issue".

ETHNOS: "ASEP (civil service hiring examinations board) examinations up in the air - 6,000 bogus 'honor' degrees from private TEE (technical professional schools) being recalled".

KATHIMERINI: "The prosecutor tracing the Siemens kickbacks - Six former executives of the company's Greek subsidiary and of OTE to testify today".

LOGOS: "Greece not in a rush - FYROM's people and leaders divided - Nimetz's meetings will be exploratory (of the intentions)".

RIZOSPASTIS: "The striker's slogan is 'the wealth to the workers' - The big militant strike mobilisation (PAME strike and rallies on Wednesday) a step forward".

TA NEA: "Put a brake on seizures of homes (for overdue payments on mortgage and consumer loans and credit cards) - Real estate put on auction for debt just 5,000 euros".

TO VIMA: "High cost of living hurting low and medium income earners".

VRADYNI: "Tenure for thousands of assistant teachers/professors (in public schools) - Express solution being advanced by education minister Stylianidis".

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