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The Hellenic Radio (ERA): News in English, 00-01-12
From: The Hellenic Radio (ERA) <ert.ntua.gr/>
CONTENTS
[01] EMU MORE IMPORTANT THAN EARLY ELECTIONS SAYS GOVERNMENT
[02] PAPANDREOU DENIES SUPPORT FOR CYPRUS CONFEDERATION SOLUTION
[03] DIRECT CYPRUS TALKS EXPECTED AFTER SECOND PROXIMITY TALKS
[04] GREEK-ITALIAN TALKS IN ATHENS
[05] OVER HALF OF KOSOVO'S POWER NEEDS TO BE SUPPLIED BY GREECE
[06] THE MELBOURNE "AGE" CALLS FOR PARTHENON MARBLES' RETURN
[01] EMU MORE IMPORTANT THAN EARLY ELECTIONS SAYS GOVERNMENT
The government has stressed that there should be an end to speculation
about early elections. Instead, said Prime Minister Costas Simitis
yesterday, emphasis will placed on the country's entry into the
European economic and monetary union, which is a priority. Similar
positions were expressed yesterday by the ruling Pasok party's general
secretary, Costas Skandalides, who said the government's main focus was
on ensuring EMU accession this year. However, he conceded that the
party was preparing for general elections and noted the need for unity
and renewal, in order for Pasok to succeed in the difficult electoral
battle. Their views were echoed by government spokesman Dimitris
Reppas who said the date for general elections was not among the
government's priorities and urged against any further speculation on
the issue. The government's goal, he said, was to secure the country's
admission into the economic and monetary union. He maintained that for
the time being, one could rule out the possibility of elections being
held prior to September. Meanwhile, the main opposition New Democracy
party is busy making strategical changes, in view of the upcoming
elections later this year. Party leader Costas Karamanlis yesterday
appointed senior party members to take charge of the vital sectors of
Education, Quality of Life, Youth, and Institutions. The Political
Spring party has decided it will run on its own in the next general
elections, without forging any links with larger parties. A party
spokesman has said that a preliminary list of its candidates will be
ready by the end of January.
[02] PAPANDREOU DENIES SUPPORT FOR CYPRUS CONFEDERATION SOLUTION
Foreign Minister George Papandreou departed for Nicosia yesterday for
talks with the Cypriot government, prior to the next round of proximity
talks in Geneva between Cypriot president Glafcos Clerides and the
Turkish-Cypriot representative, Rauf Denktash, at the end of January.
On his arrival in Nicosia, Mr Papandreou categorically denied all
rumours about Greece's alleged support for a confederation solution.
He told the Cyprus news agency that a just and viable solution to the
Cyprus dispute on the basis of United Nations Security Council
resolutions was and would remain Greece's fundamental goal. This was
the creation of a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation, one that would have
a single international character, a single sovereignty and a single
citizenship and would guarantee the security, peaceful co-existence and
welfare of all the island's citizens, Greek Cypriots and Turkish
Cypriots alike. Mr Papandreou said his second visit to Nicosia shortly
after his previous one was tangible proof of the very close and
substantial cooperation he had initiated both with the Cypriot
government and with Cyprus' political leadership-a cooperation dictated
by the recent developments and by the developments expected in the near
future. At the Helsinki summit, he pointed out, very important
decisions were secured, which will be the tools for the promotion of a
just Cyprus settlement and for Cyprus' admission into the European
Union. In his welcome address, the Cypriot foreign minister, Ioannis
Kassoulidis, said that that the two governments would have to shoulder
the burden of utilising all the positive elements related to the effort
for a Cyprus settlement, the European Union role in this effort and
Cyprus' EU admission course. Following his visit to Nicosia, the Greek
foreign minister will go on to London for talks with his British
counterpart Robin Cook on the Cyprus dispute, Greek-Turkish relations
and Turkey's relations with the European Union. During his stay in
London, Mr Papandreou, together with the foreign ministers of Britain
and the Czech Republic, will take part in a seminar at the London
School of Economics, on the subject "Ideas of 1999."
[03] DIRECT CYPRUS TALKS EXPECTED AFTER SECOND PROXIMITY TALKS
The acting special envoy of the United Nations secretary general, James
Holger, has said that the leaders of the two communities in Cyprus are
expected to hold direct talks after the second round of the proximity
talks. Mr Holger has said that before the opening of a third round of
talks the UN should have a clear picture of the positions of the two
sides. The UN official has said that the second round of the proximity
talks, like the first, will focus on the constitutional, refugeee,
territorial and security aspects.
[04] GREEK-ITALIAN TALKS IN ATHENS
Greek-Italian cooperation for the reconstruction of the Balkans was the
focus of a 2-hour meeting in Athens yesterday between Prime Minister
Simitis and his Italian counterpart, Massimo D'Alema. During their
talks, the two prime ministers discussed matters relating to stability
and development in the Balkans and issued statements calling on the
international community to accept the Serbian opposition's appeal for
early democratic elections to be held in Yugoslavia that would
guarantee the region's stability. At a press conference after the
meeting, Mr. D'Alema praised the Greek government's foreign policy,
while Mr. Simitis expressed the conviction that by next month, Greece
will have fulfulled the inflation criteria for EMU entry. Later, the
Italian prime minister was received by the President of the Republic,
Costis Stephanopoulos.
[05] OVER HALF OF KOSOVO'S POWER NEEDS TO BE SUPPLIED BY GREECE
Greece will supply Kosovo with electric power within the framework of
an agreement reached last week between Athens and the UN representative
in Kosovo, Bernard Kusner. According to Greek government spokesman
Dimitris Reppas and the UN mission in Kosovo, the electricity will flow
from Greece through Albania. Much of the Yugoslav power grid was
damaged during last year's Nato air campaign and Mr. Reppas said that
Kosovo vitally needs electricity from Greece. According to the UN,
Greece will donate 60 megawatts daily to bring the amount of power
flowing into the province up to 100 megawatts-more than half the full
power requirements.
[06] THE MELBOURNE "AGE" CALLS FOR PARTHENON MARBLES' RETURN
Melbourne's prestigious daily newspaper, "The Age," has called for the
return of the Parthenon marbles to Greece. In a lead article entitled
"Give back the Marbles," it calls on Britain to make do with its own
monuments. The newspaper says Greece's demand is just and has accused
the Blair government of backing down on its pre-election pledges on the
issue. The paper asks Britain to content itself with its newly-built
monument for the new millennium, the so called Millennium Domem which
might be considered as a masterpiece after 2,500 years, and to allow
the body of the goddess Athena to return to the Parthenon. The
newspaper points out that greece has requested the return of the
marbles in a very civilised manner, even offering to pay the cost for
their transport as well as the expenses for production of copies for
the British museum, together with the construction of the Acropolis
museum which will house the originals.
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