The Hellenic Radio (ERA): News in English, 04-04-14

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

CONTENTS

[01] Turkish airplanes violate Greek airspace

Eighteen Turkish planes, which illegally entered Athens FIR, have violated Greek airspace four times. Four of the planes were armed, while in five cases, during interception by Greek jet fighters, the Turkish pilots responded, resulting in a number of incidents.

[02] Olympics - Greece says construction can be both safe and fast

Greece's labour minister, Panos Panayotopoulos, and the country's largest trade union group defended Olympic Games construction safety standards today, against charges frantic building was taking a high toll in workers' lives. The ministry said that of 154 accidents reported between 2001 and 2003 at 31 Olympic sites, 11 were fatal, with the workforce totalling 11,000. The figure represents two percent of all industrial casualties countrywide over the period, and the General Confederation of Greek Labour said the figures were on the decline.

[03] Donors meeting for Cyprus to be held

In Brussels, European commissioner Gunther Verheugen said today that the European Union would have agreed to a postponement of the Cypriot referendum on the UN plan, in the event that both sides accepted the proposal. In the meantime, tomorrow a preliminary international conference of donors for Cyprus will be held in Brussels. Verheugen said its aim was to ensure political commitment by the international community for support of the implementation of the Annan plan.

[04] Greek government to announce stance on Annan's Cyprus peace plan

In Athens, developments in the Cyprus issue, as well as the Greek governments stance on the UN peace plan, were the focus of this afternoons cabinet meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis. The prime minister is expected to announce the governments decision on the reunification blueprint, after tomorrows scheduled meeting of political leaders, under the chairmanship of the President of the Greek Republic, Costis Stephanopoulos.

[05] Turkish Cypriots rally for peace as vote looms

Tens of thousands of Turkish Cypriots rallied today in favour of a UN Plan to reunite the island, facing a referendum in 10 days, in which Greek Cypriot "no" votes are likely to doom the initiative. Turkey's business elite threw its weight behind the peace blueprint, urging a "yes" vote in the April 24 referendum on both sides of Cyprus, which will seal the island's future.

[06] Crucial AKEL stance on Annan plan awaited

A flurry of last-minute negotiations on the Cyprus issue is taking place in Nicosia and Athens, in view of the upcoming referendum on a UN-backed reunification plan for the island, on April 24. A major determining factor for the final outcome of the referendum is considered to be a conference of the Cypriot AKEL party, which is currently under way. The party is expected to finalise its stance on the plan, drafted by UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, later tonight with a vote.

[07] Weather forecast

A fine and mild day is forecast, with local cloudy patches in the eastern and northern parts of the country. Temperatures in Athens will range from 10 to 17 degrees centigrade, and in Thessaloniki from 9 to 16 degrees.

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