The Hellenic Radio (ERA): News in English, 05-04-13

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

CONTENTS

[01] Letter to European leaders Initiatives from Karamanlis

By Athina Saloustrou

Sources: NET 105.8, NET

Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis has sent a letter to the leaders of the EU, the president of the European Council and the Commission, as well as to the President of the US, in the context of Nimitzs proposal for the name of FYROM. In his letter, the Prime Minister supports the process of opening dialogue and the efforts of the UN mediator to find a mutually acceptable solution. According to Ta Nea, in his letter to George Bush, Mr Karamanlis expresses Athens support for Nimitzs proposal, and calls for Washington to mediate with the government of FYROM. At the same time, a diplomatic campaign in the EU has been started by deputy Foreign Minister Valinakis.

Immoveable in FYROM

The new efforts by UN special mediator Matthew Nimitz to find a solution to the name issue came up against FYROMs unmoving stance. However, in a statement, Mr Nimitz urged the two sides to cooperate to find a way to bridge their differences.

In the meantime, a diplomatic campaign has been started in Berlin, Strasbourg and Brussels by Deputy Foreign Minister Mr Valinakis, with a view to promoting Greek positions on the issue of the name of FYROM. Today Mr Valinakis will meet with the head of European diplomacy Javier Solana and the Minister of European Affairs of Luxemburg, which currently holds the EU presidency, Nikola Schmidt.

"There must in no way be recognition of the Macedonian nation and language and we should be able to use the term Macedonia at an international level," stressed ND MP Giorgos Kalatzis on NET 105.8. "The solution must be with dignity and a hasty retreat is not dignified," said PASOK MP Andreas Loverdos on NET 105.8. However, he also noted: "we should look calmly at the matter and not in national hysteria, as we showed at the start of the 90s."

Translated by Millie Williams

Related News:

Nimitz's Proposal a Basis for Negotiations

[02] Turkish violations continue Talks with Provocations

By Athina Saloustrou

Sources: NET 105.8, NET

Under the shadow of Turkish violations in the Aegean, Foreign Minister Petros Molyviatis is today meeting with PM Recep Tayyp Erdogan and President Sezer in Ankara. Before this, Mr Molyviatis will have a meeting with Yiyit Albogan, general secretary of the National Security Council, while in the evening, he will visit the Ecumenical Patriarch in Fanari. Positive and constructive was the description given by Petros Molyviatis to the meeting he had yesterday with his Turkish counterpart, while Abdullah Guls statements were along the same lines. During the meeting, new measures aiming to build up trust were discussed, as well as a direct phoneline between the airbases of Larisa and Eskesehir, in an effort to avoid tensions in the Aegean. In the meantime, the Turkish coastguard departed from Imia a short while ago. According to Turkish Media, this came after a decision by Molyviatis and Gul.

"Keep Cool"

While the talks between Molyviatis and Gul were underway on Tuesday, a series of Turkish provocations by both air and sea were recorded in the Aegean. Turkish fighter craft entered the Andros shooting range whilst live ammunition exercises were underway, while two Turkish coastguard boats successively approached Imia. Port Authority and military craft are observing coastguard movements at Imia, while Athens stresses that such actions do not promote the improvement of relations between the two countries.

The Turkish coastguards stay near Imia sparked off clashes in the Public Administration Committee in Parliament, where the bilateral agreement on forming a joint Greek-Turkish unit to face natural disasters was under discussion. PASOK MP Theodoros Pangalos clashed with Interior Minister Prokopis Pavlopoulos. "The Foreign Minister should for symbolic reasons leave the talks in Ankara and give a Press interview on Turkish Media, so that the international community learns the truth about Turkish provocations in the Aegean," stated Mr Pangalos.

This statement sparked off clashes with the Interior Minister Prokopis Pavlopoulos, who stressed that everyone knows that todays Turkish provocations can be blamed on past mistakes. However, he underlined that the continuous violations in the Aegean will be used by the Greek government internationally, underlining that Turkey is taking exams and Greece is the examiner.

Commenting on NET 105.8 on the Turkish provocations in the Aegean, ND MP and vice-chairman of the Parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee Ioannis Giannelis stressed that it is an unbalanced policy to proceed with violations whilst the Foreign Ministers of the two countries are in talks, while he added that such situations must be faced calmly. PASOK MP Andreas Loverdos stressed that there is a real inability to coordinate the different power centers in Turkey, and that this is simultaneously used as a pretext.

In the meantime, according to Turkish news agency Anatoli, which cites Turkish diplomatic sources, since yesterday morning "a Turkish and a Greek coastguard boat have been in Turkish territorial waters off the Imia islands." According to the Turkish diplomatic sources, the situation is under control.

Series of Turkish Provocations

The second Turkish coastguard, which was replaced this morning by another craft from the Turkish Port Authority, spent the entire night at a short distance from Imia. Shortly after 08:30, the second Turkish Port Authority craft illegally entered Greek territorial waters, continuing the Turkish provocations by replacing the coastguard, which had been stationed illegally since early Tuesday morning five hundred metres from the islands. The movements of the Turkish ships were observed by Greek Port Authority craft, while a military gunship remains at a discreet distance.

Alternate government spokesman Evangelos Antonaros stated: "The government is continually keeping a close watch on the developments of todays situation in the Aegean. However, it is a fact that these things are not helping the efforts being made to improve relations between the two countries, which is in any case the aim of todays visit by Foreign Minister Petros Molyviatis to Ankara."

Translated by Millie Williams

Related News:

Conditional Approach

Molyviatis in Ankara

[03] WHO Asks to Destroy Samples Deadly Virus in Laboratories

By Vagelis Theodorou

Sources: AFP- BBC

An alarm has sounded in the World Health Organization (WHO) after the sending of a deadly 1957 flue virus to more than 3,700 laboratories in 18 countries. The virus is called H2N2 and is responsible for the death of around one million people in 1957 and disappeared in 1968. WHO appears reassuring and at the same time made clear that whoevers been born after 1968 have restricted or no antibodies to the virus. From its side, the U.S. government has called on the College of American Pathologists (CAP), which sent out the samples asked for their immediate destruction. "If this virus were to infect one person, it would spread very rapidly," stated scientist Klaus Stohr of WHO noting that "if the virus gets loose, it can easily cause an influenza epidemic." The conditions under which the samples were sent out to the laboratories remain unknown.

Danger of Epidemic

The samples were sent by CAP between October and February 2004 while 61 of the laboratories are located outside of the U.S. and Canada.

In a letter WHO and CAP called on the laboratories to immediately destroy the virus, a process which is expected to completed at the end of the week. However, according to the Organization some samples may not be destroyed since they have possibly been transported in other laboratories.

Even if the Center for Disease Control and Prevention appears reassuring it states that the employees in the laboratories could have possibly been contaminated by the virus. Also, the Center has expressed its concern over the even of using H2N2 as a biological weapon from terrorist organizations.

In closing, WHO has asked for the proceedings to be reviewed for the safety compliance "concerning the flu viruses which does not appear and to which most people do not have antibodies."

Translated by Eirene Nisiriou

Related Links:

WHO

CAP

[04] In the Jaws of the Horse!

By Vagelis Theodorou

Art requires sacrifices, and this was painfully confirmed by a pop star from Bosnia. Jane was in a stable in the north east of the country. The concept had a bit of everything, and a horse was to "co-star" with the singer. It all went well until Jane felt a sharp pain in her bottom. What was it? Her co-star, who could not resist the carrot which Jane had put in the back pocket of her trousers. As soon as the horse saw the carrot, he rushed to taste it, but along with that the singers bottom went into his teeth! Jane was rushed to hospital, where doctors treated her injury. The next day, when she was released from hospital, she had learnt her lesson, and vowed never to work with animals again!

Translated by Millie Williams

[05] For the EU Constitution Intense Disputes in Parliament

By Betty Savourdou

Sources: ÍÅÔ - ÍÅÔ 105.8 - ÁNA

During the discussion for the ratification of the EU Constitution in Parliament on Tuesday night, an intense dispute arose between the Foreign Minister and the president of PASOK. George Papandreou accused the Government of inability to understand the historical reality of the changes in the EU. He also mentioned that the country had entered the EMU last year and no one recognized FYROM, while today Greece is considered "Europes black sheep." In answering, Prokopis Pavlopoulos launched an attack against PASOK, saying that it left Greece last in the EU, while with regard to the EMU, it delayed the countrys accession by a year and after following a nominal convergence. Earlier, former PM Kostas Simitis accused the Government of devaluing the country and alienating it from EU hard core with the so-called inventory, in favour of political purposes.

Dispute Prompted by Simitis' Speech

The dispute was prompted by Mr Simitis speech, whereby he claimed that the Governments assurance that Greece wishes to remain in the Unions hard core is an oxymoron.

"What is an oxymoron is the willingness of some people to keep lying and covering the truth," answered Mr Pavlopoulos. The Interior Minister also stressed, "We are trying to prove that the Constitution is compatible with Community law and you are telling us to abandon anything stemming from the Constitution and the choices we made, in the name of not clashing with the Communitys law and order."

PASOKs President took the strand next, who pointed out, "A year ago, it was a prestigious Greek state that entered the EMU, placed Cyprus in the EU, managed to shape the European context for Turkeys accession, had not suffered acknowledgments of FYROM by the USA and other countries and was not in danger of losing Community funds. Today, we are accountable and involved in aimless battles that have nothing to do with the countrys interests, but with small-time policies, while we are considered Europes black sheep."

The Interior Minister then commented, "We are all aware of one thing. PASOKs government left Greece last and led it to the EMU with a one-year delay and following a nominal convergence. It wanted to render the country a prisoner of creative accounting. Who were the ones who were on the receiving end the EUs protests, both for the figures, as well as the loss of Community funds?"

The KKE representative was next. Mr Kolozof complained that all the disputes concerned secondary matters, while he added, "While ND and PASOK should have told us why they both want to ratify this Treaty, they are starring in a theatre of the absurd."

EU Constitution a Significant Landmark

With regard to the EU Constitution, ND rapporteur, Elsa Papadimitriou, described it as the most significant landmark towards European completion, while she added that globalization has demonstrated that major issues demand a strong Europe with a clear definition of its role.

On the other hand, PASOKs rapporteur, Anna Diamantopoulou, described the EU Constitution as an unprecedented experiment, which does, however, answer to social deficit matters more than any other time.

In explaining his partys opposition to the EU Constitution, KKEs rapporteur, Aggelos Tzekis, spoke of limiting social and employee rights and intensifying suppression, by coordinating policing and surveillance mechanisms. He added that these developments signal a Republic that serves the sovereign order.

SYNs former President, Nikos Konstantopoulos, noted that his party would vote against the Treaty, as it does not allow a left-wing Government to implement a progressive programme.

Earlier, Mr Papandreou mentioned the main reasons justifying PASOKs request for holding a referendum in order to ratify the EUs Constitutional Treaty.

As per Mr Papandreou, a referendum would provide the people with the opportunity to "have a say in such an important matter."

Furthermore, through a referendum, the Greek people would be better informed on the countrys progress in the EU, 25 years after its accession into the EEC.

Finally, PASOKs President noted that significant decisions for the future of Europe, as well as the country, since it is a member of the Union, would be made through the European Constitution.

KKE Rallies in Athens and Thessaloniki

On Tuesday, KKE organized two simultaneous rallies in Athens and Thessaloniki, with the main motto being, "NO to the EU Constitution and the EU."

In Athens, the rally took place in Kaniggos Square, while later the protestors marched towards the Parliament.

Workers, students and pensioners voiced their opposition to ND and PASOKs policies and demanded a referendum on the EU Constitution, in order to inform the people and strengthen the resistance against the EU and the laws of capitalism.

Translated by Vicky Ghionis

Related News:

No Need for Referendum

EU Constitution in Parliament, on Tuesday

[06] Voting since this morning Students at the Polls

By Athina Saloustrou

The polls opened at dawn for the student elections in Universities and Polytechnic Institutions, where students are going to vote to elect representatives for the administrative councils of their schools. So far, voting has been going smoothly at all the schools. At Athens Law School, where yesterday PASP students occupied the Schools secretariat, protesting against ID cards, the polls opened at 09:15, which is when the student election process started. After a meeting, the council decided that the students should vote with their national ID cards. It was also decided that the 4 factions should participate in the central electoral committee, with this taken into account with &#190; of the representatives. In the meantime, after accusations from PASP and PASOK MP Andreas Loverdos of a corruption attempt in the elections at the Athens Law School, DAP-NDFK are speaking of "fabricated slander" and "an intervention by PASOK with a regime attitude."

Translated by Millie Williams

[07] The lawyer was sued by Grigoris Vallianatos Alexis Kougias is Free

By Anna Kourti

Sources: NET 105.8, ANA

Lawyer Alexis Kougias has been released after his appeal to the Public Prosecutor. The lawyer had been facing charges after Grigoris Vallianatos sued him following an incident between them in Kolonaki Square. The Public Prosecutor ordered the court report to again return to Syntagma police station in order to continue the preliminary investigation. In his statements, Mr Kougias alleged that there is a specific group of homosexuals holding the reins. In the meantime, an individual disciplinary charge against Mr Kougias was brought by Athens Bar Association Chairman Dimitris Paxinos, regarding undignified behaviour regarding the incident against the journalist.

Translated by Millie Williams

[08] On the extrajudicial gang that set up trials Giosakis in High Court

By Athina Saloustrou

Archimandrite Iakovos Giosakis is currently giving explanations to High Court Deputy Public Prosecutor Giorgos Sanidas on the extrajudicial gang which set up court proceedings and released drug dealers. Gisakis, who has already been remanded in custody, has been called on suspicion of committing a crime. Yesterday, former Metropolitan Bishop Theoklitos Koumarianos of Thessaliotida testified against the archimandrite, claiming that the latter played a central role in a set up case against Metropolitan Bishop Nikodimos. Besides this, the Bill on accelerating the Justice process, which was yesterday approved by the Cabinet, is today to be submitted to Parliament. Next week, according to information, judges and lawyers alleged to be involved in the extrajudicial gang will go before the Public Prosecutor, while the investigation is expected to be completed before Easter (1 May).

Translated by Millie Williams

Related News:

Theoklitos Testified Before Supreme Court

[09] 24 dead, 13 injured Fatal Accident in China

By Anna Kourti

Twenty-four people lost their lives and 13 were injured when the bus they were travelling on fell off a cliff in Western China. According to New China news agency, the accident occurred in the mountainous region of Amba, in Szechuan Province, as the bus was bound for the provincial capital of Chengdu. China holds the world record in road accidents, owing to the poor condition of the road network and poor driving. In 2004, more than 107,000 Chinese people lost their lives in thousands of accidents.

Translated by Millie Williams

[10] Sumatra in a State of Alert

By Anna Kourti

Over 25,000 residents evacuated their homes on the slopes of an active volcano on the island of Sumatra in Indonesia. Officials raised the state of alert to the highest point, as volcanic activity has intensified. "We are in a state of alert on Mount Talang," stated Surono, vulcanologist at the Vulcanology and Geophysics Department in the town of Bandung in Java. According to officials, over 25,000 people evacuated their homes on the slopes and in the immediate vicinity of the volcano, which is 2690 metres above sea level in the province of Western Sumatra, adding that this number may increase.

Translated by Millie Williams

[11] Nine Iaqis killed Explosion on Kirkuk Pipeline

By Anna Kourti

At least 9 Iraqi soldiers lost their lives trying to neutralize a bomb which had been placed on an oil pipeline near Kirkuk. The soldiers protecting the oil installations were killed when they tried to neutralize an explosive device, and following this a second bomb exploded, according to an Iraqi police spokesman. One officer was among the casualties. Earlier, two bomb attacks against American vehicles took place on Wednesday morning in Baghdad. No deaths or injuries have been reported.

Two bomb attacks against American vehicles took place on Wednesday morning in Baghdad. An American military fuel tanker went up in flames after a bomb placed at the edge of the road in eastern Baghdad exploded, a representative of the Iraqi Interior Ministry announced. The vehicle was completely destroyed. In another attack, another American military vehicle was destroyed by a bomb in the Jadinda district of south eastern Baghdad.

Iraqi President's Interview

New Iraqi President Jalal Talabani stated in an interview to Liberation newspaper that "an independent Kurdistan cannot survive. As with all other peoples, Kurds wish to have the right to self-determination. However, facing reality, we understand that this is not possible."

Furthermore, the new leader of the Iraqi state noted that the dream is not the same as reality. The Kurds voted for a federation in Iraq and not for independence.

In the same interview, Talabani stated that the issue of annexing the city of Kirkuk to the three provinces that form the autonomous Kurdistan will be examined when the situation calms down, according to Article 58 of the provisional Charter.

Kurdish citizens of Kirkuk, who were persecuted by Saddams regime, will be able to return to their homes, and those who are now living there must return to their places of origin. When this process is completed, the local population will decide whether or not it wishes to depend on the regional Kurdish government.

Translated by Millie Williams

[12] Aiming to stop it getting worse Smart Lenses Against Short Sight

By Vagelis Theodorou

Sources: BBC

Special contact lenses created by British scientists from Anglia Polytechnic University aim to put a definitive end to the problems of shortsightedness. The custom-made lenses aim to correct problems with focusing, which opticians blame for shortsightedness. The researchers main aim is for the lenses to be tried out by five-year-old children who are prone to shortsightedness, so that they do not face greater problems or diseases connected to myopia, such as glaucoma and cataracts in the future. Shortsightedness is caused by the eye-muscles inability to flatten the lens enough to focus light from distant objects directly on to the retina. Glasses correct the problem to some degree, but shortsighted people cannot focus precisely on objects, especially when they are close to them.

Correcting Sight

The trials for the effectiveness of the smart contact lenses are still in their early stages.

At the current stage, the researchers have enlisted about 400 volunteers, aged between 14 and 21, to test the lenses and they will observe the progress of their myopia for the next two years. Their aim is to determine how far the lenses can restrict myopia in comparison with an operation.

The scientists already know enough to predict when a child will face sight problems. For example, if both parents are shortsighted, the child has a six-fold greater risk of developing sight problems.

"We could do a little screening test when children are five or six years old, identify the ones at risk and encourage them to wear lenses to stop them developing myopia so they have perfect sight," said Professor Daniel OLeary, who heads the research team.

Similar research is being carried out by Australian scientists , who are examining how far small children can adapt to using contact lenses.

The general aim is to put an end to problems of myopia, encountered by about a billion people worldwide.

Translated by Millie Williams

[13] New generation of ground telescopes Giant Eyes for Space

By Vagelis Theodorou

With the construction of new ground-based telescopes, scientists in the US and Europe are setting their sights on discovering planets that resemble Earth and could be populated by alien life forms. According to speakers at the UK National Astronomy Meeting in Birmingham, the new generation of ground-based telescopes, known as Extremely Large Telescopes (ELT), is expected to be ten times the size of existing instruments, while they are expected to be 40 times sharper than todays leading Hubble telescope. The US and Canadas proposal for ELT is the Thirty Metre Telescope (TMT), while Europe is considering two plans: the Euro 50 and the Overwhelmingly Large Telescope, known as Owl. All three proposals are based on adaptive optics, a computer controlled system that deforms the mirror to adjust for atmospheric turbulence.

The Battle for Size

The diametre of the telescope is the main feature of its performance, as the bigger the mirror or the lens, the more light it can concentrate.

The American plan includes quite a few eight-metre reflectors, while the Euro 50 and the Owl are based on smaller, but more hexagonal mirrors.

In fact, the Owl, which is being designed by the European Southern Observatory, will be the biggest telescope ever built, as its main mirror will be 100 metres in diametre. The reflector will be spherical, so that the segments will all be the same and can be mass produced at a low cost.

However, the construction of such a large telescope is difficult, as todays technology is not able to produce perfectly curved mirrors with a diametre over eight metres. Furthermore, in the case of the Owl, the focus will not be set (owing to the spherical mirror), which means that several corrective mirrors will be needed.

Astronomers need ELT in order to see small planets like the Earth, while so far 150 exoplanets the size of Jupiter have been located through indirect methods.

Translated by Millie Williams

[14] Pop Singer is Pregnant The Stork Visits Britney

By Vagelis Theodorou

Britney Spears is beginning a new career in motherhood. As she announced to her fans through the Internet on Tuesday night, her first child will be born in a few months, the love child of dancer Kevin Federline, who she married last September. "The time has finally come to share our wonderful news that we are expecting our fist child together. There are reports that I was in the hospital last weekend. Kevin and I just want everyone to know that all is well. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers." Recently, many Press articles spoke of Britneys pregnancy but she denied the information. Now that the announcement has been made that she is officially expecting her first child we wish her all the best!

Translated by Eirene Nisiriou

Related Links:

Britney Spears

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