The Hellenic Radio (ERA): News in English, 08-03-04

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

CONTENTS

[01] On FYROM's Name

04 Mar 2008 15:02:00 (Last updated: 04 Mar 2008 16:29:14)

Sources: ΝΕΤ-ΝΕΤ 105.8-ΑNA/ΜPA

UN mediator Matthew Nimetz is visiting Skopje on Wednesday to hold a new round of talks with FYROMs (Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia) leadership in an attempt to lift the deadlock in the negotiations on the name issue. After her meeting with the President of the Hellenic Republic Karolos Papoulias, Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis appealed to Skopje to abandon their intransigent stance. After his first meeting with Mr Papoulias, SYRIZA (Coalition of the Radical Left) President Alexis Tsipras referred to the issue.

"Ready for the Battle"

In view of the NATO Foreign Ministers meeting in Brussels on Thursday, Minister of Foreign Affairs Dora Bakoyannis briefed Greek President Karolos Papoulias on developments on the FYROM name issue.

Ms Bakoyannis stated that Greece is ready to give its battle, stressing that Greek diplomacy is well-prepared, as well as determined.

She reiterated the Greek position that no solution means no invitation to NATO for FYROM, calling Skopje to abandon their intransigent stance. Ms Bakoyannis added that negotiations would last long.

Moreover, she stressed that she would have the opportunity to present Greeces views on the issue at the NATO Foreign ministers meeting, expressing his satisfaction over the fact that the NATO Secretary General stated yesterday that unanimity is required for NATO to expand.

Furthermore, she stressed that if no solution is found by the end of the Bucharest Summit Meeting, efforts for a solution would continue. She stated that the situation now asks for determination and realism, adding that our allies and neighbours should understand that realism has limits and should not be unilateral, because good neighbourly relations cannot be built in this way, stated Environment Minister George Souflias.

Government spokesman Theodoros Roussopoulos from his side stressed that what civilians wish is a mutually and just solution that will last long.

Meanwhile, after his first meeting with Mr Papoulias, Mr Tsipras expressed his concerns over international developments.

He stated that his party supports a mutually accepted solution with a geographical complement, stressing in parallel that the solution cannot be found within the framework of US interests in the region.

Nimetz to Visit Skopje

At the same time, Mr Nimetz has asked to visit Skopje anew to have a new round of deliberations with FYROMs leadership.

The Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs has neither rejected nor verified a possible meeting between Mr Nimetz and Ambassador Adamantios Vasilakis in Thessaloniki on Thursday. Finally, FYROM Foreign Minister Antonio Milososki has expressed Skopjes intransigence once more, pointing out that each country is entitled to a constitutional name and a national identity.

Translated by John Crystallidis

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[02] Port Workers' Strike Legal

Sources: ΝΕΤ, ΝΕΤ 105.8

The Piraeus Court of First Instance has rejected the lawsuit filed by OLP, describing the port workers mobilizations illegal and improper. The ruling recognizes fully the employees constitutional right to go on strike, pointing out that the court has not been convinced on the magnitude of the financial losses OLP have sustained from the mobilizations.

Translated by John Crystallidis

[03] In Salamina

04 Mar 2008 14:01:00

By Vivian Papastefanou

Sources: ΝΕΤ 105.8-ΑNA

The authorities have confiscated bad meat and foods to be consumed at Easter at Salamina market. They dangerous products weighted 900 kilos.

Specifically, the authorities confiscated 400 kilos of ink-fish, squid and octopuses from Pan. Theocharis shop in Salamina, which were kept in deep freeze despite the fact that they were fresh. Moreover, the authorities confiscated 500 kilos of meat at Loukas Anastasiou shop in Salamina as they it expired.

Translated by John Crystallidis

[04] Folias-PPC Meeting

04 Mar 2008 14:34:00

Sources: ΝΕΤ -ΝΕΤ 105.8-ΑNA

The PPC (Public Power Corporation) will proceed to electric-power cuts as five additional electric-power plants ceased functioning. PPC employees are reacting to the governments plans to merge their Fund with IKA (Social Security Institute). The strikers gathered outside the PPC headquarters at dawn, preventing their colleagues from entering the building. Almost 1/3 of the electric-power production, that is, 3,675 Megawatts has been lost. The overall number of electric-power plants presently out of action number 14. The PPC has appealed to consumers to reduce electric-power consumption mainly from 10:00-14:00 and from 18:30-21:30. Households are also requested to limit the use of elevators, industries to reduce their operational needs and farmers to limit irrigation. The PPC believes that as lignite mines remain closed for the second consecutive day, the situation is critical because the electric-power plants presently in use are facing fuel problems. In an attempt to diffuse the crisis, the Development minister took the initiative to invite PPC Trade Unionists to his office this afternoon.

Translated by John Crystallidis

[05] Christofias Visits Athens

Sources: ΝΕΤ, ΝΕΤ 105.8

The newly-elected President of the Cyprus Republic Dimitris Christofias is arriving in Athens on Tuesday afternoon to hold talks with the leadership on developments in the Cyprus issue. The President of the Hellenic Republic will host him a dinner in the evening, while Mr Christofias will meet the prime minister and political party leaders on Wednesday. The Cypriot president will meet with Turkish-Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat after 15 March.

Meanwhile, the Swedish prime minister has extended an invitation through the Swedish ambassador in Nicosia to Mr Christofias to visit pay an official visit to Sweden.

The invitation comes after Sweden had cancelled former Foreign Minister Erato Kozakou-Markoulis visit to Sweden after former Cypriot President Tassos Papadopoulos had stated that the Swedish prime minister and Foreign minister had different views on the green line and commerce with the Turkish-Cypriots.

Translated by John Crystallidis

[06] Karamanlis-Stylianidis Meeting

04 Mar 2008 14:31:00

Sources: ΝΕΤ-ΝΕΤ 15.8-ΑNA/ΜPA

Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis and Education Minister Evripidis Stylianidis discussed progress in the implementation of the framework-law and the results of TEI (Technological Educational Institutes) Rectors and Presidents meeting. Mr Stylianidis stated that the reform in Education would continue being implemented, stressing that all will have to resume their responsibilities for the implementation of the law. Mr Stylianidis added that the law would be modernized only when all amendments and the institutional framework are implemented.

Mr Stylianidis also stressed that the Universities that implement the amendments will come first in terms of priority in post graduate studies financing, adding that Greece spends 1.8 of the NGP on Education.

He also reported that the ministrys 2.2 million operational programme will be financed by the Fourth Community Support Framework. In reply to a question on University asylum, he criticized those who wish to prevent the democratic functioning of Universities.

Finally, Mr Stylianidis stated that the new law enables Rectors to have the necessary tools to allow the democratic functioning of Universities.

Translated by John Crystallidis

[07] His First Visit to the Presidential Mansion

04 Mar 2008 12:54:00

By Anna Kourti

Sources: ΑNA-ΜPA, ΝΕΤ

Alexis Tsipras has paid his first visit at the Presidential Mansion as SYN (Coalition of the Left) president. Mr Tsipras was warmly welcomed by the President of the Hellenic Republic Karolos Papoulias, who congratulated him on his election. Mr Tsipras expressed his concerns over domestic policies and international developments to Mr Papoulias. He said that with its policy the government is placing the youth to the margin and breaking open social cohesion. He also added that he had expressed his concern over international developments for the unilateral declaration of Kosovos independence. Referring to the FYROM (Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia) name issue, he said that negotiations would continue, adding that Greece should try to find a mutually accepted solution with a geographic complement.

However, he described the development in Kosovo more disturbing than the FYROM name issue that had been bedeviling us for 15 years and which should have been resolved.

Mr Tsipras expressed his objection over irredentist actions on behalf of Skopje, arguing that the name issue should not be solved on the basis of the US priorities in the region.

In reply to a question on rallies to be staged for the FYROM name issue, he hoped that rallies concerning big problems of the society should take place instead, expressing his opposition over the rally on the name issue. Finally, he opposed to Greeces policy on sending soldiers to Kosovo or Afghanistan.

Translated by John Crystallidis

[08] Aiming at Reviving Peace Talks

Sources: Reuters, Associated Press, ANA-MPA

Συνομιλίες με Αιγύπτιους αξιωματούχους είχε το πρωί της Τρίτης η υπουργός Εξωτερικών των ΗΠΑ, στο Κάιρο, πρώτο σταθμό της περιοδείας της στη Μέση Ανατολή, που στόχο έχει την επανάληψη της ειρηνευτικής διαδικασίας μεταξύ Ισραήλ και Παλαιστινίων. Η Αμερικανίδα υπουργός κάλεσε Ισραηλινούς και Παλαιστινίους να ξαναρχίσουν τις συνομιλίες, μετά τη στρατιωτική επιχείρηση του Ισραήλ στη Λωρίδα της Γάζας, το Σαββατοκύριακο, που στοίχισε τη ζωή σε περισσότερους από 100 Παλαιστινίους. Η Κοντολίζα Ράις εξέφρασε την ανησυχία της για το θάνατο αθώων πολιτών, ωστόσο κατηγόρησε ως υπαίτιο της αιματοχυσίας τη Χαμάς. Αργότερα σήμερα, θα επισκεφθεί την Ιερουσαλήμ και τη Ραμάλα, για περαιτέρω διαπραγματεύσεις με τους ηγέτες των δύο πλευρών. Στο μεταξύ, ισχυρές δυνάμεις της ισραηλινής αστυνομίας έχουν αναπτυχθεί στον ανατολικό τομέα της Ιερουσαλήμ, καθώς αναμένονται νέες διαδηλώσεις των Παλαιστινίων.

Rice: "Blame on Hamas"

Blaming Hamas for the Israeli military operations, Condoleezza Rice also called on Israel to realise the consequences of their operations against civilians.

"Hamas is doing what might be expected, which is using rocket attacks on Israel to arrest a peace process in which they have nothing to gain," Rice said. Hamas, on the other hand, blasted Rice for instigating war against Hamas by holding it accountable for the mounting violence in the Gaza Strip.

"These statements merely mean to deceive the people of the region and cover up the crime committed by George Bush against the people of Palestine, because it was him who gave the green light for the war against Gaza, during his visit in the area in January," commented a Hamas spokesman. He then went to urge Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to turn a deaf ear to Rices call for revival of the peace talks, which were broken off on Sunday due to the Israeli raid in Gaza.

Jerusalem under Tight Security

Police forces have been deployed in Jerusalems eastern sector to maintain order, as Palestinians are expected to take to the streets to protest against the Israeli raid in the Gaza Strip.

Launched on Saturday, the Israeli raid against northern Gaza came to an end on Monday, killing at least 100 Palestinians, including women and children. Two Israeli troops were killed in the clashes.

Shortly afterwards, Palestinians staged demonstrations in the West Bank, where a teen Palestinian was shot dead by an Israeli settler. At least 20 Palestinians sustained injuries in other demonstrations held in Bethlehem, Hebron and eastern Jerusalem.

Translated by Areti Christou

Read the story on other sources:

BBC: Rice tries to save Mid-East talks

Related News:

Condoleezza Rice on Mideast Tour

[09] Pension Reform Sparks Strike Actions

Sources: ΝΕΤ, ΝΕΤ 105.8

Trade unions are on standby, as the Inner Cabinet meeting is bound to give thumbs up for the pension reforms in the days to come. The board of the Greek General Confederation of Labour (GSEE) is currently meeting with trade unions, with the pension reforms and the issue of arduous and unhealthy occupations running high on the agenda. Having heralded a 24-hour strike on the day when the pension bill is set to be debated in Parliament, the unionists are expected to weigh up on their future stance. In the meantime, reacting to the possible integration of their Fund into IKA (Social Insurance Foundation), the PPC (Public Power Corporation) personnel will be staging 24-hour rolling strikes until Thursday. Their strike has brought about limited power cuts, as several power output plants have been shut down. Furthermore, the ongoing strike of the Bank of Greece personnel kept the Athens Exchange closed. The three-hour work stoppage called by the underground staff will leave Athens with no underground services until 14:00pm on Tuesday. On Wednesday, Greek pensioners organizations have heralded a rally at Kotzias Square, while municipal employees are to go out on a six-day abstention from their duties as of Friday.

Translated by Areti Christou

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[10] Bloody Attack in Pakistan

By Anna Kourti

Sources: Reuters, ΑNA-ΜPA

At least five people were killed and three injured in blasts at a naval college in Lahore, Pakistan. The blasts might have been caused by a suicide bomber. Pakistani TV Station Dawn has attributed the blasts to a suicide bomber, while the German News Agency believes the blasts took place in the car park of the school. However, this source does not rule out the blasts to have been caused by an accident as, eyewitnesses reported that the blast followed a collision between a vehicle and a fuel truck. Reuters news agency reports that the two blasts were heard near the school building and a few minutes later two more were heard from a different part of the city. More than 500 people have lost their life in bomb attacks since the beginning of 2008.

Translated by John Crystallidis

[11] On the FYROM Name Dispute

04 Mar 2008 10:26:00 (Last updated: 04 Mar 2008 15:35:20)

By Anna Kourti

Sources: ΝΕΤ, ΝΕΤ 105.8, ANA-MPA

The UN envoy is to embark on a fresh drive with a view to breaking the impasse in the talks between Athens and Skopje on the name row. Matthew Nimetz is due Wednesday in Skopje anew, while he is expected to have a new meeting with Greek negotiator Adamantios Vassilakis. In the meantime, sending a crystal clear message to FYROM, Greece argued that no breakthrough means no invitation to NATO. The Alliances Secretary General, Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, who visited Athens on Monday, stressed that FYROMs stance would be assessed, placing emphasis on Greeces consent, as it is a long-time and staunch NATO ally. Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis claimed that any kind of alliance requires good neighbourly relations. The USA championed a mutually acceptable solution and urged the two sides to keep cooperating with Matthew Nimetz. At the same time, a poll conducted in Greece revealed that 68.1% of the Greek people is against a composite name that would include the term Macedonia, while 52.5% does not think that Nimetzs proposals could work as the basis for the negotiations on the name issue.

PASOK (Panhellenic Socialist Movement) President George Papandreou underlined that PASOK was the first to call for a mutually acceptably geographically-determined name, no to a double name and a veto in case of an impasse.

The Greek Communist Party (KKE), on its part, urged the citizens to objects Greeces involvement in the joint aggressive plans masterminded by the USA, NATO and EU.

Organising a rally in Thessaloniki on Wednesday, the head of the Popular Orthodox Rally (LAOS), George Karatzaferis, blasted the Government for its handlings on the matter.

Still intransigent, FYROM Foreign Minister Antonio Milososki urged Greece to recognize Skopje with its constitutional name.

Vetoing FYROMs NATO bid is against Greece and FYROMs interests, commented Greek Mercantile Marine Minister George Voulgarakis.

Translated by Areti Christou

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