Athens News Agency: News in English, 02-11-07

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

CONTENTS

[01] Weather Forecast: Rain, storms on Thursday

[02] Simitis, Chirac discuss EU enlargement with special reference to Cyprus

[03] Erdogan to visit Greece on Nov. 18

[04] EU transport commissioner to visit Athens November 14-15

[05] Court acquits 13 British and Dutch plane-spotters charged with

[06] Exhibition on post-Byzantine period opens in New York

[07] Letter to Lord Elgin about Parthenon marbles auctioned off, bought by

[08] Latest IOC inspection for 2004 Games begins

[01] Weather Forecast: Rain, storms on Thursday

Rain and storms are forecast in all parts of the country, with snow expected to fall on high ground in the north. Winds variable, moderate to very strong. In the north, temperatures will range from 4C to 12C; in the Ionian and on the rest of the mainland from 12C to 19C; and in the Aegean islands from 15C to 22C. Temperatures in Athens between 16C and 20C; and in Thessaloniki from 7C to 12C.

[02] Simitis, Chirac discuss EU enlargement with special reference to Cyprus

PARIS (ANA - O. Tsipira) - Europe and Iraq are the two basic subjects Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis discussed with French President Jacques Chirac on here on Wednesday, according to statements by a spokeswoman of the French presidency.

Speaking of the EU enlargement process, the two men also made special reference to Cyprus.

According to the spokeswoman, Catherine Colonna, the French president underlined that that ''we should do all we can'' within the next few weeks before the Copenhagen Summit, to conclude a political solution.

Simitis, on his part, reiterated that according to the Helsinki decisions a political solution does not constitute a precondition for Cyprus accession to the European Union.

Especially, concerning Turkey, the Greek premier said that he was disposed positively in giving the new Turkish government a positive message from Copenhagen.

Concerning the enlargement of the European Union, Chirac expressed his satisfaction for the positive developments that took place in Brussels and underlined that the ''funding of the enlargement should be accomplished in a just fashion for all in the spirit of European solidarity''.

According to the spokeswoman, Chirac said to Simitis that he is expecting of the Greek presidency to promote the negotiations with Bulgaria and Romania, so that these countries may achieve the entry target in 2007.

[03] Erdogan to visit Greece on Nov. 18

Turkey's Justice and Development Party (AKP) leader and former Istanbul mayor Recep Tayyip Erdogan is expected to visit Greece on Monday Nov. 18, according to an announcement he made to the ambassadors of the European Union member-states in Ankara, on Wednesday.

According to diplomatic sources, Erdogan earlier in the day met with Ambassador Theodoros Sotiropoulos, director of Prime Minister Costas Simitis' office, and with foreign ministry councilor, to prepare for his visit to Greece.

Erdogan made his announcement during a dinner he hosted for the Union's ambassadors.

[04] EU transport commissioner to visit Athens November 14-15

BRUSSELS (ANA - G. Daratos) - European Union Transport and Energy Commissioner Loyola de Palacio will visit Athens on November 14-15 and the future of Olympic Airways, Greece's national carrier, will be at the forefront of her consultations and talks.

De Palacio will visit the Greek capital to attend the meeting of Balkan countries' energy ministers, organised by the government for the creation of a big unified Balkan electric power market.

She will also be having private talks with the Balkan countries' transport and energy ministers.

[05] Court acquits 13 British and Dutch plane-spotters charged with espionage

The Kalamata Appelate Court on Wednesday acquitted 13 British and Dutch plane-spotters on charges of espionage.

The court accepted that eight of the accused believed that they could record facts on military aircraft and ruled them innocent on grounds that they were misled.

As for the other five, the court accepted that they had no involvement in the matter.

Public prosecutor Nikos Pantelis had previously asked of the court to find eight of them guilty of espionage and the other five innocent due to doubts.

[06] Exhibition on post-Byzantine period opens in New York

An exhibition of works of the post-Byzantine period (The Greek rennaissance) between the 15th and 18th centuries was inaugurated at the Alexander S. Onassis Public Benefit Foundation in New York on Wednesday.

The exhibition, due to last until February 8 2003, is organised by the Byzantine and Christian Museum in cooperation with the foundation.

Fifty-four selected works from the most important centres of Hellenism, coming exclusively from the collection of the Byzantine and Christian Museum, outline the course and the basic elements characterising post-Byzantine art.

The exhibition, dedicated primarily to painting, is presenting works of high artistic and cultural creation in an effort to promote Byzantine culture following the fall of the Byzantine empire.

[07] Letter to Lord Elgin about Parthenon marbles auctioned off, bought by Greek

LONDON (ANA - L. Tsirigotakis) - A letter of the English ambassador to Constantinople (Istanbul) Robert Adair dated 1811 to Lord Elgin was sold on Wednesday here in an auction for 8,000 pounds.

According to sources, the letter was purchased by a Greek, who wished to remain anonymous.

The letter written by the British Ambassador in 1811 to the seventh Earl of Elgin, noted that he had no right to buy the 5th Century artifacts.

The marble sculptures, which were part of the frieze of the front of the Parthenon, were taken from Athens to England by Elgin 10 years before the war of Greek independence and are now on display at the British Museum.

[08] Latest IOC inspection for 2004 Games begins

The head of the International Olympic Committees (IOC) commission for the 2004 Athens Olympic reiterated on Wednesday that ?time remains the most crucial element? in preparations for the upcoming Games, as IOC chief inspector Denis Oswald arrived at the head of yet another IOC delegation on Wednesday.

The latest IOC three-day inspection visit commenced with a briefing by Athens 2004 organisers (ATHOC), as discussions and briefings focused on projects at the Helleniko Olympic Complex, the main Athens Olympic Sports Complex (OAKA), the Athens Olympic Centre at Goudi, as well as work on the all-important tram network, in light of recent delays plaguing the project.

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