Athens News Agency: News in English, 03-05-11

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

CONTENTS

[01] Simitis concludes tour of new EU members

[02] ND leader Karamanlis sends from Limnos message of peace to Turkish

[03] Verelis presents tram car system

[04] Athens 2004 Games the focus of Sidney's newspaper report

[05] FM to address ruling PASOK's event on Europe's future

[06] Weather Forecast: Sunshine on Monday

[01] Simitis concludes tour of new EU members

PRAGUE (ANA) - Prime minister and European Council President-in-office Costas Simitis on Saturday concluded his tour of seven newly acceding countries to the European Union, in light of the European Union Summit that will take place in June, in Thessaloniki.

Simitis visited Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic and held talks with the presidents and premiers of those states, appearing optimistic over the future of the enlarged European Union.

At the end of his talks with Czech Prime Minister Vladimir Spidla, Simitis held a press conference, marking the end of the tour.

''They believe that Greece, a small country, managed to promote itself in the European Union and for that reason they look at its experience and for its aid,'' Simitis said, adding that they believe that the confrontation and resolution of the problems they face can be accomplished only within the European Union that can offer them stability and prosperity.

He stressed that talks focused mainly in the future institutional form of the European Union, fearing that changes may function to their disadvantage. ''In addition the memory of the Soviet past is very intense and for that reason they are concerned greatly about issues of security, issues of foreign policy, issues of defense,'' Simitis added.

''They want to have the certainty that in the future they will not relive that which existed in the past,'' Simitis stressed.

The issues of immigration and European security will top the agenda of the EU Summit in Thessaloniki, especially in light of the enlargement.

On his part, Spidla said that he voiced his country's stance that each EU member should have one European Commissioner, a position taken in light of the institutional changes of the EU.

At the end of the press conference, the Greek PM responded to questions on developments concerning Cyprus, Turkey and the European Union, stressing that the statements of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan that the ''Cyprus problem can only be resolved if the two communities (Greek and Turkish Cypriot) discuss between them without the aid or without the framework of the United Nations,'' can not be followed, since ''I would like to stress, once more, that the Cyprus problem is not a problem between the two communities. It is a problem of occupation of a part of the island by the Turkish military.''

[02] ND leader Karamanlis sends from Limnos message of peace to Turkish people

Main opposition New Democracy (ND) party leader Costas Karamanlis, on a tour of the Aegean island Limnos on Sunday, referred to Greek-Turkish relations, underlining that ''on the occasion of my presence here, I want to send to the neighbouring Turkish people a sincere message of peace and cooperation''.

''Our neighbours should know that all Greeks want harmonious bilateral cooperation. We want for our neighbours those things which we also strive for. This is why we support, within the framework, of course, of the terms of the European Union, their European orientation. We hope and expect the new leadership of the neighbouring country to rid itself of the nationalistic remnants of the past and show respect to international legality. We are not seeing this yet,'' he added.

Regarding Greek politics, the ND leader said that Greece ''needs another mentality'' and ''a new government which is not directed by non-institutional bosses.''

[03] Verelis presents tram car system

Transport and Communications Minister Christos Verelis on Sunday announced that the countdown for the full function of the Athens tram system has began, as he presented the first of the wagons and engines that will be used in the system.

TRAM S.A. presented the 31.9 meter long rail car and engine assembly that will have a 200 passenger capacity and announced that the tram system will be in full use in April 2004 and will have a daily capacity of 80,000 passengers.

[04] Athens 2004 Games the focus of Sidney's newspaper report

MELBOURNE (ANA - S. Hatzimanolis) - Sidney's "Sunday Telegraph" newspaper included a full page report on, compiled by journalist Bruce McDougall, on the radical changes in Athens in light of the Athens 2004 Olympic Games.

The report, that was very positive toward Greece's efforts to organize these historic Games, focuses on the municipality and new Mayor Dora Bakoyianni, the historic monuments in the city, spanning thousands of years of history and also focuses on the Marathon run on the original route.

[05] FM to address ruling PASOK's event on Europe's future

Foreign Minister George Papandreou on Monday will address a one-day conference in Athens on "Greece, the European Union, the Future of Europe", that will take place at the Old Parliament Building as part of ruling PASOK's events in light of the Greek EU presidency.

[06] Weather Forecast: Sunshine on Monday

Hot, sunny weather is forecast in all parts of the country, with scattered cloud in the north and west. Winds variable, light. In the Ionian, temperatures will range from 15C to 31C; on the mainland from 13C to 35C; and in the Aegean from 16C to 30C. Temperatures in Athens between 18C and 33C; and in Thessaloniki from 16C to 31C.

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