Athens News Agency: News in English, 03-10-11

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

CONTENTS

[01] PASOK National Council adopts resolution backing Social Charter

[02] ND leader meets with Georgian president

[03] Greek police and coast guard to be trained in France for Olympic Games

[01] PASOK National Council adopts resolution backing Social Charter

Ruling PASOK's National Council ended on Friday by unanimously adopting a resolution that backed the government's social charter and called on all party members to ''fight the good fight'' in the period running up to the next elections.

According to the resolution, the social charter will help accelerate economic and social convergence with the European Union, while promoting development and prosperity with social cohesion and respect for the environment. It said the charter will be PASOK's policy plan for the 2004-2008 period and allow the country to pull out of the cycle of insecurity and lost opportunities.

It also noted that the next months will be crucial in the electoral battle and that PASOK had to win the hearts and confidence of the voters, calling on all PASOK officials and ''those who share the same visions'' to join the effort for a ''new Greece'' through dialogue with organisations and society.

Earlier the national council was addressed for a second time by Prime Minister Costas Simitis, who said he was certain that PASOK would win the next elections.

Commenting on the upcoming polls, Simitis stressed that nothing had been determined yet and all the options were open for PASOK, which still held victory within its grasp. He called for unity and effort by all members and officials of the movement, urging them to ''carry the message'' to all the people in Greece.

[02] ND leader meets with Georgian president

TIBLISI (ANA/A. Panagopoulos) - Main opposition New Democracy (ND) leader Costas Karamanlis on Friday was received by President of Georgia Eduard Shevardnadze, with whom he exchanged views concerning the improvement of bilateral relations.

Shevardnadze briefed Karamanlis on conditions in his country, saying that the two greatest problems are those of the economy and unemployment, while an acute problem is that of immigration of Georgians to other countries in search of work and better living conditions.

He stressed to Karamanlis that the aim is to restructure the economy of the country, which has chosen a European orientation and on his part Karamanlis expressed his support for Georgia's orientation both for historical and religious reasons, as well as because of the good relations between Georgia and Greece.

Earlier in the day, Karamanlis met with Patriarch of Georgia Ilias.

[03] Greek police and coast guard to be trained in France for Olympic Games

France will train two groups of specialists for the security of the Athens 2004 Olympic Games, in its capacity as one of the countries that is participating in the group of nations supporting the security of the Games, a French embassy press release said on Friday.

The training program is organized by the French embassy's international service of police and technical cooperation in Greece (SCTIP) and in its first phase it will include some 15 police officers, who will go to Lyon between Oct. 20 and 24, where the training will take place.

This phase will include high level training in terrorism combat techniques and will be provided by a team of the French national police (GIPN).

The second team to be trained will be composed of Greek coast guard divers' team, which will travel to the base of Saint Mandriar on Oct. 13 and will remain there until Oct. 25, to train along with the French Navy ''Hubert'' team commandos.

In addition programs for the training of Greek firemen were also scheduled.

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