Athens News Agency: News in English, 03-12-06

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

CONTENTS

[01] ND leader announces committee to monitor Olympic Games preparations

[02] Greece, Cyprus decide further strengthening of security ties

[03] FM addresses PASOK party's European conference

[04] ND leader announces committee to monitor Olympic Games preparations

[05] Development minister to Syria for talks on energy, tourism

[01] ND leader announces committee to monitor Olympic Games preparations

Main opposition New Democracy (ND) party leader Costas Karamanlis, addressing a party conference on the Olympic Games on Friday, announced the creation of a party committee to closely monitor preparations for the 2004 Athens Olympic Games.

Deputies and technocrats, Athens Mayor Dora Bakoyianni and Thessaloniki Mayor Vassilis Papageorgopoulos will be participating in the committee.

Karamanlis said he will be coordinating the committee's work himself.

He stressed that the Olympic Games are a national issue and they must remain distant from party conflicts, while Culture Minister Evangelos Venizelos, Olympic Games Organising Committee (ATHOC) President Gianna Angelopoulos Daskalaki and other speakers agreed with him.

Referring to security for the Games, Venizelos said ''Greece, as well as every other country, has the fundamental obligation to safeguard its internal and external security. And it is evident that military planning for the country's security takes into consideration the simple fact that the country is a member-state of NATO and, consequently, our military planning takes NATO planning into consideration.''

[02] Greece, Cyprus decide further strengthening of security ties

Nicosia (ANA-G. Leonidas) -- Greece and Cyprus have decided to further strenthen their ties in the sector of security, it was announced on Friday.

The agreement was made during a meeting in Nicosia between visiting Greek Public Order Minister George Floridis and Cyprus Justice and Public Order Minister Doros Theodorou.

After the meeting, Theodorou told reportes that Floridis' visit and their talks ''mark a new era in relations between the two ministries and the security corps under their jurisdiction. It is, perhaps, the first time agreements signed -- others in the past and others more recently -- will be implemented with practical policies''.

''We have already agreed on specific cooperations both on police issues as well as European Union matters, such as terrorism, narcotics and illegal immigration. We have also agreed on cooperations in the sector of firefighting -- in which Greece has exceptional experience and has reached levels of perfection, and today has perhaps the best Firefighting Service in Europe,'' Theodorou said.

Agreements were further reached on matters concerning the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Theodorou continued, noting that Cyprus ''has offered to provide any assistance requested by the Greek side.''

Floridis told reporters that they discussed specific matters of cooperation, such as training, co-training and briefing on issues of European adaptation.

He added that Greece also had the major issue of the Olmpic Games, particularly the security aspect, noting that it has developed bilateral cooperations with may other countries of the world, ''but Cyprus cooperation, too, is exceptional and absolutely necessary''.

Noting that Olympics security meant, first of all, information, Floridis said that given the sensitive part of the world in which Greece and Cyprus were located, ''a mutual flow of information is exceptionally useful for the security plans''.

[03] FM addresses PASOK party's European conference

Foreign Minister George Papandreou, addressing the ruling PASOK party's European conference on Friday, said ''a continuous struggle is necessary and it is our party, the Panhellenic Socialist Movement together with president Costas Simitis which will be able to continue this struggle during the crucial phases of the next year 2004.''

Referring to the socialist vision for Europe, Papandreou said ''the socialists know how to handle the real problems of society at international level as well'' and expressed support for the promotion of European defence which ''will give a feeling of security to citizens and will constitute a step to enable us to tell the universe and the world, on the international chessboard, that the role of the European Union exists.''

Environment, Town Planning and Public Works Minister Vasso Papandreou spoke of the ''prevalence of state interest and the absence of ideological confrontation of the progressive forces with the Right in the discussion for the constitution of Europe.''

[04] ND leader announces committee to monitor Olympic Games preparations (adds more)

Main opposition New Democracy (ND) party leader Costas Karamanlis, addressing a party conference on the Olympic Games on Friday, announced the creation of a party committee to closely monitor preparations for the 2004 Athens Olympic Games.

Deputies and technocrats, Athens Mayor Dora Bakoyianni and Thessaloniki Mayor Vassilis Papageorgopoulos will be participating in the committee.

Karamanlis said he will be coordinating the committee's work himself.

He stressed that the Olympic Games are a national issue and they must remain distant from party conflicts, while Culture Minister Evangelos Venizelos, Olympic Games Organising Committee (ATHOC) President Gianna Angelopoulos Daskalaki and other speakers agreed with him.

Referring to security for the Games, Venizelos said ''Greece, as well as every other country, has the fundamental obligation to safeguard its internal and external security. And it is evident that military planning for the country's security takes into consideration the simple fact that the country is a member-state of NATO and, consequently, our military planning takes NATO planning into consideration.''

[05] Development minister to Syria for talks on energy, tourism

Development Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos flies to Syria on Saturday at the start of an official two-day visit for talks on cooperation in energy, research and technology, tourism, trade and industry.

Accompanying Tsohatzopoulos will be the managing directors of Athens-quoted Hellenic Petroleum and the Public Gas Corporation; and the head of the Greek National Tourism Organisation.

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