Athens News Agency: News in English, 04-02-07

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

CONTENTS

[01] Papandreou outlines vision for Greece's future to PASOK congress

[02] PM chairs meeting on Cyprus issue, Cyprus president in Athens on Monday

[01] Papandreou outlines vision for Greece's future to PASOK congress

Addressing ruling PASOK's extraordinary congress immediately after the passage of amendments to the charter for his election as party president, future PASOK leader and current foreign minister George Papandreou on Friday outlined the party's programme and his vision for Greece in the years to come.

Focusing on developments surrounding the Cyprus problem, Papandreou noted that the electorate would have to decide, among other things, to whom it would entrust the country's foreign policy at the elections on March 7.

He accused main opposition New Democracy of ''phobic introversion'' and of lacking faith in the country's foreign policy and said he was seeking the people's mandate so that there could be a solution to the Cyprus problem simultaneously with Cyprus' accession to the European Union.

He promised a small, flexible and effective government and said that he would not have a favoured group of ''captains'' around him.

He outlined four key goals for the future:

The first was investment in human potential, with priority on employment and education; secondly, a redistribution of income in favour of the economically weaker classes; thirdly, extending the country's productive ability; and fourthly, macroeconomic stability through a stable tax system, with new tax and developmental incentives.

He asked that the vote for party president on Sunday be tantamount to a mandate to begin the process of changing the party, society and the state in a series of three major reforms.

The first of these will be radical changes in the state structure so as to establish a new relationship of trust with citizens, transparency, clear and simple rules and decentralisation.

The second set of reforms would concern the safety net for pensioners, disabled and unemployed, in order to ensure their dignity and respect.

The third reforms would concern investment in people, education and culture.

[02] PM chairs meeting on Cyprus issue, Cyprus president in Athens on Monday

Rapid developments taking place on the issue of Cyprus, following the invitation by UN Secretary General Kofi Annan for the resumption of intercommunal talks, were examined during a meeting chaired at the Maximos Mansion by Prime Minister Costas Simitis on Friday.

The meeting was attended by Alternate Foreign Minister Tassos Yiannitsis and government officials.

Yiannitsis attended the meeting because he will be succeeding George Papandreou at the post of foreign minister after the election of the ruling PASOK party's new leader.

The government reiterated the readiness of Athens and Nicosia to attend talks for a solution to the Cyprus issue based on the Annan plan.

The further handling of the issue will be decided at a working meeting at the Maximos Mansion on Monday, with the participation of Simitis and Cyprus President Tassos Papadopoulos.

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