Athens News Agency: News in English, 04-03-25

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

CONTENTS

[01] Greek PM to meet NATO chief, EU's Solana in Brussels

[02] President Stephanopoulos' message for the March 25 national holiday

[03] Delivery date for new Olympic football venue in late June

[04] New museums open in ancient Olympia ahead of Thurs. torch-lighting

[01] Greek PM to meet NATO chief, EU's Solana in Brussels

Government spokesman Theodoros Roussopoulos on Wednesday announced that Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis will be meeting NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer and EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana early on Friday morning, during a visit to Brussels to attend a meeting of the European Council.

Karamanlis is due to arrive in Brussels on Thursday, where he will first take part in the European Popular Party (EPP) summit before joining the other European leaders for the first EU summit meeting on terrorism at 18:00.

A press conference is expected to follow at about 19:45, after which EU leaders will attend a dinner to discuss the Intergovernmental Conference.

[02] President Stephanopoulos' message for the March 25 national holiday

In his message for the March 25 national holiday celebrating Greece's 1821 war of independence, President of the Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos on Wednesday said the holiday was taking place against a backdrop of international uncertainty and the shadow of fear and insecurity cast over daily life by terrorism.

''Against the shadows of terror that threaten our values and ideals, Greece can rank the pure Greek Spirit and its people's devotion to democracy,'' Stephanopoulos said.

He also noted that two major events were currently occupying Greece: a solution to the Cyprus problem and holding successful Olympic Games when they returned to their birthplace in August.

''Holding successful and safe Olympics is a matter of primary importance for all of us and I call on all Greeks, everywhere on earth, to become ambassadors of the Olympic ideal,'' Stephanopoulos said.

[03] Delivery date for new Olympic football venue in late June

New Deputy Sports Minister George Orfanos on Wednesday expressed his satisfaction with the pace of work at the under-construction Karaiskaki football stadium, as well as surrounding projects, including upgrades to roadways and an adjacent metro station.

The new venue, on the site of the previous Karaiskaki stadium, is reportedly completed by 77 to 78 percent. Its delivery date has been set for late June, while the new pitch will be installed in early April, before Easter. Two months will reportedly be needed for the new turf to mature, a period that culminates only a few weeks before the Summer Olympics begin on Aug. 13, namely, at the end of July.

Karaiskaki is being built and financed by a consortium led by the Olympiakos club, which will manage the venue for half a century afterwards.

Soccer preliminaries and the semi-final rounds of both the men's and women's competition will be held at Karaiskaki -- named in honor of a Greek War of Independence hero who was mortally wounded very near where the stadium stands today.

The venue will have a seating capacity of 33,500, with 500 spectators accommodated in 40 suites.

[04] New museums open in ancient Olympia ahead of Thurs. torch-lighting ceremony

Ancient Olympias new archaeological museum swung opened its doors on Wednesday, a day before the high-profile torch-lighting ceremony for the ?2004 Olympic homecoming? takes place nearby atop the remains of the stadium where the Games were hosted in antiquity every four years.

Moreover, another two museums in the general vicinity, the Museum of the Ancient Olympic Games and the Ilida Archaeological Museum, were also inaugurated on Wednesday, a veritable ?dress rehearsal? for the upcoming Olympic Games in August.

The main archaeological museum was inaugurated by Deputy Culture Minister Petros Tatoulis, while Alternate Minister Fani Palli-Petralia, former culture minister Evangelos Venizelos and other ministry officials, past and present, on hand as well.

Both Tatoulis and Palli-Petralia thanked the previous ministrys political leadership for their efforts at opening the new and much-anticipated archaeological museum in ancient Olympia.

The venerable site will serve as the venue for the mens and womens shot-put event during the 2004 Games in August.

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