Athens News Agency: News in English, 05-07-18

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

CONTENTS

[01] US Ambassador Charles Ries visits Crete

[02] Greek Parliamentary delegation conveys message of solidarity to people of Cyprus

[03] Japanese poster exhibit opens in Lesvos

[01] US Ambassador Charles Ries visits Crete

Ries was met by the Greek commander of the Airforce unit where the facilities of the U.S. base at Souda are housed and afterwards laid a wreath at the tomb of early 20th-century Greek politician Eleftherios Venizelos in Akrotiri.

In statements regarding his visit, his second to Crete, Ries stressed that it was a beautiful island that played an important role in Greek-U.S. relations.

"Hania is very important to us since it receives a great many Americans and there is also good, close cooperation on a NATO level," he said, noting that the purpose of his visit was to meet local government officials.

Shortly after noon, Ries met Hania Prefect George Katsanevakis and discussed the operation of the Souda Base and various incidents that have occurred between locals and soldiers from the base when they go out on leave. In statements, Ries said that the incidents were partly provoked by verbal attacks on base personnel and appealed to Hania residents to be "more friendly" toward Americans.

Ries also called on Hania police chief Antonis Proestakis and then attended a dinner given by the International Institute of Political and Economic Studies at the Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Hania.

The ambassador was also handed a memorandum concerning the recent laying-off of 14 Greek staff from the Souda base but stressed that the move was part of an overall cutback of staff that had also affected the American personnel.

[02] Greek Parliamentary delegation conveys message of solidarity to people of Cyprus

The delegation is composed of the deputies Theodoros Skrekas from the ruling New Democarcy party, Panayiotis Sgouridis from the main opposition PASOK party and Yiannis Patsilinakos from the Communist Party of Greece (KKE).

Skrekas said that Greece and the Greek Parliament "are participating in the profound pain, pay tribute to the victims of the invasion and will continue to assist the struggles of the Cypriot brothers".

Sgouridis expressed the view that the "supposed" solution to the issue of Cyprus "can find Cypriot Hellenism divided and stressed the need for cohesion among the Greek Cypriots".

Patsilinakos said that the "target must be a substantive solution to the issue of Cyprus," adding that the people of Cyprus have showed that they resist divisive plans.

[03] Japanese poster exhibit opens in Lesvos

Japanese Ambassador to Greece Toshio Mochizuki will attend the inauguration of the exhibit, which is being held within the context of the campaign "2005: EU-Japan Year of People to People Exchanges."

The same posters were exhibited at Venice Biennale 2005 and in Sao Paolo, as well as in France, Croatia and Serbia.

After Greece, the exhibit will travel to Finland, Slovakia and Norway.

The exhibit is being organised in cooperation with the Japan Foundation, a government organisation established in 1972 whose aim is to promote Japanese culture abroad.

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