Athens News Agency: News in English, 05-10-10

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

CONTENTS

[01] New deputy finance and economy minister Bezas sworn in

[02] Rise in Greek agro exports

[03] 'Soranos Friendship and Peace Award 2005' presented to Mikis Theodorakis and Zulfu Livaneli

[01] New deputy finance and economy minister Bezas sworn in

Immediately after the swearing-in ceremony, Bezas, together with the prime minister, went to the Maximos Mansion (government headquarters) for their first working meeting.

Bezas replaces Adam Regouzas, who resigned from the post last week.

[02] Rise in Greek agro exports

The fair, running from October 8 to 12, is held every two years. The previous fair in 2003 attracted some 3,300 exhibitors from Europe, 540 from the US and 760 from Asia, as well as 6,000 suppliers from all over the world and 161,000 visitors from 157 countries.

Bassiakos said that the participation of Greek enterprises and agencies in the respected Anuga trade show contributed to the projection and promotion of Greek quality agricultural products to a wide public of consumers and merchants.

He said the Greek government's basic goal was the country's efficient and beneficial adaptation to the new conditions and developments of the EU's new Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), which enters into effect in 2006, at which time subsidies will no longer be linked to volume of production but will be paid on the basis of the farmers' history of receipts data, while the price of agricultural products will be set exclusively on the basis of their commercial price.

"Thus, we are turning towards competitive products that are produced because there is demand for them on the market," Bassiakos said, noting that Greece had the necessary natural resources and appropriate climatic conditions, and consequently a substantial comparative advantage in many high-quality and high added value agricultural products, in which it could specialise.

Bassiakos further said that products of the Greek and Mediterranean healthy diet were also being promoted, given the corresponding consumption rise, mainly in the developed countries.

"The first results of this collective effort of the government and the agencies has proven to be quite positive, given that in the first five months of 2005 we had a 21 percent increase in exports of agricultural products, while imports during the corresponding period fell by 4.7 percent, for the first time in a long time," the minister added.

[03] 'Soranos Friendship and Peace Award 2005' presented to Mikis Theodorakis and Zulfu Livaneli

The Committee has been giving the award every two years since 1991 to people who have contributed to peace and to friendship between the peoples in any part of the world.

It decided this year to give the award to Mikis Theodorakis and to Zulfu Livaneli for their struggles for peaceful coexistence between the peoples of Greece and Turkey.

Theodorakis, in a letter of thanks to the Committee and its President, Ankara University medical professor Sinan Becsak, refers to his joint efforts with Zulfu Livaneli from the founding of the Greek-Turkish Friendship Committees in 1986 to date, adding that he ascertains that these efforts were not in vain and expresses the wish that a better tomorrow will come for the two peoples.

Also, the Soranos Friendship and Science Award was presented to Greek professor of pediatrics and gynecology Apostolos Papageorgiou.

The awards are named after Soranos of Ephesus, a prominent doctor educated in Alexandria, who lived in Anatolia in the first century B.C. and is mentioned as the first gynecologist in the region. The prize was instituted in 1991 and is presented to individuals who contribute to the cause of peace through their actions.

The "Soranos Friendship and Peace Award 2005" has been given to Greece's internationally renowned composer Mikis Theodorakis and Turkish composer Zulfu Livaneli by the Greek-Turkish Medical Committee, of the Dokuz Eylul University's Faculty of Medicine. The Committee has been giving the award every two years since 1991 to people who have contributed to peace and to friendship between the peoples in any part of the world. Also, the Soranos Friendship and Science Award was presented to Greek professor of pediatrics and gynecology Apostolos Papageorgiou.

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