Athens News Agency: News in English, 06-01-19

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

CONTENTS

[01] Papandreou candidacy for Socialist Int'l president announced

[02] Minister satisfied with bird flu measures after Rhodes meeting

[01] Papandreou candidacy for Socialist Int'l president announced

He said the decision to nominate Papandreou, leader of Greece's main opposition party, had been taken unanimously.

Ayala also noted that the SI would be "linked" with the socialist movement in Greece and said that this link was reflected in the general consensus shown by social-democrats internationally toward Papandreou's candidacy for president of the SI.

Speaking about the agenda of the SI Council meeting that will be hosted by PASOK in Athens on January 30-31, he said this would be especially rich, since it will include discussions on issues such as the Balkans, the Middle East and world poverty. Its participants will be socialist leaders from countries throughout the world, including several heads of government, he added.

Ayala said his meeting with Papandreou had focused on preparations and arrangements for the SI Council meeting, which he stressed would be called on to express the stance of international social-democrats toward the problems "of a world seeking answers and leadership".

[02] Minister satisfied with bird flu measures after Rhodes meeting

Basiakos urged the authorities involved to stay calm and stressed that over-reactions and a negative climate should be avoided in a region relying heavily on tourism, such as the Dodecanese islands.

He also underlined that all the measures required to protect the islands were being taken and that the measures would continue to be enforced throughout the summer period.

The minister, who is to hold a series of such meetings at north Aegean prefecture headquarters on Thursday and end the day with a late-night meeting in Komotini, is being accompanied by Deputy Agriculture Minister Alexandros Kontos and Civil Protection General Secretary Panagiotis Fourlas, as well as a team of specialist scientists and senior ministry officials.

Immediately after the conclusion of the meeting, they left for the island of Samos where the next meeting on bird flu measures will take place.

The meeting was also attended by North Aegean Regional Authority chief Haralambos Kokkinos, Dodecanese Prefect G. Maheridis, local MPs and representatives of local services.

Maheridis said that local officials will visit all islands in the prefecture to supervise the implementation of the measures decided, while veterinary staff and technicians supplied by the Greek Armed Forces have begun to arrive on the island to man the Dodecanese veterinary service.

Measures at customs posts

During a press conference held on Thursday in Athens, meanwhile, Deputy Finance Minister Antonis Bezas announced that Greek customs posts had taken all measures necessary to protect Greece from the influx of the avian flu virus.

He stressed that customs officials were carrying out exhaustive checks at all entry points into the country, including searching traveller's luggage, and that the general director of the Customs office had visited all border customs posts in the country, while additional staff had been sent to the higher-risk customs posts at Kipoi and on the island of Chios that were entry points from Turkey.

Later on Thursday, Bezas is due to meet with representatives of the Greek poultry trade, who have been hard-hit by the latest bird flu scare.

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