Athens News Agency: News in English, 06-02-14

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

CONTENTS

[01] PM announces sweeping gov't reshuffle

[02] Greek, Israeli leaders cite major progress in bilateral ties

[03] Greece, Israel sign industrial research, development accord

[01] PM announces sweeping gov't reshuffle

One of the most prominent but expected decisions involved the appointment of outgoing Athens mayor Dora Bakoyanni as foreign minister in place of veteran high-ranking career diplomat Petros Molyviatis, a long-time adviser to the prime minister and to his uncle and namesake, late Greek statesman and ND founder Constantine Karamanlis. The other change at the foreign ministry was the appointment of Theodoros Kassimis as one of three deputy ministers, replacing Panayiotis Skandalakis.

In a later press conference, Molyviatis announced his retirement from public service.

A more-or-less surprise came with the announcement that six deputy ministers' posts were eliminated.

In another high-profile change, ruling ND party secretary Vangelis Meimarakis was appointed as the new defence minister, in place of Spilios Spiliotopoulos. High-ranking ND deputy Lefteris Zagoritis will replace Meimarakis at the party's top post.

Health Minister Nikitas Kaklamanis, meanwhile, one of the most popular figures in the government, according to opinion polls, left the post to run for mayor of Athens in the fall municipal elections on an ND-backed ticket. Former Athens mayor Dimitris Avramopoulos will replace Kaklamanis, as the former was shifted from the tourism development ministry.

Avramopoulos' position was filled by Fani Palli-Petralia, up until Tuesday the alternate culture minister.

Karamanlis, furthermore, sheds the culture ministry portfolio he kept for himself during a period that also coincided with the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, with George Voulgarakis assuming the post after being shifted from the public order minister's chair.

Top ND cadre and former minister Vyron Polydoras fills Voulgarakis' position at the public order ministry.

Former agriculture minister Savvas Tsitouridis takes over from Panos Panayiotopoulos at the employment and social protection ministry.

The six deputy ministers' posts eliminated included those held by Petros Tatoulis (culture), Nikolaos Angelopoulos (employment), Skandalakis (foreign affairs), George Salagoudis (development), Anastasios Liaskos (tourism development), and Anastasios Nerantzis (transport and communication). The latter, however, was re-appointed as a deputy development minister.

Additionally, newcomer George Kalantzis assumes the Macedonia-Thrace portfolio in place of Nikos Tsiartsionis.

Tuesday's political developments end months of mostly local press speculation over when and if Karamanlis would reshuffle his Cabinet.

Government spokesman Theodoros Roussopoulos announced the reshuffle during his regular daily press briefing. The swearing-in ceremony is scheduled for 10 a.m. Wednesday at the Presidential Mansion.

(Caption: Minister of State and government spokesman Theodoros Roussopoulos arrives at the press ministry's briefing room in Athens on Tuesday, minutes before he announced a government reshuffle. ANA / P. Saitas)

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[02] Greek, Israeli leaders cite major progress in bilateral ties

Expectedly, the Middle East issue dominated talks, as Papoulias told reporters after the meeting that the fundamental goal was the co-existence of two states in the region, "a secure Israel and a democratic Palestine, with peaceful relations with their neighbours".

Papoulias also welcomed the smooth holding of parliamentary elections in the Palestinian territories as "an important step towards democracy", while he stressed the need for Hamas, the winners of the election, to accept the proposals put forward by the European Union. Moreover, he strenuously condemned terrorism "from wherever it originates".

Katzav, who arrived in Athens late Monday evening for a five-day official visit, said that Israel's relations with the Palestinians were at a critical point following Hamas' victory in the electons.

"In the past 12 years, Israel has taken large, historic steps for the good of the Palestinians. I fear that the latest developments did not help us. They will take us 12 years back. Israel will not accept continuation of terrorism by Hamas, nor will it negotiate with a Hamas that does not recognise the state of Israel. We will not start again from ground zero. If Hamas changes stance, Israel will come into contact with it," Katzav said.

Papoulias also referred to the Cyprus issue, stressing that "the Turkish occupation, which traumatises European values, must be ended the soonest".

Katzav spole of common historic past and common interests between Greece and Israel, and he expressed a hope that bilateral contacts would multiply in the future.

(Caption: Israeli President Moshe Katzav inspects a presidential honor in Athens on Tuesday. ANA / O. Panayiotou)

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[03] Greece, Israel sign industrial research, development accord

The agreement was signed at the presence of the two countries' heads of state Karolos Papoulias and Moshe Katzav in the framework of the first official visit by an Israeli President in Greece.

The deal aims to support Greek and Israeli enterprises in developing joint industrial and technological projects and it is part of a series of other significant agreements signed recently aiming to boost bilateral trade relations, such as a partnership agreement between the Capital Market Commissions of Greece and Israel and agreements signed between Greece's industrial union SEB and Northern Greece's exporters union (SBBE) with their counterparts in Israel.

The Israeli embassy in Athens announced that bilateral relations rapidly improved over the last two years, totalling 414 million US dollars, up 40 percent. Israel is the main destination for Greek exports in the Middle East.

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