Athens News Agency: News in English, 06-10-30

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

CONTENTS

[01] Papandreou meets ILO's Somavia

[02] BSEC ministerial meeting in Moscow

[03] Josep Borrell visits Lesvos

[01] Papandreou meets ILO's Somavia

The meeting lasted for about an hour and coincided with the announcement of the annual report on youth unemployment that has now become an explosive problem internationally.

Speaking after his meeting with Somavia, the PASOK party president said that the discussion concerned precisely Somavia's report, "as well as possible initiatives that may be taken by the Socialist International and the World Labour Organisation on youth unemployment, as well as the shaping of a proposal on dignified employment for all."

Papandreou also said that the "aim is contributing to the combatting of unemployment worldwide and the utilisation of international experience in Greece, where many weaknesses exist and a new model is necessary that will link training with employment."

Somavia's report contains much information on unemployment among young people, noting that the young population is increasing by 10-15 percent a year in the world, while employment among youth is only increasing by 3 percent.

The issue of unemployment concerns 2.8 billion working people who are paid less than two dollars a day. Many of them come from countries that have socialist parties belonging to the Socialist International.

[02] BSEC ministerial meeting in Moscow

The 12 BSEC members are expected to sign a Memorandum of Understanding in Moscow expressing the political will to construct the road corridor - a Greek proposal submitted formally to the organization last April at the initiative of the deputy foreign minister in cooperation with BSEC general secretary ambassador Chrysanthopoulos as part of the Greek presidency's efforts for Black Sea-EU rapprochement.

The proposed road will link the Black Sea countries creating a single market and contribute to the speedier movement of people and goods, thus boosting development.

The road will begin from the port of Alexandroupolis in northeast Greece and continue to Komotini, Haskovo-Bulgaria, Bucharest-Romania, Kisinau-Moldova, Odessa, and Mariupol, around the Azov Sea and down to Novorosisk-Russia where many pipelines end up making it one of the main energy ports. The road will continue to Batumi and Poti-Georgia -two ports linked with the Armenian and Azeri mainland- expand to Trabzon, Ankara and Istanbul and end up again in Alexandroupolis over the second bridge agreed by Greece and Turkey to be constructed in Evros, northeast Greece, during Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannisâ trip to Istanbul last June.

According to the memorandum expected to be signed, the Greek side has suggested the city of Thessaloniki for the seat of a Technical Secretariat whose powers will be exercised by the Egnatia SA construction company, which apart from being responsible for the construction of Egnatia Odos motorway also has the Istanbul-Thessaloniki pan-European road axis management.

Deputy Foreign Minister Stylianidis is also expected to present a cultural project in Moscow referring to the revival of the Argo ship voyage. A replica of the ancient ship that carried the Argonauts has already been constructed and is expected to sail to the Black Sea coasts early next summer on the occasion of the BSEC 15th anniversary and the summit meeting in Istanbul.

A second memorandum is expected to be signed in Moscow establishing new sea routes that will link Black Sea ports, leading to the improvement of port facilities, and to speedier sea transportation.

The Greek side is also expected to put an emphasis on the tourist sector, the banking sector, culture, education and administrative reform.

The BSEC meeting at senior officialsâ level will convene in Moscow on October 30 and 31 to prepare the ground and define the agenda for the foreign ministersâ meeting. The next BSEC presidency will be taken over by Serbia.

[03] Josep Borrell visits Lesvos

Borrell, who was accompanied by main opposition Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK) Eurodeputy Nikos Sifounakis, was briefed by the museum's director, assistant professor Nikos Zouros, on the museum's activities for the protection and projection of the Petrified Forest. Zouros also referred to the international recognition of the Petrified Forest as member of the World Network of Geoparks of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) and of the Network of European Geoparks.

The European Parliament president stated that he was impressed by "an excellent Museum which was created with the contribution of the European Union for a unique Monument of Nature, the Petrified Forest of Lesvos."

"I admired the exhibits in a Museum with particularly interesting planning which allows us to make a long trip to Europe's historic past and to look to the future," Borrell added.

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