Athens News Agency: News in English, 06-11-07

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

CONTENTS

[01] SI adopts 'viable globalisation' term

[01] SI adopts 'viable globalisation' term

Socialist International President and main opposition PASOK party leader George Papandreou said during his address on Tuesday's SI Council session that issues which the Socialist International will be promoting to achieve viable globalisation include the democratisation of international organisations, the establishment of more democratic procedures in taking and checking decisions, achieving a greater balance between developed and developing countries, equality in access to new technologies and the handling of such phenomena as organised crime or huge health problems.

Papandreou said that handling this last issue is a great necessity which, as he said, will be the main issue at the Socialist International's conference that will be taking place in about a year's time.

He also referred to the initiative he has undertaken in the Middle East which, as he said, will be continued and expressed the SI's full support for the Lebanese government of Prime Minister Fouad Siniora.

Commenting on the conviction of Saddam Hussein, Papandreou said that the socialists believed justice should be served, but they were opposed to the death penalty.

The president of PASOK called for the greater participation of women in the Socialist International and called on parties that are its members to have a greater participation in the organisation's procedures.

Papandreou has had many bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the Socialist International's Council, including meetings with Costa Rican President, Nobel Peace Prize winner, Oscar Arias, former Chilean president Ricardo Lagos, Women's Socialist International President Pia Locatelli, the niece of assassinated Chilean president author Isabelle Allende, a delegation of the Turkish Cypriot Republican Party and Turkish Republican Party President Deniz Baykal.

Papandreou also attended a reception on Monday night that was given in honour of the Council's members by the country's President Michelle Bachelet, who welcomed him with the Greek greeting "kalispera" (good evening) and informed him that from searching she has carried out so far she believes that she has a Greek origin on the part of her mother and wishes to visit Greece to continue her searching.

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