Athens News Agency: News in English, 07-04-20

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

CONTENTS

[01] PASOK leader speaks to Italy's 'Unita'

[01] PASOK leader speaks to Italy's 'Unita'

"We (Socialists) can not support a preventive war because we believe in pre-emptive diplomacy, in dialogue," Papandreou told the Italian left-wing newspaper 'Unita'.

Papandreou addressed in Florence on Thursday the congress of the Democrats of the Left.

"By applying logic, which is the essence of dialogue, we will continue to search all diplomatic means in order to resolve the problem of Iran's nuclear programme," Papandreou told the paper in an interview.

"We are already working with other political leaders internationally and other organisations to deal together with world challenges. For instance, we commit ourselves to promote the initiative taken by (Italian Prime Minister Romano) Prodi's government for the suspension of capital punishment and the non-proliferation of nuclear arms," he said.

Addressing Thursday Italy's Democrats of the Left congress, Papandreou said "only united, only together can we win and change the world. Because we have real differences from conservatives and the Right. Differences in values."

The 4th congress of the Democrats of the Left, the party that resulted from the "ashes" of the Italian Communist Party, began here on Thursday with 1,550 delegates, 147 representatives of 73 parties from all over the world, international organisations from 73 countries and 65 diplomatic delegations. The party currently constitutes the biggest "pylon" of the ruling coalition headed by Romano Prodi.

Papandreou said that democracy needs renewal today for the good of its citizens, adding that it is not an issue of election tactics but a crucial case for political life.

"Today, we only need political will for the change and the building of a new cooperation, the creation of foundations for a new political organisation that will express with realism and vision that the alternative solution in the world we are living in is feasible today," he said.

He further said that "for this reason just like in any other political organisation the time has also come for the Socialist International to reconsider in depth its structures and action and to follow the proposal of Piero Fassino."

Piero Fassino, Secretary of the Democrats of the Left, had proposed in his inaugural speech to the congress, that his party "be neither conservative nor of the centre, but progressive and reformist."

Referring to the role and the action of the Socialist International and focusing on pre-emptive diplomacy in promoting peace both in the Middle East and the Balkans, which is the direct neighbourhood of the EU to which Europe must give a clear European prospect, Papandreou also underlined the efforts taking place to widen cooperation with political movements of the progressive sector in regions which are becoming all the more important for the future of humanity, such as India, China, Russia and the Arab world.

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