Athens News Agency: News in English, 07-04-23

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

CONTENTS

[01] PM meets with Abbas: Solution of Palestinian issue will bring peace to wider region

[02] PASOK leader hosts dinner for Palestinian President

[03] Papoulias opens regional con'f of Euro trade unions

[04] Economist con'f to open in Athens on Tues.

[01] PM meets with Abbas: Solution of Palestinian issue will bring peace to wider region

A solution to the Palestinian issue "will bring ranging peace from the Mediterranean all the way to the Gulf," he added, speaking to journalists after the meeting.

Abbas thanked the Greek premier for the Greek government's steadfast support, and stressed the need for a lifting of the embargo, noting that "my people have been living a tragedy over the past year".

Karamanlis described the talks with Abbas as "constructive", stressing that the Palestinian President's visit was taking place at an "exceptionally criticial stage for the developments in the Middle East", but at the same time noted that the conditions for finding a solution were "riper than ever".

The premier spoke of Greece's steadfast support to President Abbas' efforts, particularly following the Mekka agreement and the formation of a government of national unity.

He described as an "immediate priority" the building of mutual confidence, in accordance with the Quartet criteria, adding that the building of confidence with the continuing dialogue between Abbas and Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert would allow for a substantive discussion and negotiation of a just, final and viable solution to the major issues dividing the two sides.

A viable solution, he stressed, comprised a viable and democratic Palestinian state that would co-exist peacefully and im mutual security with the state of Israel.

Karamanlis outlined Greece's actions in the Un and the EU aimed at advancement of the peace process, as well as its contribution towards meeting the immediate needs of the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.

He further reaffirmed the Greek government's readiness to support the peace process at bilateral level as well.

"Resolution of the Palestinian issue is of decisive importance, in order that the prerequisites will exist for peace in the wider area of the Middle East, from the Mediterranean to the Gulf. For this reason, we will continue to seek ways of advancing substantive negotiation and work for the consolidation of the peaceful coexistence between the Israeli and Palestinian peoples," Karamanlis said.

Abbas, in turn, stressed his conviction that a solution to the Palestinian issue would extinguish the war spots in the wider region, and expressed hope that progress would be achieved "in the immediate future", with the support of the US and the international community.

The Palestinian president said he and Karamanlis had discussed the Mekka agreement and the Arab initiative, which he said should be materialised as it constituted a "balanced solution", given that on the one hand it called on Israel to withdraw to the pre-1967 territories and on the other hand provided the ability for recognition of Israel by the Arab world.

He said they further discussed US President Bush's "vision" for peaceful coexistence between two independent states.

Abbas also appealed to the international community to lift the embargo, saying that "my people have been living a tragedy for the past year".

"Whoever wants to help must lift this embargo," he said.

[02] PASOK leader hosts dinner for Palestinian President

Earlier in the afternoon, Abbas was proclaimed an honourary member of the Andreas Papandreou Foundation's International Council, during an event at the Foundation.

?My father called Yasser Arafat a brother. Allow me, Mahmoud, to welcome you in Athens and at the âAndreas Papandreouâ Foundation with the same address. My dear brother, welcome,? Papandreou said at the Foundation event, welcoming Abbas and Palestinian Authority Foreign Minister Ziad Abu Amr.

Referred to the close bonds of friendship and solidarity between the Greek and Palestinian peoples, Papandreou said ?we warmly support the solution of two states, of Israel and of Palestine, based on mutual recognition, which will co-exist with respect to international law, peace and security.?

Papandreou stressed that PASOK and Socialist International (SI) ?are working towards this target,? adding that he will continue visiting the region, ?promoting the process of peace and asking for guarantees for the protection of the rights and the respect of the just demands of the Palestinian people.?

The PASOK leader and SI president assessed as a new opportunity for the promotion of a peace dialogue the formation of a government of national unity in Palestine and the recent renewal of the proposal of the Arab peace initiative and said that these positive steps must open the road also for the termination of the economic embargo which has been imposed on the Palestinian people.

Papandreou stressed that Greece must play a continuous role in this matter, which is of vital importance for the entire region and underlined that President Abbas guarantees the peaceful course for the solution of the Middle East and of the Palestinian issue.

On his part, Abbas said ?we are calling for help for us to consolidate peace and these which we are asking for are contained in the Bush vision for two states, the UN resolutions and the Arab peace initiative.? At the same time, he called for the lifting "of the unjust exclusion which has been imposed on us."

Abbas further stressed that ?the Palestinian people is suffering from the lack of basic goods for more than a year now, however, they have not despaired, they seek and ask for peace.?

The Palestinian Authority leadership was due to attend a dinner on Sunday evening hosted by Papandreou at his residence in Kastri.

A photo exhibition on Greek-Palestinian friendship was also inaugurated at the foundation's premises for the material of which the PASOK leader thanked the ANA-MPA and George Hallaq.

Caption: Main opposition PASOK leader and Socialist International (SI) president George Papandreou (L) greets Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas at the 'Andreas Papandreou Foundation'. (ANA-MPA/M. Kiaou)

[03] Papoulias opens regional con'f of Euro trade unions

In a related development and in echoing his previous statements as well as main opposition PASOK, General Confederation of Workers of Greece (GSEE) president Yiannis Panagopoulos, speaking to reporters, repeated a demand for a return to pension funds of monies allegedly lost in the ongoing structured bonds affair, stressing that interest on the money should also be paid by those responsible.

GSEE and the Confederation of Civil Servants (ADEDY) have already requested to meet with the prime minister and the political party leaders to brief them on their positions on the bonds affair, while the GSEE-ADEDY National Council will convene on Tuesday to organise the May 1 and May 15 strike action.

Caption: ANA-MPA file photo of Papoulias.

[04] Economist con'f to open in Athens on Tues.

Speakers at the conference include Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis, main opposition PASOK leader George Papandreou, ministers, Euro-MPs, ministry heads and corporate CEOs.

Foreign speakers include EU Economic and Monetary Affairs commissioner Joaquin Almunia, US ambassador to Greece Charles Ries, former German foreign minister Joschka Fischer, ministers and representatives of southeast European countries and the Arab world, senior officials of international economic organisations, the World Bank and the World Trade Organisation.

The Economist 11th Roundtable with the Greek Government reflects the important role played by Greece, as a SE European country and EU member, for peace, security and the consolidation of democracy in the wider region. The broad participation of officials of public life and important international personalities indicates the success of the Economist conferences in Greece, according to Economist public relations chief in Greece, Panayotis Tsafaras, which he said have become an institution in the country and point to Greece's geostrategic and economic importance in the wider region.

Caption: A file photo shows EU Commission President Jose Barroso, who spoke as the keynote speaker during the Economist's 9th Round-Table with the Greek Government, Monday, April 18, 2005. ANA-MPA / A. Beltes.

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