Athens News Agency: News in English, 07-10-03

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

CONTENTS

[01] Dry run for artifacts' transfer to new Acropolis Museum next week

[02] KKE on FYROM 'name issue', Kosovo

[03] Greece, Libya discuss maritime demarcation

[01] Dry run for artifacts' transfer to new Acropolis Museum next week

"For all of us, our primary concern is the safe transfer of the artifacts," Greek Culture Minister Mihalis Liapis said on Wednesday regarding the exercise, following an inspection of the conservation work and packaging of the exhibits, a process now entering the final stages.

Two of the massive cranes forming the crane-relay that will ferry the antiquities down from the fabled hill have been set up within the Dionysus theatre archaeological site -- beneath the Acropolis' south side -- and on Tripodon Street, while a third will be erected over the next few days within the grounds of the new museum on Makrygianni Street.

Liapis said the government would take all measures necessary to minimise the inconvenience to passers-by and local residents on the Dionysiou Areopagitou pedestrian way, which skirts the entrance to the Acropolis and leads to the upscale district of Thissio, while the transfer of the antiquities was taking place.

The actual transfer of the antiquities is scheduled to begin on Oct. 14.

Caption: The new Acropolis Museum, the rectangular metal-&-glass building in the centre, is seen from the south side of the Acropolis in downtown Athens on Wednesday, Oct. 3, 2007. Two cranes that will transport artifacts and antiquities from the hill to the new museum are also seen. ANA-MPA / SIMELA PANTZARTZI

[02] KKE on FYROM 'name issue', Kosovo

Following a KKE political bureau meeting on Tuesday, Papariga presented her party's positions on the situation in the Balkans, reiterating KKE's view over NATO expansion in the region.

In a press conference, she said Washington ranks a decisive factor for developments in the region and the FYROM name issue.

"The United States want speedy developments in view of a NATO summit in April 2008, during which they will back the Alliance's enlargement to include FYROM, Albania and Croatia," Papariga said, predicting that "pressures will intensify".

Papariga linked the FYROM name issue with a possible US decision to recognise Kosovo's independence from Serbia, while adding that obstacles over the delineation of borders between Kosovo and FYROM and an attempted border revision -- in violation of previous UN resolutions -- will lead to a new round of confrontations, not only in the Balkans but in other regions as well.

On the FYROM name issue, Papariga stressed that proposals by UN mediator Matthew Nimetz do not lead to a settlement, but in effect keep the issue open to all kinds of "imperialist interventions".

"US hypocrisy is apparent," she said, considering the fact that "while Washington has unilaterally recognised FYROM under its constitutional name, it has also taken up the role of 'goodwill ambassador' in the effort to reach a solution to the name issue".

"KKE is opposed to negotiations for a mutually acceptable solution to the FYROM name issue that will include the term 'Macedonia' or any of its derivatives," stressed Papariga, adding that it should be made clear that this term can be accepted only as geographic definition. Irredentist propaganda should end, while border inviolability, territorial integrity and sovereignty should be mutually recognised," she stressed.

The communist party also called on the Greek government to reject Kosovo's independence, and to persist in the preservation of existing borders, while adamantly rejecting all acts of unilateral recognition by the European Union.

Caption: KKE General Secretary Aleka Papariga. ANA-MPA

[03] Greece, Libya discuss maritime demarcation

Valinakis stated after the meeting that the two sides touched on a number of bilateral issues as well as issues concerning the EU-Libya relations, which have distinctly improved recently after a settlement reached in the Bulgarian nurses' case, as well as the signing of a cooperation memorandum in late July.

The meeting with the Libyan government minister, who holds the title of Secretary of the General People's Committee for Foreign Liaison & International Cooperation, was requested in the wake of growing EU-Libya relations, Valinakis said, adding that a decision was reached for a meeting of Greek and Libyan specialists before the end of the year to discuss the delimitation of the maritime zones between the two countries.

"This is a long-standing and pending issue and, in spite of repeated requests, it was impossible to get relative talks underway," he said.

Valinakis characterised the issue as very important for both countries -- divided by the Libyan Sea in the east-central part of the Mediterranean - as he noted that bilateral relations will be further improved in the areas of economic and political cooperation.

Valinakis, who addressed the 62nd UN General Assembly meeting on Wednesday morning (Greek time), also attended a formal reception hosted by Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan and a working dinner of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC) foreign ministers.

The deputy foreign minister is scheduled to visit Washington on Wednesday for contacts with US officials.

Caption: Greek Deputy Foreign Minister Yiannis Valinakis (R) with Libya's Secretary for Foreign Liaison & International Cooperation Abd al-Rahman Muhammad Shalgham in New York City on Tuesday, Oct. 2, 2007. ANA-MPA / DIMITRIS PANAGOS

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