Athens News Agency: News in English, 07-10-29

Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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

CONTENTS

[01] PM Karamanlis confers with FM, UN rep, ahead of FYROM 'name issue' talks

[02] 2013 Med Games in Greece

[01] PM Karamanlis confers with FM, UN rep, ahead of FYROM 'name issue' talks

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Bakoyannis said the focus was on the best possible preparation for negotiations.

Asked to comment on statements by FYROM Foreign Minister Antonio Milososki in the Athens daily "Eleftheros Typos", which more-or-less indicate that the neighbouring land-locked country was following a "tough line" on the issue, Bakoyannis said Greece has no need whatsoever to raise its voice nor proceed with provocative statements.

For FYROM leadership, however, Bakoyannis continued, "there was a very specific gamble: either, on the one hand, a positive approach, acceptance of a positive message from Greece, FYROM's Euro-Atlantic aspirations along with economic and regional stability, or, on the other hand, they can persist with their intransigence."

Asked whether the timetables were narrow, Bakoyannis said "there is a specific time, a specific timetable ... At this moment, it appears that NATO, on its part, wishes to proceed with prospective invitations to three countries -- which in itself is not absolute, because Croatia has precedence -- at its next conference. Consequently, the timetable is a given fact," Bakoyannis said.

Amb. Vassilakis, replying to questions, said he enjoys the confidence of the prime minister and the foreign minister.

Questioned whether he had any personal relationship with the FYROM negotiator, Vassilakis replied: "We discussed (the issue), but we did not find solutions..."

Caption: PM Costas Karamanlis (R) with Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis during a press conference following an EU Summit in Brussels, dated Friday, June 22, 2007. ANA-MPA / P. SAITAS

[02] 2013 Med Games in Greece

The third candidate city, Mersin in southeast Turkey, was eliminated in the first round of voting with 13 votes, against 24 for Rijeka and 31 for Volos-Larissa.

In a press conference in Pescara shortly after announcement, Mediterranean Games bid committee (DEMA) head Isidoros Kouvelos said the International Committee for the Mediterranean Games (ICMG) and its 23 National Olympic Committee members "have entrusted the ambitious Greek proposal for upgrading the Mediterranean Games and assigned Volos and Larissa the organisation of the 2013 Games".

He said Greece waged a difficult battle for the Med Games under adverse conditions, having commenced its campaign several months after the other two candidate cities.

Kouvelos stressed that the goal was for the 2013 Games to promote the two cities' potential.

"Our goal is to attract the top athletes and acquire a strong prospect for the future, and at the same time serving as a connecting link for the countries and peoples of the Mediterranean, turning it into a sea of peace, cooperation, culture and progress".

Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis, Kouvelos' wife, who was in Pescara for the vote, said that "the victory belongs to everyone...The Olympic spirit is alive".

"When we unite our forces, we achieve our goals. We succeeded in bringing the Games to Greece," she said.

Hellenic Olympic Committee president and DEMA general secretary Minoas Kyriakou, together with the mayor of Volos, signed a protocol for the assumption of the Med Games during a special ceremony.

The Mediterranean Games, first held in 1951, are a multi-sport event held every four years in the year following the Olympic Games.

Sometimes referred to as the "Mediterranean Olympics", the Games are held under the auspices of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), with the participation of the countries bordering on the Mediterranean Sea.

Caption: A panoramic view of the central Greek city of Volos' seafront, dated March 30, 2004. ANA-MPA / VANGELIS KOUBOURLIS

Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article