Athens News Agency: News in English, 08-05-08

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

CONTENTS

[01] Tourism Minister in Dubai

[02] Athens Newspaper Headlines

[01] Tourism Minister in Dubai

The Greek government this week continued its concerted efforts to broaden and expand trade and economic ties with the booming Gulf economies, as visiting Tourism Minister Aris Spiliotopoulos citing expanded air links between UAE and Greece as a necessary prerequisite for increasing "high end" tourism to the east Mediterranean country.

Spiliotopoulos was received on Wednesday in Dubai by Sheikh Ahmad Bin Saeed Al - Maktoum, president of Dubai's civil aviation authority and managing director of Emirates Airlines, for talks on inaugurating the carrier's service to Greece. Along those lines, the high-profile Emirates executive announced that the company is in the process of establishing a new 200-plane subsidiary that will include Greece in its flight schedule.

In response, Spiliotopoulos requested that the first Greek destinations be the holiday islands of Rhodes and Crete.

Later, Spiliotopoulos met with the director of the Dubai information ministry, Sheikh Hasher Bin Jumaa Al Maktoum, for tourism-related talks. Al Maktoum referred to the good relations between the two countries, stressing that "we do not feel as foreigners in Greece".

On Tuesday, the Greek minister toured a huge state-of-the-art luxury golf resort in the area.

Caption: Tourism Minister Aris Spiliotopoulos and director of the Dubai information ministry, Sheikh Hasher Bin Jumaa Al Maktoum, in Dubai on Wednesday 7 May 2008. ANA-MPA/ PANAGIOTIS STOLIS

[02] Athens Newspaper Headlines

President Papoulias' intervention on police delay on the tragic incident in Sindos, the rumors of nuclear stations being planned in Greece, National Telecommunications Organisation's (OTE) part privatisation and the Financial Times newspaper's gloomy forecasts for Greek economy dominated the headlines on Thursday in Athens' newspapers.

ADESMEFTOS TYPOS: "Retroactive maternity leave for new mothers, with a 681 euros monthly benefit of 681 euros".

APOGEVMATINI: "13-month maternity leave for mothers - Employment Minister Fani Palli Petralia signed the ministerial decree".

AVGHI: "No discussion about nuclear station - Engineers and ecologists react to government's projects".

AVRIANI: "They've gone mad in (main opposition) PASOK and don't know what they're saying - OTE's nationalisation- ala Chaves- promised by George Papandreou, brings hysteria to PASOK members and mirth to the market".

CHORA: "Nightmare in Myanmar - Junta not permitting access of international humanitarian aid".

ELEFTHEROS: "Papoulias scolds Public Order Minister Prokopis Pavlopoulos, who apologised for the outrageous state of the police".

ELEFTHEROS TYPOS: "The two ways of interpreting the Greek economy - Financial Times forecasts unemployment and immigration - Euro-shield wear out brings new round of pressures".

ELEFTHEROTYPIA: "Farewell OTE - The final details will be discussed on Thursday at the Interministerial committee - Announcements remain to be made".

ESTIA: "Disappointment over the Constitiution - How was the revision torpedoed".

ETHNOS: "The bill for enlistment at the age of 18 - The defence ministry's plans".

KATHIMERINI: "Uprise over OTE agreement - Government adopts offensive attack towards PASOK".

LOGOS: "Papoulias' message to Greek Police: You will be judged on the result".

NIKI: "Poverty brings nagging in ruling New Democracy (ND) - Internal strife among ND members".

RIZOSPASTIS: "Universities for the people, not for NATO".

TA NEA: "War setting in Universities - Students block framework law".

TO VIMA: "(Enviroment Minister George) Souflias targetted - He's under fire from 'friendly' powers. The 'nuclear war' is the lastest episode of a longlasting conflict".

VRADYNI: "Changes in maternity leaves - Total maternity leave of 13 months for working mothers".

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