Athens News Agency: News in English, 08-10-09

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

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

CONTENTS

[01] KKE leader on credit crisis

[02] FM meets British minister

[01] KKE leader on credit crisis

Papariga said that the working class movement must be ready to confront the crisis, stressing that "spirit of optimistic struggle" prevailed in her party. She said KKE was now sounding the charge for a counterattack against monopolies and multinationals, now that capitalism was facing a crisis. "The opponent is not as strong as we think," she added, noting that KKE was fully prepared to handle the new conditions.

Asked whether she will continue to be general secretary after the party's Congress, Papariga replied that only the press appeared to be concerned about this issue. She stressed that KKE was a collective party, with nothing at the Congress decided in advance, and that she would act on the party's decisions.

Papariga also expressed radical disagreement with the other parties regarding the cause of the current crisis, calling it a 'crisis of capitalism'. She also voiced doubts about the efficacy of the government's measures, saying that they amounted to giving the largest bank capital that it could then use to make profits.

On the issue of collaboration between small and larger parties, she said these could not be overlooked but urged voters to show that they did not support the system at the next general elections.

[02] FM meets British minister

After the meeting, Flint said that the negotiations which are being conducted in Cyprus were an opportunity for progress.

Flint, who arrived in Athens from Cyprus, said it was her wish to visit both Cyprus and Greece.

On the agenda of the two ministers was Turkey's European course and the British minister expressed the position that the promotion of Turkey's course in Europe would be to the benefit of the region.

To reporters' questions on the conference which will be held at the Foreign Ministry on Friday on the theme "The study of the modern history of Greece: The view of Oxford", Flint replied that it indicates the continuous interest of Greece and Britain for the culture and history of the two countries.

Bakoyannis hosted a dinner in honour of Flint, with the participation of the two delegations.

The British Minister met earlier Deputy Foreign Minister Yiannis Valinakis, with both underlining the need for European Union member-states to cooperate closely, particularly in the current difficult international financial conjecture.

"We discussed bilateral but also important European issues, on which we are seeking cooperation," Valinakis told reporters after the meeting.

Regarding the European Treaty, Valinakis said Greece and Britain were trying to have a "positive outcome".

"We are expecting the Irish to present (at next week's EU Summit) their positions after their rejection of the Treaty, on how we should move ahead. And we want to believe that all other countries which must ratify it, they will do it within the fixed timeframes," the Greek minister added.

"It is important for the Treaty to be adopted in order for Europe to advance and handle present challenges. One of these is the financial crisis. It is very important that, in difficult times, we should adopt a common European course towards a common European future," Valinakis noted.

The two ministers also focused their talks on climate change and energy security.

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