Athens News Agency: News in English, 08-10-26

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

CONTENTS

[01] PM Karamanlis meets with Qatari counterpart

[02] Thessaloniki liberation anniversary

[03] Athens' Newspaper Headlines

[01] PM Karamanlis meets with Qatari counterpart

In statements after the meeting, at the beginning of a two-day official visit to Qatar, Karamanlis referred to the present international conjuncture in which the global economies were facing the heavy repercussions of the international credit crisis, which was proving to be of unpredictable intensity and duration.

He added that the governments have the duty to invest in strategic planning, which could shore up the national economies against the dangers and to release their developmental potential after the crisis.

The Greek government, he continued, has set out two chief targets: to fortify the households and businesses against the impact of the continuing crisis through a series of effective measures, and to accelerate the implementation of any reforms necessary for the structural reformation of the national economy, while at the same time enhancing cooperation with the country's international partners.

Turning to bilateral economic relations with Qatar, Karamanlis particularly noted the "very encouraging" prospects opening up.

A broad spectrum of prospects were examined during the meeting, with emphasis on investments in the sectors of energy, transports, shipping and construction.

Qatar, Karamanlis continued, was a country of geostrategic significance in the region and with a dynamic economic growth, adding that the presence there of major Greek construction companies was proof of the common efforts in that sector.

To a question on the ailing national carrier Olympic Airways (OA), Karamanlis said investments were discussed in many sectors, adding that Qatar Airways was among the hopeful investors in OA, while the Qatari prime minister simply said that the matter had been touched on during their meeting.

Later, foreign minister Dora Bakoyannis and her Qatari counterpart signed a dual taxation avoidance agreement, while deputy foreign minister Petros Doukas signed a cooperation agreement in health and medical sciences.

In the morning, Karamanlis inaugurated a meeting of the Greek-Qatari Business Forum.

In a brief greeting, Karamanlis said that his visit to Qatar underlined the importance placed by Greece on further strengthening of their bilateral relations, and aspired to greater development of economic cooperation.

He noted that Qatar was among the countries with the largest economic growth and high per capital income, whereas Greece was the steam engine of the economy of Southeast Europe.

In a reference to the international financial crisis, Karamanlis stressed that the governments must not look on passively, but rather encourage investments and advance growth. He noted that his visit to Qatar served that purpose, by enhancing the investment prospects of both countries.

He further said that the Greek government has taken all the measures necessary to face the crisis, and was closely monitoring the situation in order to react immediately if necessary.

Caption: Greek prime minister Costas Karamanis (left) with his Qatari counterpart Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabir Al Thani, in Doha. (ANA-MPA)

[02] Thessaloniki liberation anniversary

The celebrations commenced with a doxology, after which national defence minister Evangelos Meimarakis, who represented the government, noted that the anniversary "reminds us of one of the most glorious pages or our history".

Main opposition PASOK MP Haris Katanidis said that the anniversary of the liberation of Thessaloniki posed an opportunity to think again of the need for liberation of the people's expectations, in other words the advent of a better future for the citizens and the country, while fellow PASOK MP Yiannis Magriotis said that the citizens demand change, and an exit from the crisis to which ruling New Democracy government's policy was leading.

Popular Orthodox Rally (LAOS) leader George Karatzaferis stressed that this was a great day for Thessaloniki and Macedonia, adding that 'we must all take care to safeguard the grandness of this celebration in the future".

Caption: President of the Republic Karolos Papoulias. (ANA-MPA)

[03] Athens' Newspaper Headlines

The economy, the Vatopedi affair and political developments dominated the front pages of Athens' Sunday newspapers.

ADESMEFTOS TYPOS: "The felony has been prepared by some in PASOK since 1999 - Explosive revelation on Ephraim's (Vatopedi Monastery abbot) scandal".

APOGEVMATINI: "Trench against the crisis - Programe for reinforcement of SMEs of over 34 billion euros".

AVGHI: "The recession is here - No light at the end of the tunnel".

AVRIANI: "The Megistis Lavras monastery 'grabbed' half of the island of Skyros, using the same tricks as Ephraim".

CHORA: "The banks' secrets - How to salvage your money".

ELEFTHEROS TYPOS: "The economy in the Intensive Care Unit - After the collapse of stockmarkets and banks, recession invades the European markets".

ELEFTHEROTYPIA: "Nobel laureate in economics Joseph Stiglitz speaks about the financial crisis and warns: Measures for all, or chaos".

ETHNOS: "Vatopedi scandal: What the prosecutors don't know - The big truth about the huge scam".

KATHIMERINI: "Government lacking daring, in midst of crisis - Control of the political developments becomes difficult".

LOGOS: "The 'morning after' Roussopoulos' resignation - Karamanlis' aim is to ameliorate the crisis".

RIZOSPASTIS: "Call on the people for counter-attack".

TO VIMA: "Crash and elections - Elections by spring the only outlet - Red alert on the economy, recession threatens Greece - Government unable to tackle the crisis".

VRADYNI: "Calculate the new pensions - What will change in all the Funds as of the New Year".

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