Athens News Agency: News in English, 08-10-27

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

CONTENTS

[01] PASOK leader to attend Thessaloniki parade

[02] Papoulias speaks on Balkans

[01] PASOK leader to attend Thessaloniki parade

In a message, meanwhile, for the October 28 national holiday, Papandreou on Monday said that the Greek 'no' in 1940 was "a resounding NO to fascism, totalitarianism, autocracy and hypocrisy" that symbolised the struggle for people to go above and beyond their ability in order to protect their sense of worth, values, freedom and self-respect.

"Sixty-eight years later, we honour the fighters of the National Resistance, pay them the deserved homage and once again remember the values for which they fought: freedom, independence, democracy, dignity and humanity," Papandreou said, adding that people were now called to put those ideals into practice in the face of the moral, economic and political crisis now facing the country.

"We are called on to say a resounding NO to defeatism, insecurity, fear of the new, inefficiency, unfair social policies, autocracy, hypocrisy, corruption and lies," he added.

Papandreou noted that Greeks were now seeking a reliable and responsible leadership to reverse the ills of the political system and build a society based on cohesion and justice, that would lead the a sustainable development, saying that PASOK "will continue the struggle to meet this historic debt."

[02] Papoulias speaks on Balkans

."Democratisation, the economic improvement and social cohesion is the big bet of the Balkans and the prerequisite for an equal European course. It can be won through inspired and independent leaderships with strategic planning, awareness of the historic experience and activation of all the democratic forces of their citizens," Papoulias underlined during a dinner hosted in his honour by the commander of the 3rd Army Corps, Lieutenant-General Stylianos Nasis.

At the same time, he said that "however, the Balkan countries should believe that they must advance to the European road without discounts and anachronisms. It is necessary and imperative for steps to be made forward leaving behind historical falsifications which harmed the Balkan peoples and benefitted suzerains and big interests."

Referring to developments in the Balkans, he noted that "today, the process of transition of the Balkans into a region of peace and cooperation has entered a new framework, the European one. A region, until very recently, particularly disturbed, has henceforth all the prospects to develop into a Zone of Peace and Prosperity, which will be characterised by democracy, the respect of human rights, the state of law, solidarity, equality, principles and values, which in short, also constitute the 'tough nucleus' of Europe which we are building," the President added.

Papoulias praised the initiative of National Defence Minister Evangelos Meimarakis to invite defence and deputy defence ministers from countries of Southeast Europe in Thessaloniki who on Tuesday will be all attending the military parade marking "Ochi Day".

The foreign ministers and deputy ministers were present at the dinner and Papoulias stressed that "it is an invitation which signals and opens a new chapter in our countries' relations. It is the categoric order of the peoples for peaceful co-existence and cooperation."

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