Athens News Agency: News in English, 08-02-07

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

CONTENTS

[01] FinMin on 3rd CSF

[02] SYN leader addresses congress

[03] Voulgarakis in New York

[01] FinMin on 3rd CSF

Alogoskoufis said that 2008 is the most crucial year both for the 3rd CSF, because it has to close, and the programme period that is starting. He added that he was aware of difficulties facing regional governors, but stressed that "we have no ground for slackness this year. It is very important for the entire country that we go beyond ourselves. The effort must be very intensive."

The meeting with regional governors will be repeated every month "to enable us to see how we are going and to prevent problems before they appear," the minister added.

Caption: ANA-MPA file photo of Economy and Finance Minister George Alogoskoufis.

[02] SYN leader addresses congress

The new central objective of the party is to have "a new government of a Great Coalition formed, having as its epicenter the forces of Radical Left," Alavanos told delegates attending the party's 5th national congress.

Alavanos said the party's aims "are not exhausted in securing a greater percentege of votes in the next general elections. The aim is to overthrow the two-party system of governance, to build a new majority and this proposal to be brought in front of the forces cooperating in the Radical Left Coalition (SYRIZA)."

"This effort may be difficult, may take time but it is an attainable targret," Alavanos added.

Referring to relations between his party and the main opposition PASOK, Alavanos said that "some people support that a government solution could be given more easily through a cooperation with PASOK. But such a cooperation would not be a solution," because, as he said, the main opposition party "is already structurally incorporated to the system, it constitutes a pylon and a pole of the present system. And this a truth experienced in everyday life."

"The Left does not pledge for a new majority and an alternative governance in order to support the two-party system but to overcome it," he noted.

Alavanos, who has declared its intention to abandon the party's leadership, addressed himself to the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) leadership saying: "When the KKE leadership calls us traitors, compromised, opportunists, we respond to its militants that the enemy is one, capitalism."

He said that a condition for the party achieving its objectives is its renewal and reinforcement.

Present at the opening session of the congress were ruling New Democracy (ND) central committee secretary Lefteris Zagoritis, the director of the PASOK parliamentary group Dimitris Reppas and Athens Mayor Nikitas Kaklamanis.

The congress is scheduled to end on Sunday with the election of a new leader and a new central political committee.

[03] Voulgarakis in New York

?The Alexandros Onassis Foundation is doing a superb job on the projection of our country,? said Voulgarakis, stressing that during his tenure at the culture ministry, he had ?excellent cooperation with the Foundation,? hailing its contribution to Greek culture.

During the luncheon, which was hosted in cooperation with the General Consulate of Greece, Voulgarakis also referred to the scheduled exhibition on Minoan Civilisation which will be presented at the Foundationâs Cultural Centre in New York next month.

Attending the luncheon were Archbishop of America Demetrius, Greeceâs Permanent Representative at the United Nations, Ambassador Ioannis Mourikis, General Consul of Greece in New York, Agi Balta, Consul Sophia Veve, General Consul of Cyprus, Andreas Panagiotou, the executive director of the Onassis Foundation in New York, Ambassador Loukas Tsilas and officials of the Greek-American community.

During his stay in New York, Voulgarakis visited the cityâs port and met with the president of the New York and New Jersey Port Organisation.

The merchant marine minister was also the main speaker at a shipping conference organised by the American-Hellenic Chamber on the theme ?Shipping Markets?.

Caption: ANA-MPA file photo of Greek Merchant Marine and Island Policy Minister George Voulgarakis.

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