Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 13-03-10

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

CONTENTS

[01] Greek abduction victim in Nigeria likely dead

[01] Greek abduction victim in Nigeria likely dead

The Greek citizen was employed by the Lebanese company Setraco and was working in Bauchi, in northern Nigeria, when armed men attacked the compound housing the company's personnel and abducted seven people. A terrorist organisation claimed responsibility for the attack but did not subsequently communicate with authorities or express demands for the release of the hostages.

The ministry stressed that the Greek side at all times made it clear to all involved that its top priority was the protection and safety of the hostages.amna

"This defined our stance in every aspect of the handling of the case. Based on the information we have, no operation was mounted to free the hostages," a ministry announcement said.

"As soon as the Greek citizen's abduction became known, the foreign ministry's Crisis Management Unit was activated and coordinated with the other competent Greek Services, keeping the abductee's family apprised continuously.

To maintain contact and coordinate with the other countries involved, a team of specialized personnel was set up and carried out a number of meetings with the corresponding teams of the other countries.amna

The Greek Embassy in Nigeria was reinforced with high-ranking personnel, and the Embassy staff, diplomats and police officers, maintained contact with the Nigerian authorities and local Embassies, while Greece's Embassies in the involved countries were in contact with the corresponding Foreign Ministries," the ministry said.

Throughout this time, Foreign Minister Dimitris Avramopoulos was in contact with his counterparts with the other countries involved, the ministry said, while he has communicated with the victim's mother and expressed his own and the state's grief and undivided support for her loss.

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