Athens News Agency: News in English, 07-11-16

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

CONTENTS

[01] PM: Only mutually acceptable solution to 'name issue' possible

[02] Papandreou lays wreath at Polytechnic

[03] Turkey-Greece natgas pipeline to open on Sun.

[01] PM: Only mutually acceptable solution to 'name issue' possible

"This is clear and succinct," Karamanlis said, speaking during his institutional response to the opposition, and in response to a question tabled by Popular Orthodox Rally (LA.OS) leader George Karatzaferis regarding the government's positions on the FYROM "name issue".

Karamanlis said that Athens and Skopje have been engaged in negotiations for approximately 15 years, aimed at finding a mutually acceptable solution on the basis of a composite name.

"There is no change of direction. What exists is frankness, determination and a constructive spirit" on the part of Greece, the Greek prime minister said, adding that "these long-standing negotiations have already entered a new stage, one of great importance".

"Only a definitive and mutually acceptable solution, only active respect of the Agreements and the principles of good neighbourliness can 'unlock' and ensure objective prospects for alliance relations, partnership relations, relations of solidarity with the neighbouring country. There is no other road that leads to its (FYROM's) accession to Euro-Atlantic organisations. This is clear-cut; succinct words," Karamanlis said.

The prime minister further said that any perception that the responsible parliamentary procedure, the procedure set out in the country's Constitution, was a process of "reduced democracy" was "erroneous and dangerous", stressing that Parliament was fully able to ratify a prospective agreement with FYROM on the name issue if such an agreement was achieved.

The Constitution, he explained, "does not rule out the choice of other procedures, such as a referendum', adding that "it does not, however, gradate democratic sensitivity and responsibility".

"If and when a final agreement arises, parliament can responsibly fulfil its own duty," the prime minister stressed.

Caption: PM Costas Karamanlis in Parliament on Friday, Nov. 16, 2007. ANA-MPA.

[02] Papandreou lays wreath at Polytechnic

"The spirit of uprising and reversal is always timely. The struggle for democracy, the consolidation of democracy, is always timely, just as it is today for a reversal, the changing of a political system that is not a true reflection of the Greek people's needs", he said.

[03] Turkey-Greece natgas pipeline to open on Sun.

Alternate government spokesman Evangelos Antonaros on Friday, replying to questions during a regular press briefing on whether Russian natural gas would also be transported via the same pipeline, said the details would be unveiled during the addresses at the ceremony.

The natgas pipeline will have a transport capacity of 11.5 cubic metres of natural gas annually, and the project will eventually extend to Italy via the construction of a Greece-Italy natgas pipeline, officially known as the "Interconnector Greece-Italy (IGI)", which is slated for completion in 2011 and comrpises a supplement to the Greek-Turkish pipeline, transporting eight billion cubic metres of natural gas per year.

Turning to other topics, Antonaros said Agricultural Development Minister Alexandros Kontos and Minister of State minister Theodoros Roussopoulos would unveil a study for the restoration and development of the agricultural sector, forests, and environmental protection in the areas of the country devastated by last summer's wildfires, during a special event at noon on Monday at the Zappeion Press Centre.

Caption: Greek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis (L) and Turkish Premier Tayyip Recep Erdogan during the inauguration of construction works for a natural gas pipeline between the two countries, in a file photo dated Sunday, July 3, 2005. ANA-MPA / G. ANTONIOU.

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