Subject: Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 17-01-06 From: "HR-Net News Distribution Manager" CONTENTS [01] President Pavlopoulos urges unity to overcome the crisis, in message for Epiphany [02] Greece offers friendship to all but defends its territorial rights, PM says in Alexandroupolis --------------------------------------------------------------------------- [01] President Pavlopoulos urges unity to overcome the crisis, in message for Epiphany President of the Hellenic Republic Prokopis Pavlopoulos on Friday urged Greeks to stand united as they struggle to overcome the social and economic crisis and defend the country's rights, in his message for the Feast of the Epiphany celebrated throughout the country. "I hope that the Light of Christianity, which is both the light of our faith but also the light of our civilisation, will lead our steps, the steps of Europe, the steps of humanity, to the path of peace, democracy and human dignity. Especially for our country and our nation, I hope the eternal radiance of Epiphany will illuminate, as a beacon of unbroken unity, our thoughts and our actions in our common sacred struggle to overcome the deep social and economic crisis and to defend fully our nation's rights," the president said after attending a ceremony for the blessing of the waters in central Athens. [02] Greece offers friendship to all but defends its territorial rights, PM says in Alexandroupolis Greece extends a hand of friendship and cooperation to all but is determined to defend its territorial rights, Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said on Friday. He made the statement in a message after attending an Epiphany ceremony for the blessing of the waters in the northeastern port city of Alexandroupolis, also attended by Alternate National Defence Minister Dimitris Vitsas. "It is no accident that we are here today, in the easternmost major port of the European Union, in Alexandroupolis. Using the opportunity afforded by my own presence here, that of the Alternate National Defence Minister and the chief of the National Defence General Staff, I wish to send a message of friendship, cooperation but also of our determination to defend our rights," the prime minister said. "We offer a hand of cooperation but at the same time, however, we state our determination to defend our territorial rights, as these arise from international treaties and international law." Tsipras noted that Greece offered friendship and cooperation toward all peoples, acting as "a beacon" transmitting the great values of peace, cooperation, solidarity, and love for fellow human beings. This, he noted, made the country a pillar of security and stability in a globally destabilised environment. He also highlighted the city's future prospects for becoming a hub for energy, trade and transit goods, saying this future could be built with "unity and vision" and again stressed that Europe's eastern borders, from Evros to Kastellorizo, were also those of Greece.