BRUSSELS, March 18 (Xinhua) — Eastern Europe and Central Asia may face an energy crunch by 2030 due to rising consumption unless massive investments are made to unlock capacity, the World Bank has warned in a report released here Thursday.
\”The outlook for primary energy supplies, heat and electricity is questionable for Eastern Europe and Central Asia region, despite Russia and Central Asia\’s current role as major energy suppliers to both Eastern and Western Europe,\” the bank said.
According to the report, demand for primary energy in the region was expected to increase by 50 percent by 2030, while demand for electricity was expected to increase by 90 percent.
\”Mitigation actions are required on both the supply and the demand side, and without a change in behavior, the region as a whole could face an energy crunch, moving from being a net energy exporter to a net energy importer by 2030,\” said Peter Thomson, Director for Sustainable Development in the World Bank\’s Europe and Central Asia region.
The report showed the current financial crisis created some breathing room and a window of opportunity for the region to take mitigating actions since energy demand had been significantly dampened.
\”But this is only a temporary respite before energy availability again becomes a serious concern. Once growth picks back up, so, too, will energy consumption,\” it said.
The World Bank estimated the energy crunch could not be avoided unless investments of more than 3 trillion U.S. dollars were made in the next few decades.
Almost 1.3 trillion U.S. dollars would be needed for primary energy development from 2010 to 2030 in order to ensure the availability of oil, gas and coal.
In addition, the region\’s power infrastructure was in desperate need of upgrading, with a massive investment of 1.5 trillion U.S. dollars needed over the next 20 to 25 years and a further 500 billion U.S. dollars required for district heating.
Thomson said the huge amount of investment could not be provided in the region by the public sector alone, so changing the investment climate would be necessary for countries in the region to attract private sector investors.
Investing in energy efficiency was also important to not only enhance energy security, but also reduce greenhouse gas emissions and give the economies a more sustainable growth.
The report showed an additional 1 U.S. dollar invested in energy efficiency may avoid more than 2 U.S. dollars in production investment.
It said the challenge for these countries would be to secure additional energy supplies quickly and at minimum cost, while acting in an environmentally friendly fashion to limit the growth of greenhouse gases.
http://www.chinacourse.com
MOSCOW, March 18 (Xinhua) — A hostage crisis at a police station in southern Russia ended on Thursday without casualties.
A middle-aged man walked into the police station in the Frolovo town of Volgograd region at around noon, holding a handbag with wires sticking out.
He held the police chief hostage, demanding a meeting with top Russian officials while threatening to blow up the building, the Itar-Tass news agency reported.
An emergency rescue center was immediately established following the incident. Regional police head Alexander Kravchenko arrived at the scene by helicopter and negotiated the man\’s surrender.
No casualties occurred in the incident. Nearby residents have been evacuated.
Information from local police said the man, identified as Martynenko, once served 13 years in prison and had multiple criminal records.
Investigation on the man was currently underway.
http://www.cne.cc
President of European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso (R) and visiting Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou attend a press conference after their meeting at the EU headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, March 17, 2010. (Xinhua/Wu Wei)
BRUSSELS, March 18 (Xinhua) — Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou Thursday called for a clear European Union (EU) aid plan for his debt-laden country or he would turn to the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Greece might not need money from the EU, but a clear aid plan would thwart speculation, Papandreou told the European Parliament here.
\”When you have that instrument in place, that could be enough to tell the markets: hands off, no speculation,\” Papandreou said at a press conference at the parliament.
The prime minister said Greece had put forward additional austerity measures in early March and its tough austerity program \”cannot sustain\” if the market did not act positively and the country had to borrow money at higher rates to refinance its debt.
He warned that, if the EU could not agree on an aid plan, Greece might have to turn to the IMF for help.
\”We have talked to the IMF, they would have asked us for nothing more,\” he said.
Earlier on Monday, Eurogroup Chairman Jean-Claude Juncker said after the monthly meeting of Eurozone finance ministers that the ministers \”clarified modalities enabling a decision on coordinated action and which could be activated swiftly in the case of need\”.
But Juncker said the final decision on how to help Greece was \”up to the European Council\” but that might not happen until the Council\’s next meeting on March 25-26.
\”I think it\’s an opportunity to make a decision next week at the summit,\” Papandreou told press conference at the parliament.
Papandreou also said he agreed with IMF Managing Director Dominique Strauss-Kahn that a European Monetary Fund (EMF) proposed by the EU might not be an immediate solution to Greek\’s debt crisis.
Strauss-Kahn said Wednesday at the European Parliament that talk of an EMF for future crisis prevention was a \”distraction\” from urgent problems in Greece.
Related:
Greek PM: Greece will not ask for financial aid from anybody
ATHENS, March 18 (Xinhua) — Greece will not ask for financial aid from anybody, Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou said during a cabinet meeting on the new tax bill here on Thursday.?Full story
Greece urges EU to provide aid
MOSCOW, March 18 (Xinhua) — The first reactor of Iran\’s long-delayed Bushehr nuclear power plant will be launched this summer, said Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin on Thursday. \”The first power generating unit will be launched as early as this summer,\” said Putin at a meeting on nuclear industry in southern Russian city of Volgodonsk. Earlier this month, the Iranian nuclear agency chief said the Bushehr nuclear power plant would be ready within a few months. Iran handed over the Bushehr project, started by German firm Siemens in the 1970s, to Russia in 1995. The launch of Bushehr has been postponed frequently in recent years. The West has been accusing Iran of secretly building nuclear weapons under the disguise of a civilian program. Tehran denies the charge, saying the program is for peaceful nuclear energy. http://www.tbogg.com
MOSCOW, March 17 (Xinhua) — Russian police killed four militants in the troubled southern republic of Chechnya, Interfax news agency reported on Wednesday, citing Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov. A group of militants were trapped as police conducted an operation in a mountainous and wooded area in the Vedeno district, Kadyrov was quoted as saying. The gunmen put up armed resistance and four of them were gunned down, he said. Russia\’s restive North Caucasus republics, particularly Chechnya, Dagestan and Ingushetia, have been plagued by violence stemming from Islamist militants and criminal groups. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev highlighted security and economic problems in the Muslim-dominated regions late last year and ordered measures to end militant violence, clan rivalries, and pervasive corruption there. http://www.zokn.com
MOSCOW, March 18 (Xinhua) — Preparation on a new strategic arms reduction treaty (START) to be signed by Russia and the United States has reached final stage, said Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Thursday. Lavrov made the announcement at a joint news conference with visiting U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton after bilateral arms treaty talks. \”We are happy about the work the negotiators have done to implement the presidents\’ instructions. There is every reason to believe that we have approached the final stage in the finish stretch,\” said Lavrov. The Russian top diplomat also said delegations from both countries will soon report on the completion of their arms treaty talks, after which they will then discuss over the date and venue for the signing of the START treaty. \”We are making substantial progress on arms treaty talks,\” said Clinton, adding that she hoped negotiations would finish soon. \”We have made real strides in the relationship over the past year,\” said Clinton commenting on the efforts to \”reset\” bilateral relationship proposed by U.S. President Barack Obama after assuming office. Russia and the United States have been working on a new arms control deal since Russian president Dmitry Medvedev and Obama met in April last year, in an effort to \”reset\” their ties plunged to an unprecedented low during the final days of former U.S. Bush administration. Despite rounds of negotiations, the two sides failed to reach a pact before the original 1991 START expired in December last year. An outline of the new pact, agreed by both presidents, includes slashing nuclear warheads to 1,500-1,675 and delivery vehicles to 500-1,000. Speaking of Iranian nuclear issue, Lavrov said Moscow and Washington would continue to cooperate in seeking solution to this issue. \”We have common aims — not to allow the violation of non- proliferation regime, to eliminate concerns that exist around the nuclear activity of Iran and ensure full cooperation of Iran with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA),\” said Lavrov. He also voiced confidence in possible political and diplomatic work in that direction in the future. Clinton also hoped that the Iranian nuclear issue will be settled using diplomacy. Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin announced earlier Thursday that the first reactor of Iran\’s long-delayed Bushehr nuclear power plant will be launched in summer. Clinton was in Moscow for a two-day visit. She would also attend a meeting of the Middle East quartet on Friday that groups Russia, the United States, the United Nations and the European Union.
WARSAW, March 18 (Xinhua) — Three Polish men who stole the \” Arbeit macht frei\” sign from above the main gate of the former Nazi death camp in Auschwitz-Birkenau on Dec. 18 were sentenced to between 18 and 30 months in prison by the Cracow court on Thursday. The defendants, each imposed a fine of 10,000 zlotys (about 3, 535 U.S. dollars), pleaded guilty, regretted what they had done and asked the court to pass a verdict without trial, according to the Polish news agency PAP. The court granted this request. It decided that the fines will benefit the Auschwitz museum foundation. Each of the three men, inhabitants of a small locality in northern Poland, was to get 5,000 zlotys (about 1,767 U.S. dollars) for stealing the sign and delivering to a fourth suspect who in turn commissioned the theft on request from a Swedish citizen. The fourth man, his accomplice and the Swede were not put on the same trial because the public prosecutor\’s office wanted to question the Swede first. Anders Hoegstroem, who is suspected of masterminding the theft, is now in Swedish police custody and awaiting extradition to Poland. The Arbeit Macht Frei sign, whose words mean \”Work Sets You Free,\” was recovered by police three days after the theft. Five Poles were charged with the theft. The Auschwitz death camp was established in 1940. Over 1.1 million people were killed there, mainly Jews but also Poles, Roma, Soviet prisoners and people of other nationalities. The Soviet Red Army liberated the camp on January 27, 1945. http://www.cne.cc
NICOSIA, March 18 (Xinhua) — Cyprus President Demetris Christofias said on Thursday that he would not seek re-election if the Cyprus issue of reunification cannot be solved by the end of his first term. Christofias, who was elected in February 2008 as the island state\’s president with a five-year term till 2013, told a press conference that this would be his \”first and last term\” if he cannot achieve his main goal — to solve the Cyprus issue within his term of office. Christofias, also acting as leader of the Greek Cypriot community, has been engaged in negotiations with Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat for more than 18 months under U.N. auspices. The talks, which was aimed at reunifying the eastern Mediterranean island under a bizonal bicommunal federation, have seen slow and limited progress without breakthrough. Meanwhile, Christofias has been under increasing pressure from some Greek Cypriot parties, which accused him of making too much compromise to the Turkish Cypriot side. Christofias said that the Greek Cypriot side will continue the ongoing peace talks for a political settlement on the basis of the principle of \”nothing is agreed until everything is agreed.\” He added that it would be a \”fatal mistake\” if they abandon the goal for a bizonal bicommunal federation. Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when Turkey militarily intervened and occupied the north of the island following a coup by a group of Greek officers. A solution to reunify the island is of crucial importance to Turkey\’s bid to join the European Union. The Republic of Cyprus, an EU member since May 2004, can block Turkey\’s progress if the current negotiations fail. http://www.gemuhope.com
ATHENS, March 18 (Xinhua) — Greece and United Arab Emirates aimed at broadening and strengthening bilateral cooperation in sectors ranging from ports, infrastructure and renewable energy sources to tourism and culture during a one- day business forum hosted on Thursday in Athens. Though no concrete results were announced, the Greek government explored with the 15-member delegation of Abu Dhabi officials, \” opportunities to advance a strategic partnership between the two sides,\” as Greek Minister of Economy, Competitiveness and Shipping Louka Katseli said during her opening address to the forum. \”We are here because we share common priorities in the economic development of our countries,\” added Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, head of the Abu Dhabi delegation, assistant Foreign Minister and special envoy on energy and climate change. On Thursday, Greece finalized an earlier deal with Abu Dhabi on the sale of the majority stake of the Greek shipyards of Skaramangas to a consortium controlled by the Arab Emirate. http://www.nmgmzbwg.com.cn
LONDON, March 18 (Xinhua) — The British boy kidnapped in Pakistan two weeks ago was reunited with his father on Thursday and is coming back to Britain. British Prime Minister Gordon Brown welcomed news of the imminent return of the schoolboy Sahil Saeed to Britain after he was reunited with his father in Pakistan. Speaking to reporters while on a visit to a new cancer treatment center in Sahil\’s home town of Oldham, Brown praised the \”exceptional role\” played by Greater Manchester Police and offered his thanks to the government of Pakistan. Brown said: \”After 12 days, Sahil will be able to return to this country. I know he\’s been re-united with his father at the British High Commission. I think we have got to recognize the exceptional role played by Greater Manchester Police and thank the Pakistan government. This is a coordinated effort to help a young boy, only five and separated from his family and now reunited with his father.\” \”People, of course, are very, very happy that this potentially tragic story is ending in Sahil coming back to our country today. We will be offering our good wishes to the family,\” he added. Five-year-old Sahil was reported kidnapped in Pakistan while visiting relatives with his father on March 4 and released by his kidnappers on Tuesday and has been reunited with his father at the British High Commission in Islamabad. Speaking on Sky News on Thursday morning, British High Commissioner to Pakistan Adam Thomson said, \”kidnapping is a concern, one of a number, and that is reflected in the Foreign Office\’s travel advice. But the overwhelming majority of travelers come here have a good time and go home without trouble. Sahil is expected to return to Britain with his family shortly.\” http://www.kphy.com
MOSCOW, March 18 (Xinhua) — After holding crunch talks to help seal a new strategic arms reduction treaty (START) here on Thursday, top diplomats of Russia and the United States, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, all voiced confidence to clinch the deal in the near future. START PREPARATION INTO FINAL STAGE Lavrov announced at a joint news conference with Clinton that preparation on the successor START treaty has reached final stage. \”There is every reason to believe that we have approached the final stage in the finish stretch,\” said Lavrov. He also said delegations from both countries will soon report on the completion of their arms treaty talks. Then they will discuss over the date and venue for the signing of the START treaty. Clinton said \”substantial progress\” has been made on arms treaty talks. She also hoped that negotiations would finish soon. Russia and the United States have been working on a new arms control deal since Russian president Dmitry Medvedev and U.S. President Barack Obama met in April last year, in an effort to \” reset\” their ties plunged to an unprecedented low during the final days of former U.S. Bush administration. An outline of the new pact, agreed by both presidents, includes slashing nuclear warheads to 1,500-1,675 and delivery vehicles to 500-1,000. NUCLEAR ARSENALS CUT A GLOBAL CONCERN As two major nuclear powers among the world, the Russian-U.S. nuclear arms deal has somewhat become a major global issue of concern. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, who was currently in Moscow for a working visit, expressed his anticipation on this upcoming START treaty on Thursday. When being interviewed by the Echo of Moscow radio earlier in the day, the UN chief said if the two countries sign a new START treaty, it would be very important and positive for the upcoming Nuclear Security Summit slated for April 12-13, in Washington, and the Review Conference on the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty in New York in May. Hopefully the new START treaty will become a positive agreement, he added. Later in the day when meeting with Medvedev, Ban reiterated his optimism. \”I expect and sincerely hope that you and U.S. President ( Barack) Obama will sign the START treaty as soon as possible,\” Ban told Medvedev. In reply, Medvedev said \”I hope so\” in English. POLICY DIVERGENCES OR TECHNICAL DETAILS Despite rounds of negotiations, Russia and the United States failed to reach a pact before the original 1991 START expired in December last year. The protracted talks thus aroused media speculation that policy divergences, particularly of those surrounding the U.S. plans for missile defense in Europe, had prevented the two side from clinching the deal. ATHENS, March 18 (Xinhua) — Greece will not ask for financial aid from anybody, Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou said during a cabinet meeting on the new tax bill here on Thursday. \”We are willing to find the solution on our own,\” Papandreou stressed upon his return from Brussels earlier in the day, adding that Athens still expects though a stronger message of political support by other European partners at the EU summit on March 25. The Greek premier repeated that \”what Greece is asking for is to be able to borrow on the same conditions as other countries, so that Greek peoples\’ sacrifices will not be wasted due to high interest rates.\” Reassuring Greek citizens that their sacrifices will lead to an exit from the economic crisis, Finance Minister George Papaconstantinou presented in the cabinet meeting and the parliament earlier on Thursday the basic guidelines of the new tax bill. The bill aims at the fair redistribution of wealth in Greece through a fight against tax evasion which will help cut budget deficit. Papaconstantinou said that the new reform of the taxation system represents \”a big revolution\” for Greece, since \”it brings an end to unreasonable privileges of minorities against the majority.\” The main principles of the tax bill include a tax rate of 45 percent to incomes above 100,000 euros per year, a tax exemption for people with an annual income of less than 12,000 euros and lower tax rates for tax payers of low and middle classes. According to the new bill a 45 percent tax rate will be applied to dividends and a tax rate ranging from 0.1- 2 percent on large real estate holdings worth more than 400,000 euros. The income of the Greek Orthodox Church will be taxed by 20 percent and offshore companies will have to pay a 15 percent tax for real estates in Greece. The socialist government stressed that they are willing to hear the objections and suggestions of the other political parties, trade unions, representatives of the business world and citizens in the following days. Demonstrations and strikes have escalated during the past two months, as many Greeks oppose to the measures proposed, even though they agree that measures should be taken to solve the economic woes of Greece. Taxi drivers called a 24-hour strike on Thursday, the fourth this year, and held a march outside the parliament building at noon protesting the tax bill, as the Finance Minister addressed a special committee. The bill will be put for approval by the cabinet next Tuesday and then it will be tabled in parliament for vote, where the ruling PASOK party holds a wide majority. Related: Greece threatens to go to IMF if EU fails to deliver aid plan BRUSSELS, March 18 (Xinhua) — Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou Thursday called for a clear European Union (EU) aid plan for his debt-laden country or he would turn to the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
ROME, March 18 (Xinhua) — The majestic 16-century Chigi Palace, which hosts the headquarters of the Italian government, will open to the public for the first time in history from March 27-28 during the Italian Environmental Fund\’s (FAI) Spring Days, officials said. Tourists will get the opportunity to visit the secret chambers of power, where Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and his cabinet meet regularly, the FAI and Italian Cultural Heritage Minister Sandro Bondi announced at a press conference here on Thursday. For the occasion other 589 unique artistic, historical and naturalistic sites, usually inaccessible, will be open to the public with free entrance tickets. The special initiative aims at spreading awareness on Italy\’s cultural and natural heritage by attracting the highest number of people. A total of 225 locations are concerned. Apart from the guided visits, the organizers have planned horse, bike, trekking and even paragliding itineraries inside Italy\’s artistic and natural treasures. Among the sites open to the public are the apartment of famous composer Giuseppe Verdi at Milan\’s Grand Hotel, the horse and bike tour of St. Francis monasteries in Latium and a traditional cheese-producing manor farm in Puglia. Cultural Heritage Minister Bondi praised the partnership between private and public bodies in preserving Italy\’s artistic world. \”Our joint work is crucial in making Italians become aware of their historical origins and sense of national belonging,\” he said. The FAI is a non-profit organization focused on the promotion and preservation of Italy\’s artistic and natural heritage. It is run by volunteers and funded by members\’ donations. Ilaria Borletti Buitoni, FAI president, noted that the goal of the Spring Days was to lead the public inside Italy\’s \”precious, unique and rare sites in a special encounter with beauty.\” Borlotti announced that for the occasion the FAI will start restoring one of L\’Aquila\’s architectural jewels, the Fountain of the 99 Spouts, severely damaged in the terrible earthquake that hit the Abruzzo region last April causing more than 300 deaths. http://www.lersus.com
ATHENS, March 18 (Xinhua) — The Greek Cabinet Council of Foreign and Defense Affairs approved on Thursday a double deal to sell a majority stake of 75.1 percent at the Greek shipyards of Skaramangas near Athens to Abu Dhabi Mar (ADM) shipbuilding group and purchase 7 submarines from Germany built at Skaramangas. According to the agreement, the state-controlled ADM will head the new consortium scheme at Skaramangas. The German ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems which is already involved in the Greek shipyards will retain a 24.9 percent stake, while the Greek government reserves the right to veto the further transfer of shares and dismissal of Greek employees. The new owners had asked for the lay- offs of up to 350 workers in the first place. Under the final deal, the Greek side will finally receive a submarine named \”Papanikolis,\” which was constructed at Skaramangas, but leans, at a price of 300 million euros from Germany. With a certification for safe navigation by German experts, Greece intends to resell it to a third country at a price that can reach 500 million euros. According to government sources, there is interest, but Athens does not rule the prospect \”Papanikolis\” will join the force of the Greek Fleet. The Greek Navy will also get five new Type 214 submarines and one Type 209 which cost 500 million euros each. The deal on the submarine program between Athens and Berlin has an almost 10-year history, but there have been long delays and complications. According to an earlier agreement, Greece would pay up to 200 million euros per year for nine years, but the German side, as Greek government sources stressed, asked for a higher amount of money in the near future. \”This solution protects jobs, protects the Greek industrial infrastructure and shipbuilding, protects the interests of the Greek Navy and the interests of the Greek state amid a severe financial problem in the best possible way,\” Defense Minister Evangelos Venizelos stressed. (1 euro = 1.3660 U.S. dollars) http://www.kphy.com
BRUSSELS, March 18 (Xinhua) — The eurozone trade balance fell back into deficit in January, the first since last September, the European Union (EU)\’s statistics office Eurostat said on Thursday. The first estimate by Eurostat showed the 16 EU nations that share the euro registered a deficit of 8.9 billion euros (12.1 billion U.S. dollars) in the first month of 2010, compared with a surplus of 4.1 billion euros in December of 2009. It was the first time the eurozone trade balance with the rest of the world was in negative territory since September of 2009. But the deficit was smaller than that recorded a year ago, when the euro zone posted a deficit of 12.1 billion euros, mainly thanks to the recent depreciation of the euro against the U.S. dollar amid Greek debt crisis. Official figures also showed the 27-nation EU registered a deficit of 22.5 billion euros in January, compared with a smaller deficit of 2.5 billion euros in the previous month and a larger deficit of 28 billion euros in the same period of last year. For the whole year of 2009, EU trade flows with all of its major partners fell, except for exports to China, which rose by four percent compared with 2008 despite an international economic crisis. Its exports to Russia dropped the most by 37 percent and decreased by 18 percent to the U.S., the EU\’s largest trading partner. (1 U.S. dollar = 0.732 euro) http://www.lersus.com
Gauthier Lefevre, staff member of the International Committee for the Red Cross (ICRC) who was abducted in Sudan\’s western region of Darfur in October, is interviewed in Khartoum, capital of Sudan, March 18, 2010. Gauthier Lefevre was freed on Thursday. (Xinhua/Mohammed Babiker) PARIS, March 18 (Xinhua) — A third French hostage was freed in Sudan on Thursday after being held by local militants for nearly five months, French authorities confirmed later on the day. The 35-year-old Gauthier Lefevre, a worker of the International Committee of the Red Cross, was kidnapped in the restless Darfur region, west of Sudan, in October 2009. French President Nicolas Sarkozy thanked the Sudanese authorities \”for their particularly precious help in handling this crisis,\” according a statement from the Elysee Palace. Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner also expressed his happiness about the release of the aid worker, who he said was the last French national held in Darfur. \”I severely condemn those who target humanitarian workers and endanger the population for whom humanitarian aid is indispensable, \” a ministry statement quoted Kouchner as saying. Two other French aid workers were freed in Darfur last weekend after being held hostage for nearly four months.? Gauthier Lefevre, staff member of the International Committee for the Red Cross (ICRC) who was abducted in Sudan\’s western region of Darfur in October, arrives in Khartoum, capital of Sudan, March 18, 2010. Gauthier Lefevre was freed on Thursday. (Xinhua/Mohammed Babiker) Gauthier Lefevre (R), staff member of the International Committee for the Red Cross (ICRC) who was abducted in Sudan\’s western region of Darfur in October, hugs his colleague in Khartoum, capital of Sudan, March 18, 2010. Gauthier Lefevre was freed on Thursday. (Xinhua/Mohammed Babiker) Gauthier Lefevre (L), staff member of the International Committee for the Red Cross (ICRC) who was abducted in Sudan\’s western region of Darfur in October, arrives in Khartoum, capital of Sudan, March 18, 2010. Gauthier Lefevre was freed on Thursday. (Xinhua/Mohammed Babiker) http://www.pq365.com
BUDAPEST, March 18 (Xinhua) — The Hungarian government and the Defense Ministry have begun an investigation into two Israeli planes that flew over Budapest\’s Ferihegy Airport twice on Wednesday, as if to land, but then continued their flight, the daily Magyar Nemzet reported on Thursday. Israeli Ambassador Aliza Bin-Noun said the flyovers had been routine and the craft, which belonged to the Israeli Air Force, had permission from the Hungarian National Transport Authority. The Foreign Ministry of Hungary was also aware of the action, she said, vehemently denying that the aircraft were spy planes. The two planes had conducted similar maneuvers at Varna Airport in Bulgaria,Bin-Noun added. Hungarian Defense Ministry spokesman Istvan Bocskai said Defense Minister Imre Szekeres had initiated an investigation to determine who had granted the planes permission to conduct the \” approach and flyover\” maneuvers, adding that the Defense Ministry had no prior knowledge of the Israeli action. Prime Minister Gordon Bajnai, meanwhile, demanded immediate information from the foreign, defense and transport ministers. The Hungarian National Transport Authority issued a statement on Thursday afternoon saying that the two Israeli Air Force planes had been in compliance with Hungarian law and had observed all safety regulations. The request to conduct the flyover had been timely, the statement added, and had gone to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs which had transferred it to the air traffic control section of the National Transport Authority, which in turn granted permission to conduct the exercise. Security expert Georg Spoettle told local wire service MTI that the maneuvers looked like a test flight, not an espionage action because both planes were flying low and in broad daylight. He also noted that the El Al Israeli Airline flew between Tel Aviv and Budapest on a daily basis and could have been used for intelligence gathering if that had been the goal. Spoette is a German security expert who worked in Berlin with the German National Office of Criminal Investigations for over twenty years. He now lives in Hungary. Spoettle noted that the two planes, whose photo appeared in Magyar Nemzet, were tactical craft, used to transport troops and observe foreign planes entering their home air space, not spy planes. He added his belief that the aircraft were undergoing technical tests, possibly testing to see how far they could travel without refueling. http://www.zokn.com The on-strike taxies line up on a street in Athens, capital of Greece, March 18, 2010. Taxi drivers union in Athens called a 24-hour strike in protest against the new taxation measures announced by the Greek government on Thursday. (Xinhua/Marios Lolos) The on-strike taxies line up on a street in Athens, capital of Greece, March 18, 2010. Taxi drivers union in Athens called a 24-hour strike in protest against the new taxation measures announced by the Greek government on Thursday. (Xinhua/Marios Lolos) Taxi drivers attend a demonstration in Athens, capital of Greece, March 18, 2010. Taxi drivers union in Athens called a 24-hour strike in protest against the new taxation measures announced by the Greek government on Thursday. (Xinhua/Marios Lolos) Taxi drivers attend a demonstration in Athens, capital of Greece, March 18, 2010. Taxi drivers union in Athens called a 24-hour strike in protest against the new taxation measures announced by the Greek government on Thursday. (Xinhua/Marios Lolos) The on-strike taxies line up on a street in Athens, capital of Greece, March 18, 2010. Taxi drivers union in Athens called a 24-hour strike in protest against the new taxation measures announced by the Greek government on Thursday. (Xinhua/Marios Lolos) Taxi drivers attend a demonstration in Athens, capital of Greece, March 18, 2010. Taxi drivers union in Athens called a 24-hour strike in protest against the new taxation measures announced by the Greek government on Thursday. (Xinhua/Marios Lolos) Taxi drivers attend a demonstration in Athens, capital of Greece, March 18, 2010. Taxi drivers union in Athens called a 24-hour strike in protest against the new taxation measures announced by the Greek government on Thursday. (Xinhua/Marios Lolos) Taxi drivers confront policemen during a demonstration in Athens, capital of Greece, March 18, 2010. Taxi drivers union in Athens called a 24-hour strike in protest against the new taxation measures announced by the Greek government on Thursday. (Xinhua/Marios Lolos) http://www.znnw.com
BELGRADE, March 18 (Xinhua) — Serbia\’s possible boycott of the Western Balkans conference this weekend in protest against the invitation of Kosovo threatens to spoil the first meeting of all the political leaders in the region in 18 years. The joint organizers Slovenia and Croatia have so far failed to secure the presence of both Serbia and Kosovo, the former Serbian province which declared independence in 2008. The absence of Serbia would undermine the conference\’s goal of resolving regional disputes before European Union accession talks. Serbian President Boris Tadic said earlier that Serbia would take part in the conference if Kosovo \”participates within the format defined by Resolution 1244 of the UN Security Council,\” or UNMIK Kosovo, the acronym for the UN mission in Kosovo.. The ethnic Albanian-dominated Kosovo unilaterally declared independence on Feb. 17, 2008. Serbia has said it would never recognize Kosovo\’s independence, regarding the move as contrary to international law. However, Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaci said he would only attend the meeting as a representative of a sovereign state, not UNMIK Kosovo. Croatian Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor said Wednesday that \”I believe that everything will be arranged and that all those whom we, as organizers, are expecting at this conference will be there.\” Earlier, Slovenian Prime Minister Borut Pahor described the prospects of getting Serbian and Kosovo officials together at the conference as \”an impossible mission.\” Pahor\’s surprise trip to Belgrade on March 17 in a bid to salvage the regional conference was unsuccessful in convincing Tadic to relent. The conference, under the name \”Together for the European Union: Contribution of the Western Balkans to the European Future,\” is to be held on Saturday in Slovenia. The Slovenian foreign ministry said Wednesday that the meeting would go ahead this weekend regardless of a possible boycott by Serbia. Related: UN war crimes tribunal for former Yugoslavia needs more time: Ban UNITED NATIONS, March 16 (Xinhua) — The United Nations war crimes tribunal set up in the wake of the Balkan conflicts in the 1990s will need more time to complete its work after originally being scheduled to wind down at the end of this year, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said here Tuesday. The secretary-general told reporters at the United Nations Headquarters in New York that \”there is some broad agreement now that the ICTY (International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia) may need at least a few more years, to 2013 or so,\” before it can finish its work.? Full story Slovenia and Slovakia want Western Balkans in EU BELGRADE, March 15 (Xinhua) — The Western Balkans is important for peace in Europe and should be included in the European Union, Slovenian President Danilo Tuerk and his visiting Slovakian counterpart Ivan Gasparovic agreed at their meeting in Brdo Pri Kranju, Slovenia on Monday. Efforts to improve trade and the EU accession of Western Balkan countries, topped talks between Tuerk and Gasparovic.
President of European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso (R) and visiting Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou attend a press conference after their meeting at the EU headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, March 17, 2010. (Xinhua/Wu Wei) by Liang Yeqian, Maria Spiliopoulou ATHENS, March 18 (Xinhua) — Labor unions across Europe will take action as Greece is left alone in the economic crisis by other short-sighted European Union member states, Yannis Panagopoulos, president of umbrella labor union GSEE, told Xinhua in an interview. \”The solidarity of other European labor unions has been impressive. We witness the phenomenon of German labor unions denouncing their government\’s unwillingness to back Greece,\” Panagopoulos said, referring to the fact that Berlin, together with other EU member states, is still not offering Greece enough support to solve its fiscal crisis. Apart from making pledges of support, EU labor unions, especially those from Southern European countries, will join forces in the near future, perhaps in May, he said. Panagopoulos believed that EU member states should give Greece more help for their own development. \”The Portuguese, Spanish and Italian people understand that we share the same destiny; they all know that when Greece gets through this adventure, it will be their turn next,\” he said. Panagopoulos stressed that over 70 percent of the Greek debt is owed to British, French and German banks. \”You see that if Greece will not be able to pay, the European financial system will be greatly affected,\” he said. \”The current stance of some European political leaders is unacceptable. The problem is not only Greek, it\’s European,\” he added. \”If they do not support Greece, there will be a domino effect across the continent.\” Speaking to Xinhua in the GSEE headquarters, Panagopoulos echoed a request made by Greek state officials, analysts, economists and citizens these past few weeks. \”What we ask for is that Greece will be able to take loans on the same interest rates as others,\” he said, urging the EU to crack down on speculative trading blamed for aggravating the Greek debt crisis. Moreover, he warned that the EU might become a puppet of the United States and other markets if Europe doesn\’t reform its mechanism to balance inequalities across the EU. Commenting on what went wrong in Greece, Panagopoulos pointed to the structural weaknesses of the Greek national economy and a series of mistakes made by previous governments. He claimed the EU member states which hesitate to support Greece should also share the responsibility. \”Part of Europe\’s political elite knew what was going on, that the previous conservative government was hiding the truth, but due to ideological links, nobody would speak,\” Panagopoulos said.
Police search for clues around the offices of a Greek far-right group \”Golden Dawn\”, where a bomb attack occurred, in Athens, capital of Greece, March 19, 2010. No injuries were reported as there had been a warning phone call a few minutes before the time bomb blast. (Xinhua/Marios Lolos) ATHENS, March 19 (Xinhua) — An explosion occurred at the office of a far-right group named \”Golden Dawn\” in the centre of Athens early on Friday morning. No injuries were reported, but only minor damages, as there had been a warning telephone call to a Greek newspaper a few minutes before the time bomb blasts. The bomb which had been placed outside the offices of \”Golden Dawn,\” at the corridor of the 5th floor of a building near the crowded Omonia square in the centre of Athens, exploded at 08:46 local time, according to the police. Exactly 22 minutes earlier an unidentified person had made the warning call to \”Eleftherotypia\” daily, a common practice for Far-Left, anarchist and terrorist groups that operate in Greece. The police had managed to evacuate the area, when the bomb exploded and windows of nearby buildings broke in rush hour.
Police cordone off the offices of a Greek far-right group \”Golden Dawn\”, where a bomb attack occurred, in Athens, capital of Greece, March 19, 2010. (Xinhua/Marios Lolos) No group has claimed responsibility yet, as police investigate, gathering evidence that could lead to the perpetrators. In a first comment from the government, government spokesperson George Petalotis condemned the attack, stressing that \”whichever is the purpose, is cancelled by the fact that occur in crowded areas.\” \”Golden Dawn\” is the most known far-right group in Greece. It was created in the early 1980s and its members have been accused and sentenced to prison terms for a series of attacks against immigrants. Police investigate at the offices of a Greek far-right group \”Golden Dawn\”, where a bomb attack occurred, in Athens, capital of Greece, March 19, 2010. (Xinhua/Marios Lolos) http://www.gtrip.net
BERLIN, March 19 (Xinhua) — A high-speed German train ran over a man on Thursday late-night when whooshing from Frankfurt to Cologne, causing the busy line to be closed for hours, operator Deutsche Bahn and police reported Friday. The accident happened at late night near Idstein, a northeastern town of Hesse state. Police said it is not known weather the man had commit a suicide. The Inter City Express (ICE) train, which had 630 passengers at that time, had to disembark and waited in the dark until a group of buses arrived to transport passengers to Cologne. More than a dozen other trains were canceled or forced to change the route when clearance were underway, a Deutsche Bahn spokesperson said. It took about four hours before the line was re-opened. The railway between Frankfurt to Cologne is one of the busiest lines in Germany, with an average of eight trains per hour travelling along the track. Germany\’s ICE train, which started in the 1980s, has an average speed of 200 km per hour, and its record speed is over 400 km per hour. http://www.znnw.com
MOSCOW, March 19 (Xinhua) — The United States and Russia were \”on the brink\” of clinching a new nuclear arms control deal, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Friday. After meeting Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Friday, Clinton said the two countries had resolved all major issues concerning a new nuclear arms reduction treaty. \”There are some technical issues that remain. But we are on the brink of signing a new agreement between the United States and Russia,\” she said at a joint news conference with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. But Clinton did not specify a date or venue for the signing of the pact. Lavrov said a reset in Russia-U.S. relations had materialized and both sides should not stop in their steps forward. \”This movement requires ongoing dialogue, without any pauses,\” he said. Russia and the United States have been working on a new arms treaty since Medvedev and Obama met in April last year, in an effort to rebuild their ties, which plunged to an unprecedented low during the final days of former U.S. Bush administration. Despite rounds of negotiations, the two sides failed to reach a pact before the original 1991 START expired in December last year. An outline of the new accord, agreed by both presidents, includes slashing nuclear warheads to 1,500-1,675 and delivery vehicles to 500-1,000. Related: Russia, U.S. close to clinch new START deal MOSCOW, March 18 (Xinhua) — After holding crunch talks to help seal a new strategic arms reduction treaty (START) here on Thursday, top diplomats of Russia and the United States, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, all voiced confidence to clinch the deal in the near future.?? Full story New START treaty to combine offensive, defensive weapons: Lavrov MOSCOW, March 16 (Xinhua) — Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov reassured Tuesday that the new strategic arms reduction treaty (START) with the United States will combine offensive and defensive weaponry. Lavrov reiterated Russia\’s stance concerning the issue in a joint press conference with his Ukrainian counterpart Konstantin Grishchenko broadcast live by local TV station Russia Today. Full story? http://www.marconimedical.com
BRUSSELS, March 19 (Xinhua) — The European Union (EU) top economic official called on Friday for a concrete deal at a summit next week on possible aid for Greece amid its debt crisis. \”It is important that the EU in the course of next week comes to a more specific conclusion, specific political conclusion about the European framework for coordinated and conditional action, if needed and required,\” EU Economic and Monetary Affairs Commissioner Olli Rehn told reporters. EU leaders were scheduled to meet in Brussels on March 25-26, with the Greek debt crisis set to top the agenda. Rehn said it was important for the EU to politically conclude work that had been done. At a monthly meeting earlier this week, EU finance ministers agreed on technical arrangements on how to aid Greece if necessary, leaving the final decision on a detailed plan to EU leaders. Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou said on Thursday his country would resort to help from the International Monetary Fund if it failed to receive a concrete aid promise in Europe. http://www.gtrip.net
