Greece will defend its sovereign rights

The Ministries of Defence and Foreign Affairs issued announcements concerning the sea surveys conducted by “Piri Reis,” a Turkish naval research ship in an area between the Greek island of Kastellorizo and Cyprus.

The Greek Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the “Piri Reis surveys an area outside Greek territorial waters, however, Athens has claimed the rights to potential undersea mineral and fossil fuel deposits.”

National Defence Minister Evangelos Venizelos said that “Athens is watching closely” and that “in any case, Greece will defend its sovereign rights.”

Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Differences with Turkey     [PHOTO]: Kastellorizo

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)

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Gaza Crisis

The Foreign Ministry has issued a statement this morning, saying that it has activated its Crisis Management Unit upon learning that Israeli armed forces had blocked the course of and seized vessels transporting humanitarian aid to Gaza.

Citizens with family or friends participating in the mission “ Ship to Gaza” can call the contact number +30 210 368 1730. 
It is Greece’s longstanding position that any activities undertaken by non-governmental organizations must go unhindered, provided that they are legal, is mentioned in the statement.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Crisis Management Unit activated regarding the humanitarian aid transport operation in Gaza & Greek News Agenda: Greece sends aid shipment to Gaza in 2009
(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)

A farewell to philosopher Axelos

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA) Philosopher Kostas Axelos died on February 4, at the age of 85 in Paris where he had been living since 1945.

Axelos was born in Athens in 1924 and, at the end of 1945, with the help of then director of the French Institute in Athens Octave Merlier, he boarded the legendary ship Mataroa to Paris along with 200 other young Greeks who were thus saved from the ravages of the impending civil war.
He studied philosophy at the Sorbonne, and then taught there from 1962-1973. He was a columnist and later editor of the pioneering, at the time, magazine “Arguments” (1956-1962).
He also founded and, since 1960, directed, in tandem with “Arguments,” the philosophical series of the “Editions de Minuit,” which also published most of his own books.
Axelos wrote 24 books and a plethora of texts in French, Greek and German, which have been translated into 16 languages.
Axelos interview with Radical Philosophy (2005): Mondialisation without the world
Du côté de Desmos: www.desmos-grece.com  (in French)

European Maritime Day in Greece

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)   May 20 was European Maritime Day. The sea has always played a key role in Europe’s history and its prosperity. The European continent has some 70,000 km of coastline and 22 of the EU’s 27 Member States are coastal or island countries. EU’s maritime regions are home to 40% of the population, and generate 40% of the economy. Being both a popular tourist destination and an archipelagic nation with extensive coastlines, and long tradition in shipping and maritime activities, Greece attributes special importance to this day and celebrated it with a number of events. Vice-President of the European Parliament and one of the inspirers of the institution, Rodi Kratsa-Tsagaropoulou, addressed the European Maritime Day Stakeholders Conference (May 19-20) in Rome yesterday.

Ancient Greek vessel docks for Pompey refit

(THE INDEPENDENT, 18.01.09)  The most complete ancient Greek ship ever found has arrived at the Mary Rose Centre in Portsmouth Harbour.  The ship was discovered in 1988 about 800 metres from the coastline off the city of Gela in Sicily. It was found in several layers of silt at a depth of five metres (16 feet), but wasn’t excavated until summer 2004. The 700 sodden timbers of the vessel, which is believed to be around 2,500 years old, are now ready to be reassembled, after being submerged in water-soluble wax for four years and then freeze-dried in a huge vacuum chamber.  Archaeologists believe the vessel was sailing to the ancient Greek colony of Gela, got caught in a storm and sank with its cargo. Read more…    See also :  Ancient Greek vessel arrives in Portsmouth (Practical Boat Owner, 19.01.09)

Greek Mythology Revived

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)     A replica of the legendary ship “Argo” which, in ancient mythology carried Jason and his Argonauts to recover the Golden Fleece from Colchis, (now city of Poti, on Georgia’s Black Sea coast) received a joyful send-off in the port of Volos (contemporary name of Iolkos, the original departure point) on June 14. With the help of its 50 oarsmen, it set sail for its journey to Venice where, after travelling some 10-15 nautical miles per day, it was expected to arrive on August 12. The modern ‘Argo’ is a reconstruction of an ancient Greek ‘penteconter’ with a ram, a single tier of oarsmen, and a single sail made of half-cured wood cut from forest timber. It belongs to the same family of Homer’s long ships and later ram-equipped warships of antiquity. The modern ‘Argo’ took over six years to complete, with the use of Bronze Age tools only. On its way to Venice, the ‘Argo’ will stop at 37 ports. During many of these stops, its arrival will be marked by various cultural events. The ‘Argo’ flies the flags of the countries it will visit: Greece, Albania, Croatia, Slovenia and Italy. World Media Reports – Google: Ancient Greek ship ‘Argo’ sets sail once again