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U.S. experts in Greece to assist in fires crisisA group of six experts in fighting forest fires and dealing with natural disasters from the United States arrived in Greece on Monday to assist Greek authorities in dealing with the fires crisis and its aftermath, the U.S. Embassy announced. Among them is the US Forest Service's top fire-fighter and disaster-relief specialists from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). The U.S. has also shipped another 250,000 dollars in relief supplies to the Greek Red Cross, which brings the total U.S. government assistance to Greece up to 1.5 million dollars to date. The purpose of the experts' visit, as agreement with the Greek government, is to provide immediate technical assistance and support to Greece's current response to the catastrophic fires, with particular attention to fire management and rehabilitation of burned landscapes, as well as emergency management systems. The team will visit the areas where Greek fire and recovery operations are currently underway, and observe operations staff at command locations. Based on its findings, the U.S. Forest Service will propose a longer-term capacity building and technical support program to the government of Greece. U.S. Navy twice assists Greek firefighters Twice this summer, the Governors Office of Chania, asked for U.S. Navy assistance to extinguish brush fires in western Crete, on July 30 and August 23. On both occasions, American firefighters successfully battled flames alongside Greek firefighters. According to a press release issued on Monday by the Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Embassy in Athens, on August 23, around Lakki, Crete, a team of six civilian American firefighters and two U.S. Navy sailors worked with a large number of local Greek fire departments, including a contingent of Hellenic Navy firefighters. “The fire was approximately 2,000 acres and was threatening to get into the village,” said Todd McKinzie, captain of Souda Bay Emergency Services. In addition to two American emergency vehicles, there were about 30 other fire engines from all over Crete battling the flames around Lakki. The American civilian and military firefighting team helped contain this brush fire throughout the night, and returned to the U.S. Navy base the next morning. "As firefighters, thats what were here for,” said McKinzie, “to help prevent loss of life and property.” Greek diaspora donates 1.2 bln dollars in aid for wildfire-affected regions The Greek diaspora all over the world have sped to contribute in financial aid to the fire-ravaged regions of Greece. Through the mobilization of the World Council of Hellenes Abroad (SAE), more than 1,200,000 dollars have been collected, until now, worldwide in support of the fire-affected inhabitants of the Peloponnese and the island of Evia in central Greece. The Greek Australians donated 755,000 dollars. Greek Canadians donated 200,000 dollars and the SAE countries of the former Soviet Union 200,000 euros. President meets Molyviatis, party leader Papathemelis President of the Republic Karolos Papoulias on Monday received visits from former foreign minister Petros Molyviatis, who has been appointed president of the newly formed Fire Victim's Support Fund, and Democratic Revival party leader Stelios Papathemelis. Molyviatis briefed the president on the efforts being made to address the crisis created after the fires and informed him that 62,372,437 euros had been deposited in the fund up until now. He also thanked the people that had contributed to the fund, praising the solidarity and generosity shown by the Greek people at this crucial hour and giving assurances that every last euro would be spent for the purpose it was given. Papathemelis briefed the president on his partys positions regarding the fire victims. Leaving the presidential building, Papathemelis stated that hope should be restored in the regions devastated by the recent fires and stressed that the lost credibility of politics should also be restored. Mytilineos Group completes merger plan with Aluminium, Delta Project The shareholders of Mytilineos, Aluminium of Greece and Delta Project on Monday approved a merger plan of the three companies, signaling the creation of one of the largest listed industrial groups in the country. The shareholders also approved the separation of activities in alumina and aluminium production to Aluminium (a non-listed 100 percent subsidiary of Mytilineos Group), while all energy assets by Delta Project along with an electricity and thermal co-production unit will be offered to Endesa Hellas SA, a joint venture between Mytilineos Group and Spains Endesa. A company statement said the two decision simplified the groups structure. A shareholders general meeting also approved a share capital increase plan worth 99,891,977 euros, raising the companys equity capital to 124,204,181 euros, or 48,707,522 common shares of a nominal price of 2.55 euros per share. Fires in Arcadia, Peloponnese are under control The fires in the prefecture of Arcadia are under control, the blaze in Mt. Parnonas is receding, while firefighting forces continue to battle the flames on the ground and from the air in order to fully extinguish all fires in the region of Peloponnese, firefighters reported on Monday Rainfall was recorded in the prefecture of Corinth on Sunday causing no serious problems to the burned areas. Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis chaired a meeting in the Prefecture of Arcadia on Monday held with the participation of military, police and fire brigade authorities, the Peloponnese region general secretary, the prefect of Arcadia and the mayors of the fire ravaged regions. Meanwhile, Deputy Minister of Rural Development Alexandros Kontos is visiting the Hellenic Agricultural Insurance Organization (ELGA) offices in the city of Tripolis to inspect the recording of damages underway leading to the immediate advance payment of compensation to fire victims. In addition, all DNA tests for the identification of 52 badly burned victims in the recent fires have been completed by the responsible police agency. Cyprus to rebuild Artemida A five-member team of technical experts from Cyprus arrived in Athens on Monday morning and are already on their way to Artemida, Ilia Prefecture. The team will study the situation in the fire-ravaged village before preparing its proposals for the rebuilding of Artemida, which has been undertaken by the Republic of Cyprus. International summer school in Ancient Avdera, Thrace The 11th International Summer School of Greek language and culture is underway in Ancient Avdera with the participation of 150 students and scientists, among them, Greek expatriates, and delegations from Moldova, Bulgaria, FYROM, Serbia, Georgia, Chile, Egypt, Russia, Taiwan, Syria, Hungary, Poland, and Germany. The event, held in the region of Thrace, northeastern Greece, is also attended by Muslim community students while a hospitality programme directed to local Roma community students is being implemented for the first time this year. A total of 30 literature, philosophy, music, dance and theater teachers are taking part in the international summer school, organized by the Thrace Fund and the SE European Initiative for Development and Cooperation. A summer school student delegation is scheduled to visit Hellenic Republic President Karolos Papoulias on Tuesday. Olympic Rowing Centre to become international training centre A contract was signed in Munich on Monday by which the Olympic Rowing Centre at Schinias, north-eastern Attica, will be turned into an international training centre for the International Rowing Federation (FISA). According to an announcement by the Olympic Real Estate SA company, the rowing centre at Schinias will now be included in the list of FISA's three international training centres, together with Seville and Munich. This development also provides the country with an important step in the sector of international sports tourism, while at the same time the facility's viability will be strengthened and the region of Schinias wil be promoted internationally. Reconstruction Plans As anti-flood works got under way in the fire-ravaged areas, Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis underlined on Monday: “…we are moving ahead with plans for dynamic growth, friendly to the environment.” Government Spokesman Theodoros Roussopoulos presented the government relief project: A total of 45,600 wildfire-stricken people have received their initial compensation, totaling over 165 million. Athens News Agency: Reconstruction Effort after Fires has National Scope Kathimerini Daily: Anti-flood Works Start as Fires are Finally Put Out The European Dimension Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis presented a Greek proposal for enhanced European cooperation in responding to natural disasters to her EU counterparts and Commission officials, in Brussels, on Monday. Bakoyannis stressed that the initiative calls for the establishment of a European intervention force capable of rapidly assisting any country facing a natural disaster. Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Bakoyannis Press Conference Environmental Science Conference The Global Network for Environmental Science and Technology and the Department of Environmental Studies, University of Aegean are organising the 10th International Conference on Environmental Science and Technology (5-7.9.2007, Kos island). Dancers without Frontiers The 21st World Congress on Dance Research "Dancers without frontiers" is taking place in Athens, from September 5 to 9. The congress is organized by the Dora Stratou Dance Theater in collaboration with the International Dance Council. his is the largest gathering of dance specialists worldwide, the best opportunity to showcase one's work to a wide audience of practitioners, dance teachers, choreographers, researchers, journalists etc. Art Biennial: “Destroy Athens” Athens will be hosting its contemporary art biennial (“Destroy Athens,” 10.9 - 18.11.2007) curated by Xenia Kalpaktsoglou, director of the Deste Foundation for Contemporary Art, journalist Augustine Zenakos and artist Poka Yio, and directed by art historian Marieke van Hal. The Athens Biennial (www.athensbiennial.org) event aims to be a forum of critical discussion supported by various projects. Athens News: Destroy Athens, says biennial GoCulture: Athens Biennial, the people behind the idea ERA Westbalkan+ Project The West Balkan Research Database is an online directory, which provides a list of universities, institutions and companies active in R&D in these countries, funded by the ERA Westbalkan+ project (Intensifying the European Research Area in Western Balkan Countries: www.erawestbalkanplus.net). Special emphasis is placed on trans-regional networking, between West Balkan countries and their EU neighbours.
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