Greece

Greek militant group claims responsibility for Citibank attacks

Greek militant group claims responsibility for Citibank attacks Athens  - Revolutionary Struggle, a Greek left-wing militant group, claimed responsibility on Thursday for two recent bomb attacks against Citibank branches in Athens, media reports said.

The left-wing group sent a statement to the weekly Pontiki newspaper saying it was behind two incidents last month, in which one bomb exploded outside a Citibank branch in the Greek capital while a second failed outside the city's Citibank headquarters.

Cyprus' rival leaders focus negotiations on EU issues

CyprusAthens/Nicosia - Rival Turkish-Cypriot and Greek-Cypriot leaders met for renewed unification talks on Wednesday, focussing on European issues, officials said.

The Mediterranean island has been divided since a Turkish invasion in 1974, with peace talks only resuming in September last year after being broken off in 2004.

The talks, in the buffer zone of Lefkosa in Cyprus, are being held under the aegis of the United Nations.

"The leaders have referred to technical experts who are in particular legal experts because there are some legal questions to be addressed," said UN special advisor Alexander Downer.

ROUNDUP: European Commission approves Olympic Airline privatisation

European Commission approves Olympic Airline privatisationAthens - The European Commission Tuesday approved the sale of Greece's national carrier Olympic Airlines to the Marfin Investment Group after years of failed privatisation attempts.

The deal involving Marfin, a Greek-based investment holdings company, comes a month after the conservative government made a last- minute appeal for investors to rescue Olympic, after an international tender failed to produce satisfactory offers.

Bids by two other companies for the ailing airline, Aegean Airlines and US-based Chrysler Aviation, were rejected.

Greek coast guard detains 31 illegal immigrants in Aegean

http://www.topnews.in/files/athens-map.gifAthens - The Greek coast guard officials Monday detained 31 illegal immigrants who had crossed the Aegean Sea in inflatable rafts from neighbouring Turkey.

The immigrants, among them two women, were picked up alive by the Greek coast guard after they were found swimming near the small island of Innousses, along the Greek-Turkish border.

The immigrants told officials they decided to destroy their raft and jump into the water once they were detected by coast guard officials.

They were taken to a hospital on Chios.

Bomb explodes outside Citibank in Athens, no injuries

Bomb explodes outside Citibank in Athens, no injuriesAthens  - A bomb exploded outside a Citibank branch in Athens on Monday, causing damage but no injuries, Greek news reports said.

Reports said the bomb went off behind the building in the Athens suburb of Filothei.

No group claimed responsibility for the attack, but police believe far-left militant groups to be behind the bombing.

It would the second time that militant leftists targeted Citibank.

Last month, police managed to defuse a car bomb that contained hundreds of kilograms of explosives.

Greece seals deal for sale of debt-ridden state airline

Greece seals deal for sale of debt-ridden state airlineAthens  - After years of failed privatization attempts, the Greek government sealed a deal Friday with the country's largest buyout firm, Marfin Investment Group, for the sale of debt-ridden carrier Olympic Airlines, said Development Minister Kostis Hatzidakis.

The deal involving Marfin (MIG) comes a month after the conservative government made a last-minute appeal for investors to rescue Olympic, after an international tender failed to produce satisfactory offers.

Pages