The Hellenic Navy (HN) (Greek: Πολεμικό Ναυτικό, Polemikó Naftikó, abbreviated ΠΝ) is the naval force of Greece, part of the Greek Armed Forces. The modern Greek navy has its roots in the naval forces of various Aegean Islands, which fought in the Greek War of Independence. During the periods of monarchy (1833–1924 and 1936–1973) it was known as the Royal Navy (Βασιλικόν Ναυτικόν, Vasilikón Naftikón, abbreviated ΒΝ).The total displacement of all the navy's vessels is approximately 150,000 tons.The motto of the Hellenic Navy is "Μέγα το της Θαλάσσης Κράτος" from Thucydides' account of Pericles' oration on the eve of the Peloponnesian War. This has been roughly translated as "Great is the country that controls the sea". The Hellenic Navy's emblem consists of an anchor in front of a crossed Christian cross and trident, with the cross symbolizing Greek Orthodoxy, and the trident symbolizing Poseidon, the god of the sea in Greek mythology. Pericles' words are written across the top of the emblem. "The navy, as it represents a necessary weapon for Greece, should only be created for war and aim to victory."...............The Hellenic Merchant Marine refers to the Merchant Marine of Greece, engaged in commerce and transportation of goods and services universally. It consists of the merchant vessels owned by Greek civilians, flying either the Greek flag or a flag of convenience. Greece is a maritime nation by tradition, as shipping is arguably the oldest form of occupation of the Greeks and a key element of Greek economic activity since the ancient times. Nowadays, Greece has the largest merchant fleet in the world, which is the second largest contributor to the national economy after tourism and forms the backbone of world shipping. The Greek fleet flies a variety of flags, however some Greek shipowners gradually return to Greece following the changes to the legislative framework governing their operations and the improvement of infrastructure.Blogger Tips and Tricks
This is a bilingual blog in English and / or Greek and you can translate any post to any language by pressing on the appropriate flag....Note that there is provided below a scrolling text with the 30 recent posts...Αυτό είναι ένα δίγλωσσο blog στα Αγγλικά η/και στα Ελληνικά και μπορείτε να μεταφράσετε οποιοδήποτε ποστ σε οποιαδήποτε γλώσσα κάνοντας κλικ στη σχετική σημαία. Σημειωτέον ότι παρακάτω παρέχεται και ένα κινούμενο κείμενο με τα 30 πρόσφατα ποστς....This is a bilingual blog in English and / or Greek and you can translate any post to any language by pressing on the appropriate flag....Note that there is provided below a scrolling text with the 30 recent posts...Αυτό είναι ένα δίγλωσσο blog στα Αγγλικά η/και στα Ελληνικά και μπορείτε να μεταφράσετε οποιοδήποτε ποστ σε οποιαδήποτε γλώσσα κάνοντας κλικ στη σχετική σημαία. Σημειωτέον ότι παρακάτω παρέχεται και ένα κινούμενο κείμενο με τα 30 πρόσφατα ποστς.........

Friday, August 20, 2010

Colombia,Court voids base agreement..[ 1674 ]

U.S. reviews options after Colombia court voids base agreement

**FILE** Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez (right) confers with new Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos in Santa Marta, Colombia, on Aug. 10. (Associated Press)**FILE** Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez (right) confers with new Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos in Santa Marta, Colombia, on Aug. 10. (Associated Press)
By Benjamin Birnbaum
-
The Washington Times
6:48 p.m., Wednesday, August 18, 2010

The Obama administration is exploring its options after the highest court in Colombia — the U.S.'s closest Latin American ally — voided an agreement that would have allowed a continued U.S. military presence at seven bases across the country.
"This is part of a legal process within Colombia," State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley said Wednesday. "We expect it will be resolved in interaction among the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of Colombia. We will consult closely with the Colombian government, understand the issues that are involved in this legal matter and look to the Santos government to take appropriate steps to make sure that we can sustain our bilateral relationship."
Colombia's Constitutional Court ruled that the agreement could only be ratified if President Juan Manuel Santos, who took office Aug. 7, received legislative approval — a prospect seen as less than likely given the country's recent efforts to patch up relations with Venezuela.
The quarrelsome neighbors restored diplomatic relations on Aug. 10, following a four-hour meeting between Mr. Santos and Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez in the Colombian port town of Santa Marta.
Venezuela had severed ties on July 22 after Colombia made a multimedia presentation at the Organization of American States offering evidence that the Chavez government had been harboring anti-government rebels from the leftist Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) — a charge Caracas vehemently denied.
News of the basing agreement last year prompted Mr. Chavez to tighten trade restrictions on Colombia that he first imposed in response to its March 2008 airstrikes on a FARC base in Ecuador, a move carried out when Mr. Santos was defense minister under then-President Alvaro Uribe.
As president, Mr. Santos has prioritized restoring trade with Venezuela, which plummeted from $7 billion in 2008 to $2 billion this year. A free-trade agreement between Washington and Bogota, signed in November 2006, has yet to be ratified by the Senate.
Mr. Crowley called the U.S.-Colombia defense relationship "very important" and said that the countries' shared interests — combating drug trafficking, dealing with threats of terrorism — "aren't changed because of this court ruling."
"We expect to be able to continue to cooperate," he added. "But obviously, we'll work with Colombia to determine what it plans to do in light of this court ruling."
Since 2000, under the auspices of "Plan Colombia," Washington has supplied Bogota roughly $7.3 billion in aid, earmarked primarily for military and counternarcotics purposes.
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