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, October 15, 2010

Communist China's elite calling for democratic reforms [ 1885 ]

China Dissidents Call for Reform 

THE WALL STREET JOURNAL(Asia News) OCT 15,2010.,,9:45 A.M. ET

By JEREMY PAGE

BEIJING—As China's Communist Party elite began an annual meeting Friday, more than 100 Chinese dissidents and rights advocates issued a statement calling for democratic reforms and hailing the Nobel Peace Prize for jailed dissident Liu Xiaobo as a "splendid choice."
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European Pressphoto Agency
A 2009 photo shows a pro-democracy activist holding a placard of Liu Xiaobo during a protest demanding China's government release the dissident .
The statement is the latest contribution to an unusual public debate that has been raging since Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao made a surprise call for political reform in a speech in the southern city of Shenzhen in August.

The statement, circulating on several websites Friday, urged Chinese authorities to "immediately release the people who have been illegally detained" since Mr Liu, who was sentenced to 11 years in prison in December for "subversion," won the prize on Oct. 8.
It asked the Party's leaders to respond "with realism and reason" to the award, which the Chinese government has denounced as a "desecration" of the prize and part of a Western conspiracy to undermine a rising China.

Chinese authorities have also placed Mr. Liu's wife, Liu Xia, under effective house arrest. They also have heavily censored online discussion of the award and detained or increased surveillance of fellow dissidents across the country.
"Liu Xiaobo is a splendid choice for the Nobel Peace Prize," said Friday's statement. "He has persevered in pursuing the goals of democracy and constitutional government and has set aside anger even toward those who persecute him."


"In a recent series of speeches, Premier Wen Jiabao has intimated a strong desire to promote political reform," the statement said. "We are ready to engage actively in such an effort."
The statement comes after a group of 23 reformist Communist Party elders and retired academics made a bold appeal, in another open letter published online earlier this week, for the government to lift restrictions on freedom of expression.

Neither appeal is expected to have much direct impact on the Party leadership since both come from known critics of the political system who have spoken out many times before.
Combined with Mr Liu's prize, however, the letters are throwing a spotlight on the sensitive issue just as the Party's 371-member Central Committee begins a four-day meeting to set policy for the next five years.

They are also raising Mr. Wen's profile, at home and overseas, as top Party leaders start to jockey for position—to secure their own promotions, or those of their proteges—ahead of an expected leadership change in 2012.

Those who signed Friday's appeal included constitutional scholar Zhang Zuhua, one of the people who worked with Mr. Liu to draft Charter 08, the call for political freedom for which Mr Liu was sent to prison.

Other signatories included activist lawyer Pu Zhiqiang and Li Datong, a veteran state newspaper journalist who was forced from a top editing job for reporting on sensitive subjects.
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