Greek formally seeks NATO help for Olympics security

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Saturday, March 13, 2004

Greek formally seeks NATO help for Olympics security

The Greek government has formally asked NATO to help with security arrangements for the Athens Olympic Games in August, foreign ministry spokesman George Koumoutsakos said on Friday.

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The Greek government has formally asked NATO to help with security arrangements for the Athens Olympic Games in August, foreign ministry spokesman George Koumoutsakos said on Friday.

"Completing a process that was already underway, the government on Friday asked the Atlantic Alliance to assist in the security for the Olympic Games, chiefly in the areas of air surveillance, joint patrolling of the sea and protection from chemical, biological and nuclear incidents," he said.

The move was seen as a precaution measure taken by the Greek government after the terrorist attacks in Madrid on Thursday which has killed 199 people and injured another 1400.

However, Communist Party of Greece (KKE) issued a statement saying that it was totally opposed to NATO's involvement in the safety of the Games.

It accused the government of taking advantage of the sense of insecurity following the devastating terrorist attacks in Madrid in order to make its invitation to NATO.

Condemning the attack in Madrid, the statement said that it formed part of a series of terrorist acts that began on September 11 that were being used to justify pre-emptive wars, such as those against Afghanistan and Iraq, and to restrict civil rights and liberties.

Earlier on the day, Vice-Admiral Christos Delimihalis, head of the Greek Coast Guards, ordered to tighten anti-terrorism measures at all ports throughout the country and all areas under the jurisdiction of merchant marine ministry services.

Russia was admitted into the seven-nation Olympic Security Coordinating Group - the United States, Britain, Israel, Australia,France, Germany and Spain - last December after the series of terrorist attacks in Istanbul, Turkey.

Greek government has earmarked a record 650 million euros (about 800 million US dollars) for the Olympic security budget, three times as much as that for the Sydney Olympic Games, and 40,000 armed personnel, police, coast guards and firefighters for the upcoming Olympics. But security is always a worry to the international community.

A large-scale, two-week Greek-US military exercise aiming to address potential terrorism threats to the August Olympics startedWednesday at an undisclosed location in Greece.

International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Jacques Rogge, accompanied by IOC Coordination Committee chairman Denis Oswald and others, will visit Athens Saturday and talk with the new government officials on all issues ranging from the security after Madrid terrorist attacks to preparations on Olympic projects.

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