ATHENS: CROATIAN PRESIDENT SIGNS CHARTER ON OLYMPIC TRUCE

ATHENS, Nov 19 (Hina) - "I have always been impressed with the ancient Greek history, particularly with the Olympic Games and the Olympic truce," Croatian President Stjepan Mesic said in Athens on Wednesday, signing the Olympic Truce Charter. #L# The charter is a project launched by Greece and the United Nations which so far has been signed by 12 presidents, seven prime ministers, and 40 foreign ministers. Last month 190 countries, including Croatia, signed a UN declaration supporting the charter. The project is based on the concept of truce (in Greek, ekecheiria, which literally means "holding of hands"). The tradition of ekecheiria was established in ancient Greece in the 9th century B.C. with a treaty signed by three kings. During the truce, the athletes, artists and their families, as well as ordinary pilgrims, could travel in absolute safety to participate in or attend the Olympic Games and return afterwards to their countries. The Olympic truce starts seven days before the Olympic Games and ends seven days after. "If by signing this charter we can achieve peace even only during the Olympics, I will be very satisfied," Mesic said adding that absolute peace was hard to achieve but that all should aspire to it. Greek Foreign Minister Georgios Papandreou, who is also a vice president of the Centre for the Olympic Truce in Athens, thanked Mesic for supporting the ancient idea of the Olympic truce. "The signature of President Mesic is of particular importance because Croatia is knocking on the door of the EU, which is one of the strongest structures of peace," Papandreou said. (hina) it