BRIEF NEWS BULLETIN IN ENGLISH NO. 5142 HINA Zagreb, 19 November 2003

HR-POLITICS-Politika BRIEF NEWS BULLETIN IN ENGLISH NO. 5142 HINA Zagreb, 19 November 2003 ATHENS: CROATIAN PRESIDENT SIGNS CHARTER ON OLYMPIC TRUCEATHENS, 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. 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 safe