Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 2000-08-30
MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Thessaloniki, August 30, 2000
SECTIONS
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
NEWS HEADLINES
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] SAE INAUGURATES NEW OFFICES IN THESSALONIKI
[02] THESSALONIKI HOSTS 3RD IN/L OLYMPICS MEET
[03] FUEL PRICES TO RISE AS OF TODAY AT MIDNIGHT
[04] C/TEE ON REVISING CONSTITUTION MEETS TODAY
[05] RUSSIA DELIVERS ANTI-AIRCRAFT MISSILES TO GREECE
[06] SECOND INTERNATIONAL TENDER FOR HELLAS SAT
[07] PM, TRANSPORT MINISTER DISCUSS FUTURE OF OA
[08] O.A. FINED BY U.S. COURT OVER ASTHMATIC'S DEATH
[09] CYPRIOT FM MEETS WITH GREECE'S DEFENSE MINISTER
[10] INCREASED RISK OF FLOODS IN THE WINTER AS A RESULT OF THE
SUMMER FIRES
[11] THE 28TH GREEK LANGUAGE INTERNATIONAL PROGRAM HAS BEEN
COMPLETED
[12] LOSSES OF 2.68% IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE
[13] REPPAS: 116.500 HECTARS OF LAND HAVE BEEN TURNED INTO ASHES
[14] REPPAS ON THE DOWNWARD COURSE OF THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE
[15] PRESIDENT STEPHANOPOULOS ON THE GREEK-TURKISH RELATIONS
[16] THE CYPRUS PROBLEM IS AMONG THE TOP PRIORITIES OF THE GREEK
GOVERNMENT
[17] THE OLYMPIC VILLAGE IN GREECE WILL BE READY BY FEBRUARY 2004
[18] EOT FOUNDS TOURIST PROPERTY COMPANY
[19] YOUTH MEETINGS HELD IN GREECE AND TURKEY
[20] EC REP TO ATTEND INTERNATIONAL FAIR OF THESSALONIKI
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[21] ARCHIBISHOP OF GREECE MEETS WITH ISRAELI PRESIDENT
[22] A GREEK-AMERICAN HAS BEEN ARRESTED BY THE FBI
[23] ARCHBISHOP CHRISTODOULOS WRAPPED UP HIS VISIT TO ISRAEL
NEWS IN DETAIL
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] SAE INAUGURATES NEW OFFICES IN THESSALONIKI
The Council of Greeks Abroad (SAE) will inaugurate its new
and spacious facilities in Thessaloniki on September 2, in a
ceremony to be attended by a score of dignitaries and officials,
with distinguished guests the Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs
Aggeliki Laiou and Thessaloniki Mayor Vasilis Papageorgopoulos.
SAE President Andrew Athens expressed his gratitude to the
Municipality of Thessaloniki and benefactor Thomas Makrides for
having donated the premises to SAE.
Covering an area of approximately 500 sq. m., the new offices
are located near the city's Music Mansion and take up two levels
of the building formerly housing the Makrides Cultural Center. In
addition to offices, SAE's brand new premises feature a vast
exhibition center and a conference hall.
SAE's presidium is to convene in Thessaloniki between August
31 and September 3.
[02] THESSALONIKI HOSTS 3RD IN/L OLYMPICS MEET
Veteran sprinters from around the world are to gather in
Thessaloniki today, to participate in a meet held in honor of
Balkan champion Grigoris Labrakis.
Among those to take place in the trial runs are Jamaica's
Merlene Ottey, 100-meter race, Niurka Modalvo in women's long-
jump, Kasparova and Marinova in triple jump, Donovan Bailey and
Bruni Sourin in the 100-meter run.
Greece will be represented, among others, by Niki Xanthou in
long-jump and Olga Vasdeki in triple jump.
[03] FUEL PRICES TO RISE AS OF TODAY AT MIDNIGHT
Fuel prices are to rise effective tomorrow, in line with
indicative retail prices released by the development ministry.
According to the ministry, petrol will rise by seven drachmas
per liter, and diesel by three drachmas per liter due to changes
in world crude oil prices.
As petrol prices continue their upward course, having climbed
as high as $30 per barrel, international markets are concerned
over the emergence of a new oil crisis.
[04] C/TEE ON REVISING CONSTITUTION MEETS TODAY
A cross-parliamentary committee on revising the Constitution
will hold its first meeting today, while the committee's chair and
party spokespeople will first discuss the issues related to the
revision process and its progress.
By the final deadline of October 15, the committee will
present its conclusions to the Plenary, which will devote the rest
of the parliamentary session - if necessary - at least until
Easter or even later in 2001, to complete the process of revising
the Constitution, according to Parliament speaker Apostolos
Kaklamanis.
[05] RUSSIA DELIVERS ANTI-AIRCRAFT MISSILES TO GREECE
The Russian company "Anteos" completed its delivery of 21
"Tor M1" anti-aircraft missile systems to Greece on Monday,
according to Moscow's ITAR-TASS news agency, approximately one
year after the first four short-range missiles were shipped to
Greece.
The news agency cited an unnamed spokesman for Russia's
military enterprise as saying that "Anteos" signed another
contract with Greece for the sum of 300 million dollars to deliver
an extra consignment of such anti-aircraft missile systems.
The additional contract was signed after successful control
launchings of missiles on targets at a NATO range, according to
the company's spokesperson.
[06] SECOND INTERNATIONAL TENDER FOR HELLAS SAT
The Ministry of Transportation and Communication has
announced the second international tender for the supply of the
first commercial satellite telecommunications system in the
country under the name "Hellas SAT".
All bids must be submitted by September 19, while the system
is expected to be operational by March 25, 2002, at the latest..
The license envisages the use and management of "Hellas SAT"
for 20 years for an undisclosed sum and the establishment of two
control stations in Greece.
The provider must also supply free of charge three of its 36
transmitters to the transport and communications ministry.
The previous bid proved unsuccessful as the tenders,
submitted by Eutelsat, EMI and New Skies Satellites NV, were not
accompanied by letters of warranty.
[07] PM, TRANSPORT MINISTER DISCUSS FUTURE OF OA
The dire economic situation of the country's national air
carrier Olympic Airways, as well as the state's intention to sell
up to 65% of Olympic, is the subject of talks held today between
Transport and Telecommunications Minister Christos Verelis and
Prime Minister Costas Simitis.
Olympic Airways, which has over the past twenty years
accumulated debt worth 40 billion drachmas, has been seeking an
international airline partner since last June, when British
Airways abandoned plans to purchase a stake in the Greek carrier.
In his talks with the Premier, Mr. Verelis is expected to
refer to the efforts exerted by O.A.'s management in "tidying up"
the air carrier's finances, and bolstering its image to both
passengers and the European Union.
Messrs. Simitis and Verelis are to also discuss other matters
pertaining to Athens 2004 Olympic Games, and an imminent draft
bill on telecommunications.
[08] O.A. FINED BY U.S. COURT OVER ASTHMATIC'S DEATH
A United States federal court judge has ordered Greece's
national airline Olympic Airways to pay $700,000 over its role in
an asthmatic passenger's death aboard a cigarette-smoke-filled
plane.
Invoking the Warsaw Convention Treaty, rarely applied in such
cases, U.S. District Judge Charles R. Breyer (San Francisco)
opined that Olympic Airways attendants should have switched the
seat of passenger Abid M. Hanson after he complained that nearby
smoke was bothering him on the January 1998 flight from Egypt to
the United States.
All international carriers must sign the said treaty, amended
since it was signed in 1929, which sets limits on airlines'
financial liability for accident victims.
"Had Olympic Airways' flight crew responded appropriately to
the repeated requests to move Dr. Hanson from this area, he might
be alive today," the judge wrote.
Furthermore, the judge said the flight crew's failure to move
the victim away from the smoking section following a request that
they do so, including one before Dr. Hanson got on the plane, "can
be considered an 'accident' under the convention."
Olympic Airways attorney Stephen Fearon said that Judge
Breyer misapplied the treaty and that the ruling might be
appealed.
"We argued that he had pre-existing medical asthma and
allergy conditions and that his death was not the result of an
accident under the Warsaw Convention," Mr. Fearon said, stressing
that "there has to be an accident for there to be an accident. He
did not die as a result of any malfunction on the airplane."
Having initially awarded $1.4 million, the judge cut the
amount in half after concluding the 52-year-old victim could have
found another seat when the flight attendant told him to "go ask
people yourself."
According to the Hanson family lawyer Susie Injijian, the
case involved the airline's "willful misconduct" and is unlikely
to change policies of international carriers that allow cigarette
smoking.
[09] CYPRIOT FM MEETS WITH GREECE'S DEFENSE MINISTER
National Defense Minister Akis Tsochatzopoulos met with
visiting Cypriot Foreign Minister in Athens yesterday evening,
with whom he discussed the issue of missing persons in Cyprus's
occupied territory and the coordination of efforts to recognize
exhumed bodies through the DNA method.
"We back the efforts in locating the missing individuals,"
Mr. Tsochatzopoulos stated, adding that he and Mr. Kasoulides
agree on a series of relevant measures, including the use of DNA-
based identification method through which 60-70 persons have been
identified.
Furthermore, the two ministers reconfirmed their lasting
commitment to the Greece-Cyprus unified defense dogma.
[10] INCREASED RISK OF FLOODS IN THE WINTER AS A RESULT OF THE
SUMMER FIRES
The destructive fires of the summer that devastated Greece
will create a big problem in the winter and specialists warn that
there is an increased risk of extensive floods.
Demokrition University of Thrace environment engineers
department professor Mr. Rapsomanikis stressed that the risk of
winter floods has doubled as hundreds of thousands of acres of
forest land have been destroyed and the rain waters can not be
absorbed easily.
[11] THE 28TH GREEK LANGUAGE INTERNATIONAL PROGRAM HAS BEEN
COMPLETED
The 28th Greek Language, History and Culture International
Program organized in Thesaloniki by the Balkan Studies Center has
been completed.
The program was attended by 157 scientists, diplomats,
economists, academics, students, journalists and European Union
employees from 37 countries.
The program's goal, which in the past 20 years has been
attended by 7.000 foreign students and scientists, is the
promotion of modern Greek studies at an international level.
[12] LOSSES OF 2.68% IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE
Losses of 2.68% were recorded in the Athens Stock Exchange
today and the general index dropped to 3.429,64 points. The
downward course of the general index was the result of the
pressures exerted on the blue chips and especially the Greek
Telecommunications Organization, OTE, the National Bank of Greece
and the Commercial Bank stocks.
The volume of transactions was 111.3 billion drachmas and of
the stocks trading today 53 recorded gains, while 287 had losses
and 30 remained unchanged.
[13] REPPAS: 116.500 HECTARS OF LAND HAVE BEEN TURNED INTO ASHES
Based on figures provided by Greek government spokesman
Dimitris Reppas, it is estimated that the recent fires have
destroyed 116.500 hectars of forest and cultivated land.
Mr. Reppas stated that all the fire fronts are under control
and added that in many cases there are serious indications that
the fires were the work of arsonists.
[14] REPPAS ON THE DOWNWARD COURSE OF THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE
Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas referred to the
continuous downward course of the Athens Stock Exchange when asked
to comment on whether this trend will have an effect on political
developments, reminding that the government has a recent popular
mandate and it will complete its work and its full four-year term.
He said that the government does not intervene in the
operation of the Athens Stock Exchange and appealed to the
politicians of the opposition to follow the government's example
because in a different case they will offer bad services both to
the stock exchange and the investors as well as to their own
political party.
[15] PRESIDENT STEPHANOPOULOS ON THE GREEK-TURKISH RELATIONS
Greek president Kostis Stephanopoulos, who is visiting the
prefecture of Lakonia in the Peloponnese southern Greece, referred
to the stance adopted by Greece in its relations with Turkey as
well as to the situation created between the two countries.
In statements he made in the village of Geraki expressed
concern over the course of the Greek-Turkish relations. He
stressed that Greece's hopes have not materialized yet, stating
that the Greek concessions were fruitless at least for the moment.
[16] THE CYPRUS PROBLEM IS AMONG THE TOP PRIORITIES OF THE GREEK
GOVERNMENT
The Cyprus problem is among the top priorities of the Greek
government, stressed Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas.
Mr. Reppas also added that yesterday's meeting of Greek foreign
minister Giorgos Papandreou with his Cypriot counterpart Yiannakis
Kasoulides in Athens was fruitful and useful confirming the common
stance shared by the two sides for the solution of the Cyprus
problem.
Responding to a question on the issue, Mr. Reppas stated that
Greece will exercise aggressive diplomacy within the framework of
the UN decisions in order for the Cyprus problem to continue to
attract the international interest. Regarding the UN stance on the
issue of Strovilia in Cyprus, he reiterated that the UN leadership
is expected to be effective in such issues.
Responding to the question if prime minister Kostas Simitis
will meet with his Turkish counterpart Bulent Ecevit within the
framework of the Millennium Summit in New York, he said that no
such meeting is scheduled, adding that Mr. Simitis will have
meetings with other state leaders on the sidelines of the summit
but in the case of Turkey no one can make predictions.
[17] THE OLYMPIC VILLAGE IN GREECE WILL BE READY BY FEBRUARY 2004
The Olympic Village, where the athletes from all over the
world will stay during the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens will be
ready by February 2004. The announcement was made today by
undersecretary of labor Christos Protopapas, who clarified that
the projects will be completed within the timetable set in the
contract signed by the Workers' Housing Organization and the
Athens 2004 committee.
He also stated that two years after the 2004 Olympic Games,
the 2.500 housing units that will be used to host the Olympic
Games' athletes will be delivered to the Workers' Housing
Organization.
Mr. Protopapas characterized as huge the Olympic Village
construction project and stressed that it will be equal to those
built in Atlanta and Sydney.
[18] EOT FOUNDS TOURIST PROPERTY COMPANY
Greek development minister Nikos Christodoulakis today
announced the founding of the "Greek Tourist Property" company,
which will aim to mark and develop the assets owned by the Greek
National Tourist Organisation (EOT) and to create new tourism
products.
"The new company will aim to create new tourism products,
modern, high quality tourist enterprises, to develop our country's
tourist infrastructure and business progress", Mr Christodoulakis
said.
One of the main aims will be the upgrading of marines in
Greece, to the standard of modern European equivalents and the
creation of ecology parks. Initial works will take place in Crete,
Rhodes, Chalkidiki and Thrace and their total cost will exceed 150
billion drachmas. Over 6.500 job vacancies will be created by
these new works.
[19] YOUTH MEETINGS HELD IN GREECE AND TURKEY
International Youth Meetings are being held in
Constantinople, Smyni, Thessaloniki and Kommotini, by members of
the Bosporus International network, until September 3rd and will
be attended by young people from Germany, Greece, Turkey, Bosnia
and Bulgaria.
The meetings will combine work matters with cultural,
political and social activities. Participants will also be offered
the opportunity to familiarise themselves with countries holding
the programs, through a series of joint activities, visits and
entertainment.
The program aims to portray the cultural identity of all
participant countries. The youth are trying to pass on a message
of mutual cooperation to ensure a better future for the region.
The event is being financially sponsored by the European
Commission as part of its Youth Program.
[20] EC REP TO ATTEND INTERNATIONAL FAIR OF THESSALONIKI
Anna Diamantopoulou, representative of the European
Commission, will participate in the events being held for the 65th
International Fair of Thessaloniki.
The EC representative will visit the exhibition centre and
the EE kiosk (no 16) and will attend the Greek Prime Minister's
formal dinner in the Bellides Conference Centre.
Ms Diamantopoulou will then visit the Centre for European
Development of Professional Training, where she will learn about
the Centre's activities and will have the chance to talk with its
executives. She will inaugurate the European Centre for
Communication, Information and Culture, founded in Thessaloniki to
provide information on European matters in Northern Greece.
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[21] ARCHIBISHOP OF GREECE MEETS WITH ISRAELI PRESIDENT
Archbishop of Athens and All of Greece Christodoulos will be
received by the President of Israel Moshe Kacav today, the
penultimate day of his visit to Jerusalem.
During his visit to Bethlehem yesterday, Mr. Christodoulos
met with Jerusalem Patriarch Diodoros, while today he will meet
with Jerusalem Mufti Ikrima Sabri.
[22] A GREEK-AMERICAN HAS BEEN ARRESTED BY THE FBI
A Greek-American from Tarpon Springs in Florida, USA has been
arrested by FBI agents accused of trying to extract the sum of US$
1 million from a computer software company in Massachussets
through e-mail.
Thirty nine year old Michalis Pitelis was sending the e-mail
from the municipal library computer in the period of August 8-21.
[23] ARCHBISHOP CHRISTODOULOS WRAPPED UP HIS VISIT TO ISRAEL
Archbishop Christodoulos of Athens and All of Greece wrapped
up his visit to Israel today. He met with the Israeli president
and thanked him for the fire-fighting aircraft sent to Greece in
response to the country's request for assistance.
Archbishop Christodoulos stated that he got the assurance of
the Israeli president that there will be no change in the status
quo of Jerusalem without consulting first with the leaders of the
three religions in the region.
The issue of the new state-issued identity cards in Greece
that will not list the religion of the bearer was at the center of
the contacts the Archbishop had in Israel. Yesterday, he met with
the Israeli justice and religion minister who stated that no
decision on religion can be made in his country without the
consensus of the people.
Patriarch Diodoros of Jerusalem gave a formal dinner in
Archbishop Christodoulos' honor in Bethlehem and expressed his
support to the struggle of the Greek Church on the identity cards
issue.
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