Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 2000-10-23
MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Thessaloniki, October 23, 2000
SECTIONS
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
TITLES
[01] GREECE WITHDRAWS FROM DESTINED GLORY
[02] "MARY OF BETHLEHEM" ICON ARRIVES IN THESSALONIKI
[03] FIRST INTER-BORDER COMMERCIAL CENTER FOUND
[04] GREK FM IN U.S., TO MEET WITH AIDES OF GORE, BUSH
[05] GREEK COMMUNISTS TO STATE: WITHDRAW FROM NATO
[06] GREEK MINISTER AWARDED HIGHEST HONOR IN CYPRUS
[07] COMMUNIST PARTY LEADER TO VISIT PALESTINE, ISRAEL
[08] CACOYANNIS LEAVES CULTURAL OLUMPICS CHAIR
[09] GRERCE WILL NOT NEGOTIATE ITS SOVEREIGN RIGHTS
[10] MINISTER BEARS TEETH AT SHIPOWNERS WITH WARNING
[11] HELMETS UNPOPULAR AMONG GREEK MOTORCYCLISTS
[12] KENTERIS WILL BE HONORED BY EUROSPORT
[13] INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON MARGUERITE YOURCENAR
[14] THE ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH VISITED THE EUROPEAN CENTER OF PUBLIC LAW
[15] LOSSES OF 1.86% IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE
[16] 60% OF THE WORKING WOMEN IN GREECE SUFFER SEXUAL HARASSMENT
[17] THE 2ND GREEK-TURKISH CONFERENCE ON BUSINESS COOPERATION IN ATHENS
[18] REPPAS ON THE NATO EXERCISE
[19] TURKISH BUSINESS MISSION IN THESSALONIKI
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[20] ALTERNATE FM ADDRESSES ASIA-EUROPE SUMMIT
[21] MIKIS THEODORAKIS' "ZORBA" IN CAIRO
[22] SILVER MEDAL FOR GREECE IN THE WOMEN'S 400M ON WHEELCHAIR IN
SYDNEY'S PARALYMPIC GAMES
NEWS IN DETAIL
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] GREECE WITHDRAWS FROM DESTINED GLORY
Greece has withdrawn from the "Destined Glory" NATO exercise
conducted in the eastern Aegean, citing a ban imposed by Turkey on
Greek warplanes and ships in its territory during the maneuvers.
Greek Defense Minister Akis Tsochatzopoulos, presently in
Cyprus, stated that "Greece cannot accept the fact that a NATO
country has exploited the exercise on its territory to pursue its
claims in the Aegean."
Furthermore, Mr. Tsochatzopoulos added that "Turkey tried to
move in this direction, indirectly invalidating collective
decisions in the NATO framework, so that the original air
corridors for Greek aircraft were scrapped. Although the scheme
failed, it went ahead illegally with an attempt to intercept Greek
aircraft that were taking part in the Nikiforos-Toxotis maneuver
(between Greece and Cyprus.
"Ankara then took the unprecedented step of a NATO country
closing its airspace to NATO aircraft, claiming to act in order to
avoid 'undesirable results'."
[02] "MARY OF BETHLEHEM" ICON ARRIVES IN THESSALONIKI
The "Mary of Bethlehem" icon will arrive in Thessaloniki
today, part of the week-long celebrations held in honor of the
city's patron saint St. Dimitrius, who is commemorated on October
26.
This will mark the first time ever the holy icon will be
taken out of the nativity cave in Bethlehem. It will be displayed
during a litany church service, along with the holy relics of
Saint Dimitrios,
The Metropolitan of Thessaloniki Panteleimon II will receive
the holy icon this afternoon.
[03] FIRST INTER-BORDER COMMERCIAL CENTER FOUND
The Minister of Macedonia-Thrace George Pachalides will
inaugurate the first Greek inter-border commercial center this
afternoon, at the region of Promachonas.
The center, a 3.5-billion-drachma project, will be ready in
the summer 2001 and will embark on its operation in the fall.
The project aims at boosting Greek exports to neighboring
Balkan countries and at creating a common and direct market that
will feature lower prices.
[04] GREK FM IN U.S., TO MEET WITH AIDES OF GORE, BUSH
Foreign Minister George Papandreou, presently on a visit to
the United States, with meet with the aides of presidential
candidates Al Gore and George Bush, while he will also hold talks
with leading members of the Greek-American community.
Mr. Papandreou also addressed a 25th birthday celebration
for the United Hellenic American Congress where he spoke of
Greece's role in the Balkans, the symbol of which was Greece's
contribution to a smooth transfer of power in Yugoslavia, and
called on ethnic Greeks to back reconstruction and stability in
the Balkans by investing there.
The Foreign Minister's itinerary includes visits to Atlanta,
San Francisco, Los Angeles and Salt Lake City.
[05] GREEK COMMUNISTS TO STATE: WITHDRAW FROM NATO
The Communist Party of Greece (KKE) has called for the
country's disengagement from NATO's new structure, an essential
move to the country's security.
In an announcement issues yesterday, KKE stated that "a halt
in the NATO exercise or a withdrawal of Greek forces are not
enough to defend the country's interests."
According to KKE, continual harassment of the Greek air force
by Turkish warplanes "confirms one more time how dangerous for the
country's sovereign rights is the acceptance of NATO's new
structure."
Moreover, the Coalition of the Left and Progress said on
Saturday that Turkey's move to ban Greek military craft was "a
planned act of provocation of undesirable intensity", adding that
Turkey was exploiting the Destined Glory exercise to extend its
territorial claims in the Aegean, a move tolerated by NATO.
[06] GREEK MINISTER AWARDED HIGHEST HONOR IN CYPRUS
Greece's Defense Minister Akis Tsochatzopoulos, presently on
a visit to Cyprus, was awarded the Great Cross of the Order of
Makarios III, the country's highest honor, by the President of
the Republic of Cyprus Glafcos Clerides.
Addressing the award ceremony, President Clerides stated that
Greece has given the island over 400 million Cyprus pounds' worth
of free military aid over the last four years, with the sum
covering material and training.
He also said that Cyprus, which is seeking European Union
membership, was ready to offer the EU the opportunity to benefit
from the island's strategic position in the eastern Mediterranean
and Middle East.
"Cyprus attaches great importance to full participation in
European security institutions," President Clerides said, adding
that Mr. Tsochatzopoulos had made a personal contribution to
upgrading military cooperation between the two countries.
In turn, Mr. Tsochatzopoulos stated that joint defense and
security for Cyprus and Greece in the current period represented a
firm base for the two countries' European Union orientation.
"The Cypriot Republic's participation in all European
institutions for economic, security, foreign policy and defense
cooperation is a reality," he said.
Yesterday, Mr. Tsochatzopoulos met with Archbishop
Chrysostomos, who asked the minister and the Greek government not
to forget Cyprus' Hellenism in a period that harbored the greatest
danger in its long history.
Mr. Tsochatzopoulos responded that there were differences of
opinion in tactics for the Cyprus issue, but the objective was a
joint effort for the just and sovereign rights of Hellenism and
Greece.
[07] COMMUNIST PARTY LEADER TO VISIT PALESTINE, ISRAEL
The Secretary-General of the Communist Party of Greece Aleka
Paparega is to embark on a week-long visit to the Palestinian
territory and Israel today, heading a delegation of party
officials.
During her stay, Ms. Paparega will meet with party leaders
and various organizations, both from Palestine and Israel, to whom
she will convey the Greek communists' "support and solidarity in
the struggle of the anti-imperialist and progressive forces for
independence and sovereignty and for the achievement of a fair and
viable solution of peace in the region."
[08] CACOYANNIS LEAVES CULTURAL OLUMPICS CHAIR
Film director Michalis Cacoyannis has resigned from his
position as president of the Cultural Olympics, citing creative
differences with the state.
In a letter addressed to the Minister of Culture Theodoros
Pangalos, Mr. Cacoyanis stated that he was not told he would be
heading an enterprise when he was offered the position.
"Unfortunately, I have realized that I cannot operate
creatively within a bureaucratic ringer of a disparate and
cumbersome organization," he wrote.
Greece's leading film director, Mr. Cacoyanis is best known
for the internationally acclaimed Zorba the Greek (1964), while
his work includes the films Windfall in Athens (1953), Stella
(1954), A Girl in Black (1955) Electra (1961).
[09] GRERCE WILL NOT NEGOTIATE ITS SOVEREIGN RIGHTS
Greece will not negotiate its sovereign rights, Defense
Minister Akis Tsochatzopoulos said in relation to the country's
decision to withdraw from the NATO exercise code-named "destined
Glory", over a ban imposed by Turkey on Greek warplanes in its
territory during the maneuvers.
In an interview with the Athens radio station "Flash", Mr.
Tsochatzopoulos said that it is obvious Turkey is seeking to
create an issue of sovereignty, and has to be given direct
answers. He added that joint Greek-Turkish exercises cannot be
carried out in the Aegean Sea if NATO doesn't clarify every detail
over the exercise's terms.
Foreign Minister George Papandreou stated that Greece is a
peace-loving country and added that panic-driven decisions are a
mistake. While he reiterated that Greece has to stay true to its
step-by-step approach, Mr. Papandreou acknowledged that there is a
problem with NATO's stance.
[10] MINISTER BEARS TEETH AT SHIPOWNERS WITH WARNING
"We are not in joint government with the shipowners," the
Minister of Merchant Marine Christos Papoutsis stressed in an
interview with the Athens daily "Ta Nea", where he unleashed his
ire over the shipping sector's threat to immobilize its vessels
during this week's long holiday.
Mr. Papoutsis stressed that the state will not allow the
shipowners to anchor their ships in protest and vowed that the
ships will sail on October 27.
Moreover, the Merchant Marine Minister announced that a
series of vast changes are to be enforced in the shipping sector,
which had been planned prior to the catastrophic sinking of the
Samina Express.
According to the Minister, these changes concern safety,
rendering the sector a competitive and modern one.
"The safety of passenger ships remains the primary aim of the
Merchant Marine Ministry. Our country has an obligation to adapt
all passenger ships to the demands of international conventions
and European directives and our government sticks to this strictly
and conscientiously."
Meanwhile, the Ministry has ordered emergency scheduling of
fewer vessels and has also opened up routes to greater
competition, as a great number of ships will not be allowed to
sail as they have failed to meet the October 1 deadline of a
European Union directive pertaining to safety and operation.
[11] HELMETS UNPOPULAR AMONG GREEK MOTORCYCLISTS
Greece holds a leading position among other European
countries in traffic-related fatalities, with more than 2,500
people dying in or from car accidents each year and with a fourth
of the victims being motorcyclists.
A study conducted by the Athens University Medical School's
Laboratory of Health and Epidemiology, in cooperation with the
Center for Prevention of Childhood Accidents, found that one out
of every four car accident victims in 1999 were motorcyclists,
an average annual increase of 8.8% during the past two decades.
Greeks obviously continue to disregard the value of helmets,
as only 20 percent of the country's motorcyclists wear them, even
though laws mandating the motorcyclist's use of a helmet are in
effect.
According to the study, the reasons the majority of
motorcyclists avoid wearing protective head gear are diverse.
Two out of ten believe that the helmet is not necessary as
their motorcycle "does not have a powerful engine", while 19%
believe that wearing a helmet limits the driver's peripheral
vision and increases the risk of an accident.
Others avoid the use of a helmet because they are forced to
make frequent job-related stops, while some also cited costs
and/or fear of losing it.
[12] KENTERIS WILL BE HONORED BY EUROSPORT
Kostas Kenteris left everybody speechless with his
exceptional performance in the men's 200m race in the Sydney
Olympics. His success was made known around the world bringing
attention to him as an athlete and to Greece.
Eurosport, the biggest European sports television channel,
decided to honor Kostas Kenteris and his coach Christos Tzekos
next Friday. The event will take place in Monte Carlo where other
Sydney Olympic Games gold medallists will also be honored.
[13] INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON MARGUERITE YOURCENAR
An International Symposium dedicated to Marguerite Yourcenar
will be held in Aristotle University of Thessaloniki Department of
Philosophy on November 2-5 with the participation of 50
internationally distinguished scientists from 21 countries. The
symposium under the title "Marguerite Yourcenar, an author of the
19th century?" is organized by the Aristotle University Department
of Literature comparative philology laboratory in cooperation with
the International Society of Studies on Yourcenar's work.
The work of Yourcenar (1903-1987) is interwoven with the
Greek and humanistic viewpoint. She was the first woman to become
a member of the French Academy and lived for a long period of time
in Greece. She later returned to Greece many times and met many
authors and distinguished Greek researchers like, Empirikos and
Dimaras. Yourcenar was among the first to translate Kavafis into
French, while she also translated many ancient Greek classics and
wrote novels and short stories placed in modern Greece.
[14] THE ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH VISITED THE EUROPEAN CENTER OF
PUBLIC LAW
Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos visited the European Center
of Public Law in Athens this morning where he was received by
justice minister Michalis Stathopoulos and the center's president
Spiros Flogaitis.
The Ecumenical Patriarch in his speech referred to the need
for the unification of the European states' public law and
stressed that public law safeguards the ideals for which everybody
work for.
From his side, the center's president stressed that a
European Center of Public Law will open soon in Turkey and offered
the center's emblem to the Ecumenical Patriarch. Minister of
justice Mr. Stathopoulos referred to the personality of the
Ecumenical Patriarch and pointed out that he can contribute to the
de-escalation of crises. He also said that the Ecumenical
Patriarch respects those who express different views.
Later this afternoon, Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos will
visit the city of Theva.
[15] LOSSES OF 1.86% IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE
The week opened for the Athens Stock Exchange with
significant losses of 1.86% and the general index dropped to
3.717,05 points.
The volume of transactions was very disappointing at 49
billion drachmas, proving that there is absolute lack of
purchasing interest by the investors. Of the stocks trading today
34 recorded gains, 319 had losses and 28 remained unchanged.
Analysts point out that the market is waiting for good news
such as, interest rate cuts, materialization of the privatization
of state-owned companies scheduled to take place this year and
implementation of structural changes, in order to stabilize and
then follow an upward course.
[16] 60% OF THE WORKING WOMEN IN GREECE SUFFER SEXUAL HARASSMENT
Sixty percent of the working women in Greece suffer sexual
harassment, while similarly high percentages are observed in other
European states as well with Spain at the top of the list with
84%.
Based on European Union figures that were presented in a one-
day conference on "Women and Employment" that was held in
Thessaloniki, sexual harassment in Germany is 59%, in Holland
58%, in Britain 51% and in Italy 47.8%.
Sexual harassment is a serious problem for millions of
working women in Europe as it is a very common phenomenon both in
the private and the public sector. The groups targeted most are
the divorced women, the young women who enter the work market for
the first time, the immigrants and those who are unemployed for a
long time.
The research conducted so far has shown that the problem is
serious with negative effects on the health and work efficiency of
the victims, while it has adverse consequences for the employers
as well.
[17] THE 2ND GREEK-TURKISH CONFERENCE ON BUSINESS COOPERATION IN
ATHENS
The 2nd Greek-Turkish Conference on Business Cooperation will
be held in Athens on November 2-3 organized by the Greek-Turkish
Business Council board of directors.
The conference on the prospects of economic and business
cooperation will be held under the auspices of the Greek foreign
ministry and it is expected to be attended by many Greek and
Turkish businessmen as well as distinguished political
personalities from both countries.
[18] REPPAS ON THE NATO EXERCISE
When NATO was unable to guarantee the implementation of what
was agreed we decided to withdraw our forces, stated Greek
government spokesman Dimitris Reppas, adding that the
responsibility for the withdrawal from the exercise "Destined
Glory" belongs exclusively to NATO and Turkey.
Mr. Reppas stated that NATO recognized Greece's right to fly
over the island of Limnos in north-eastern Aegean but it showed
weakness to impose this on Turkey.
On the Greek-Turkish relations, he said that Greece's policy
will not change as the step by step approach is the correct
policy. The rapprochement is useful for both countries but it is
not easy, stated the Greek government spokesman, adding that it
will encounter obstacles and fluctuations, while he underlined
that the Greek-Turkish relations do not begin or end in one
incident.
Referring to Turkey, he said that Greece wants this country
to meet its obligations that stem from the EU Helsinki decision,
while on NATO he said that it has to deal with the problem that is
created when in a NATO exercise two allies participate and one of
them questions the other's sovereign rights.
In conclusion, the Greek government spokesman rejected as
groundless the allegations that Turkey's behavior is due to the
"Nikiforos" exercise, that is underway in Cyprus, stressing that
this exercise does not have an aggressive character.
[19] TURKISH BUSINESS MISSION IN THESSALONIKI
Sixty eight Turkish businessmen will visit Thessaloniki's
Chamber of Trades tomorrow headed by Istanbul Association of
Chambers president Suat Yalkin.
The visit takes place after another visit that was made by
the directorship of the Thessaloniki Chamber of Trades to Istanbul
and it is aimed at strengthening the trade relations between
Greece and Turkey.
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[20] ALTERNATE FM ADDRESSES ASIA-EUROPE SUMMIT
Greece's Alternate Foreign Minister Elizabeth Papazoi is
presently in Seoul, South Korea, representing Greece at the Asia-
Europe summit (ASEM III) titled "Cooperation for permanent
stability and the prevention of relapses in economic crises".
Addressing representatives from all the European Union's 15
member-states and from ten Asian countries, Ms. Papazoi stressed
the importance of European and Asian leaders meeting for the third
time in four years, adding that normalization is being restored in
relations between Europe and Asia.
Furthermore, Ms. Papazoi proposed the activation of open
dialogue at the World Trade Organization and expressed
satisfaction over China's impending accession to the WTO.
The summit will review ways to strengthen Eurasian
cooperation, both in the economic and political sectors, as well
as in issues pertaining to the United Nations, the restriction of
regional conflicts, the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons and
human rights protection.
The ten Asian countries attending the summit are China,
Japan, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, the Philippines,
Indonesia, Brunei and South Korea.
The European Commission is being represented at the meeting
by its President Romano Prodi and Foreign Economic Relations
Commissioner Paten.
[21] MIKIS THEODORAKIS' "ZORBA" IN CAIRO
The Greek National Opera Ballet presents Mikis Theodorakis'
"Zorba" in the Cairo Opera House, starting yesterday until
tomorrow. The choreography is by Lorca Masin.
The "Zorba" is a symphony ballet that was written in 1987 on
behalf of the Verona Opera House. The source of inspiration for
the composer was Nikos Kazantzakis' famous work "The Life and
Adventures of Alexis Zorba".
[22] SILVER MEDAL FOR GREECE IN THE WOMEN'S 400M ON WHEELCHAIR IN
SYDNEY'S PARALYMPIC GAMES
A big success for Greece in Sydney's Paralympic Games. Greek
champion Eleni Samaritaki won the silver medal in the women's 400m
on a wheelchair with 1:20:68.
British Caroline Innes won the gold with 1:16:65, which is a
new world record. The bronze medal was won by Chun Lai Yu from
Hong Kong with 1:20:96.
The silver won by Eleni Samaritaki is the first Greek medal
in Sydney's Paralympic Games.
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