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Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 2000-11-07

Macedonian Press Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

From: The Macedonian Press Agency at http://www.mpa.gr and http://www.hri.org/MPA.


MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Thessaloniki, November 7, 2000

SECTIONS

  • [A] NATIONAL NEWS
  • [B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS TITLES
  • [01] GREEK FM IN KIEV, SIGNS THREE AGREEMENTS
  • [02] GREECE STARTS EXPORTING ELECTRICITY TO ALBANIA
  • [03] THESSALONIKI HOSTS BALKAN PARTNERSHIP 2000
  • [04] THESSALONIKI TO HOST GREEK-CANADIAN CONFERENCE
  • [05] PM IN THESSALONIKI FRIDAY FOR HEALTH CONFERENCE
  • [06] GREEK POET APPOINTED TO HEAD CULTURAL OLYMPIAD
  • [07] ATHENS WOMAN DIES IN ELEVATOR FREAK ACCIDENT
  • [08] DRIVER STABS HIMSELF AFTER KILLING PEDESTRIAN
  • [09] G/T SEA TRANSPORT ACCORD TABLED IN PARLIAMENT
  • [10] DEFENSE MINISTER VISITS XANTHI'S ISOLATED VILLAGES
  • [11] POTATO GROWERS IN N. GREECE PROTEST LOW PRICES
  • [12] AFRICAN MARKETS ATTRACTIVE TO GREEK FIRMS AGAIN
  • [13] TWO ELECTRICITY-POWERED TRAINS COLLIDED IN ATHENS
  • [14] THE PRICE INDEX CLOSED AT 4% IN THE MONTH OF OCTOBER
  • [15] LOSSES OF 1.54% IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE
  • [16] ALPHA BANK: SIX NEW BRANCHES IN ROMANIA BY 2003
  • [17] LEGISLATIVE REGULATION ON THE IMMIGRATION POLICY
  • [18] ABOUT A HUNDRED COMPANIES WILL PARTICIPATE IN THE 1ST EXHIBITION OF GREEK BUSINESSES IN TURKEY
  • [19] THE GREEK DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER WILL MEET WITH HER FRENCH COUNTERPART
  • [B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
  • [20] GORE, BUSH RACE NECK- AND-NECK FOR PRESIDENCY
  • [21] PRESIDENT CLINTON ON THE CYPRUS PROBLEM

  • NEWS IN DETAIL

    [A] NATIONAL NEWS

    [01] GREEK FM IN KIEV, SIGNS THREE AGREEMENTS

    Foreign Minister George Papandreou, who is presently on a two- day official visit to the Ukraine, has signed three agreements pertaining to the avoidance of double taxation, cooperation in the merchant marine sector and on customs cooperation.

    Mr. Papandreou met with Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma, Prime Minister Victor Lusenko and Foreign Minister Anatoly Zlenko.

    While in Kiev, the Greek Foreign Minister also praised the contributrion of Ukraine Greeks both to the history of Hellenism and the Ukraine.

    During their talks, Messrs. Papandreou and Zlenko stressed that there are untapped possibilities for economic cooperation between Greece and the Ukraine. Trade exchanges between the two countries amounted to 174 million dollars last year, while during the first half of the current year they totalled 63 million.

    [02] GREECE STARTS EXPORTING ELECTRICITY TO ALBANIA

    Greece began exporting electricity to Albania this month, after Tirana agreed to pay a 23-year-old $4.5-million debt to Athens.

    Albania's state-run power utility will import approximately six million kilowatts per hour on a daily basis from Greece, while it also imports electricity from Montenegro and FYROM.

    Due to the lack of rainfall, electrical production at the country's hydroelectric plants has been significantly reduced, resulting in frequent power outages.

    [03] THESSALONIKI HOSTS BALKAN PARTNERSHIP 2000

    In an event that aspires to result in numerous business cooperation agreements, the Balkan Partnership 2000 will be held in Thessaloniki on November 9-10 and will feature the participation of over 300 firms from Greece, the European Union and the Mediterranean region.

    The event will be officially inaugurated by the Minister of Macedonia-Thrace George Paschalides and will feature the attendance of Greece's undersecretary of National Economy Yiannis Zafiropoulos and FYROM's Minister of Finance Borko Andreev.

    The event will be held at the city's exhibition-conference center Helexpo and is organized by the Inter-Balkan & Black Sea Business Centre (DIPEK) in co-operation with the Exporters' Association of Northern Greece (SEVE) and the International Trade Fair of Thessaloniki (TIF SA).

    The Balkan Partnership will host 127 companies, representing the sectors of construction, building materials, foods, drinks, pharmaceuticals and hospital supplies.

    Fifty of these companies will be Greek, 27 Bulgarian. 18 Romanian, 20 from FYROM and ten Albanian. An additional 200 companies will be featured from Austria, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, United Kingdom, Cyprus, Israel, the Czech Republic, Russia and Croatia.

    The project is financed by the INTERREG Program of the European Union, through the Greek Ministry of National economy. T The objective of INTERREG Program is to promote the creation and development of networks of co-operation across internal borders of the European Union and to assist such internal border areas to overcome development problems arising from their isolation. The second aim is to provide interconnections with wider European networks.

    [04] THESSALONIKI TO HOST GREEK-CANADIAN CONFERENCE

    A conference on the coexistence of different cultures, titled "Multiculture: A developing dialogue. The Greek and Canadian example", will begin in Thessaloniki tomorrow, November 8, under the auspices of Greece' Culture Ministry.

    The three-day conference will highlight the issue of coexistence between different cultures in the two countries and will be attended by Culture Minister Theodoros Pangalos, Thessaloniki Deputy Mayor Nikos Makrantonakis and the Canadian Ambassador to Greece David Hatton.

    The event is organized by the Canadian embassy and the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.

    [05] PM IN THESSALONIKI FRIDAY FOR HEALTH CONFERENCE

    Prime Minister Costas Simitis is to arrive in Thessaloniki on Friday in order to address the ruling PASOK party's nationwide conference on Health and Welfare.

    In addition to Mr. Simitis, the conference will feature keynote addresses from Health Minister Alekos Papadopoulos and the secretary of PASOK's Central Committee Costas Skandalides who will outline the state's health and welfare policies. Other issues to be discussed include the planned reforms of the National Health System.

    [06] GREEK POET APPOINTED TO HEAD CULTURAL OLYMPIAD

    Greek poet and sociologist Titos Patrikios has been appointed as the head of the Cultural Olympiad, replacing film director Michalis Cacoyannis who resigned two weeks ago.

    The 72-year-old poet will chair the Promotion of Cultural Heritage SA, a state company that will manage and overview four years of cultural events leading up to the 2004 Athens-held Olympics and which will also handle the opening and closing ceremonies for the Games.

    Culture Minister Theodoros Pangalos stated that Mr. Patrikios "is not a poet with his head in the clouds, but one who can take action."

    Mr. Cacoyannis resigned on October 20, complaining of insuperable bureaucratic impediments to his work.

    [07] ATHENS WOMAN DIES IN ELEVATOR FREAK ACCIDENT

    A 48-year-old woman died of a broken neck yesterday evening when the portable table she was carrying in an elevator, intended for neighbors who were preparing for a funeral, got stuck in the doorway and fatally struck her.

    Katerina Sotiriou, resident of Athens, was taking the table one floor down where her neighbors were preparing a funeral service. As the elevator descended, the table got wedged in the doorway, came up and struck her in the neck.

    [08] DRIVER STABS HIMSELF AFTER KILLING PEDESTRIAN

    A 40-year-old driver stabbed himself in the abdomen yesterday, overwrought with remorse after realizing he had hit and killed an elderly female pedestrian.

    Panayiotis Paschalides, resident of Thessaloniki, struck 78- year-old Evangelia Ftika as he was driving in front of the Agios Pavlos hospital.

    According to the police report, Paschalides fled the scene of the accident and drove to a remote area where he stabbed himself in the stomach. After being discovered by a friend, he was taken to the Agios Pavlos hospital's emergency facilities.

    [09] G/T SEA TRANSPORT ACCORD TABLED IN PARLIAMENT

    A Greek-Turkish accord pertaining to sea transports was tabled in the Hellenic Parliament last night, aiming to strengthen bilateral cooperation in the sector of marine trade and facilitate the development of international marine commerce.

    The accord's introductory report states that "the said accord is viewed as highly advantageous for Greece, given the significant number of Greek vessels that sail into Turkey's ports and which participate both in the imports and exports of the said country."

    The said accord does not apply to military or fishing vessels, neither to vessels conducting hydrographic, oceanographic or scientific research, nor to vessels exclusively performing administrative or state services.

    [10] DEFENSE MINISTER VISITS XANTHI'S ISOLATED VILLAGES

    Defense Minister Akis Tsochatzopoulos toured the villages of Pomakohoria in the mountainous region of Xanthi yesterday, the first such visit since 1996 conducted by his predecessor Gerasimos Arsenis.

    Mr. Tsochatzopoulos was given a warm welcome by the region's Muslim residents, with whom he discussed the opportunities for regional development.

    [11] POTATO GROWERS IN N. GREECE PROTEST LOW PRICES

    Potato growers in Northern Greece blockaded the roads leading to the Serres Prefecture with their tractors yesterday, protesting the low sale prices of their produce and the delays in receiving compensation monies for damages suffered during last year's torrential rains.

    The protesting farmers gave away tons of potatoes to the gathered crowd and handed a written protest to the local authorities who, in turn, forwarded it via facsimile to the Ministries of Agriculture and National Economy.

    The potato growers have vowed to intensify their protests if the state does not respond to their demands.

    [12] AFRICAN MARKETS ATTRACTIVE TO GREEK FIRMS AGAIN

    Always on the lookout for attractive investment opportunities, Greek firms are turning their attention to the markets of Africa, where many states have introduced legislation beneficial to foreign investors, especially from the sectors of finance, energy, merchant marine, commerce, construction, foods and beverages.

    One of these firms is the National Bank of Greece which entered Egypt 20 years ago and is now cooperating with 43 Egyptian banks.

    Other firms represented in Egypt are Olympic Airways and AVIN International, the latter being active in the oil and chartering sectors.

    In addition to those already active in the Egyptian market, a great number of Greek firms - many of them from Northern Greece - are presently on a "waiting list", awaiting the local government's "go ahead".

    [13] TWO ELECTRICITY-POWERED TRAINS COLLIDED IN ATHENS

    Two electricity-powered passenger trains collided in Athens in the Amarousion region. A train traveling toward the region of Kifisia collided with another train that was stopped and was headed toward the same direction. An investigation is underway to determine the causes of the accident.

    Two cars were derailed, while about fifteen people were slightly injured and were taken to hospitals for precautionary reasons.

    [14] THE PRICE INDEX CLOSED AT 4% IN THE MONTH OF OCTOBER

    The price index in Greece closed at 4% in the month of October, according to the National Statistics Agency, compared to 3.1% in September.

    The increase is attributed to the rise observed in the crude oil prices and the value of the US dollar.

    [15] LOSSES OF 1.54% IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE

    Significant losses of 1.54% were recorded in the Athens Stock Exchange for a second day this week and the general index dropped to 3.669,93 points.

    The volume of transactions was very small at 45.9 billion drachmas. Of the stocks trading today 231 recorded losses, 110 had gains and 40 remained unchanged.

    [16] ALPHA BANK: SIX NEW BRANCHES IN ROMANIA BY 2003

    Alpha Bank will proceed with the opening of six new branches in Romania by the year 2003 consolidating further its already strong presence in the banking sector of this Balkan country. The expansion of the bank's network is placed within the framework of the three-year program on the market of Romania.

    Two of the new branches of the Alpha Bank Romania will be in Bucharest, while the rest will be in the cities of Brasov, Pitesti, Ploesti and Karjova, according to MPA's exclusive information from reliable sources within the bank.

    Meanwhile, the Greek bank's subsidiary expands its field of action in the sector of housing loans which will be in foreign currency and will be given selectively to big company and organization executives.

    [17] LEGISLATIVE REGULATION ON THE IMMIGRATION POLICY

    A legislative regulation on the immigration policy in Greece will be tabled in parliament in the next few days. It will provide for stricter preconditions concerning the entry, residence and work of the immigrants in Greece, while those employing foreigners illegally will pay fines of up to 5 million drachmas.

    Meanwhile, a clause that was initially included in the bill, allowing all immigrants to register their children to public schools has been withdrawn. Also, in the same bill there is a clause according to which, the hospitals treating illegal immigrants must notify the police.

    [18] ABOUT A HUNDRED COMPANIES WILL PARTICIPATE IN THE 1ST EXHIBITION OF GREEK BUSINESSES IN TURKEY

    About 100 Greek companies, which are among the most dynamic in the country, will participate in the 1st Exhibition of Greek Businesses in Istanbul, covering a space of 2.500 square meters. The exhibition will take place in the Hannover Messe International facilities on November 16-19.

    The presence of the Greek businesses in Istanbul is a follow- up to the formal participation of Turkey in Thessaloniki's 65th International Trade Fair which ended the country's long absence from the international exhibition.

    Most of the businesses that will present their products and services in Istanbul come from the region of northern Greece.

    [19] THE GREEK DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER WILL MEET WITH HER FRENCH COUNTERPART

    Greek deputy foreign minister Elisavet Papazoi is scheduled to meet in Paris today with her French counterpart Pierre Moscovici. Among others, they will discuss the Inter-Governmental Conference course in view of the December 8-9 summit meeting as well as, issues concerning the joint European policy on security and defense.

    In the talks will also be examined issues that concern Cyprus' EU accession course and the Euro-Turkish relations as well as, issues concerning the developments in the Balkans.

    Ms. Papazoi will be in Strasbourg tomorrow to represent Greece in the Council of Europe Ministers Committee meeting.

    In this meeting will be examined issues concerning south- eastern Europe such as, the recent elections in Albania and Kosovo and relevant issues. Yugoslav president Kostunica is invited to attend the meeting in order to have the opportunity to exchange views with the Council of Europe members.

    [B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

    [20] GORE, BUSH RACE NECK- AND-NECK FOR PRESIDENCY

    In a neck and neck race, United States Democratic candidate Vice President Al Gore and Republican George Bush are vying for the presidential seat in today's elections, which are marked by the possibility that either one could lose the popular vote and still become president by winning the Electoral College.

    US presidential elections consist of 51 separate ballots in each of the 50 states, plus the District of Columbia. The winner of each state wins all that state's delegates to the Electoral College, which has 538 members -- one for each of the 535 members of Congress, plus three for the District of Columbia.

    There are two exceptions - Nebraska and Maine - where five of these states' nine combined electoral votes are distributed by who wins the congressional districts rather than who wins statewide.

    The last time the Electoral College winner lost the popular vote was in 1888 when Republican Benjamin Harrison became president even though he was outvoted by the incumbent Grover Cleveland. There is also the even rarer possibility of both Messrs. Bush and Gore winning the same number of votes in the Electoral College - 269 each - which has not happened since the election of 1800 when Thomas Jefferson was deadlocked with Aaron Burr.

    According to U.S. constitutional laws, if that were to happen then the election would go the the House of Representatives where each state delegation would cast a single vote.

    [21] PRESIDENT CLINTON ON THE CYPRUS PROBLEM

    The United States have remained firm in their efforts for the solution of the Cyprus problem based on a two-zone, two-community federation, stated US president Bill Clinton in his bimonthly report on the progress achieved in Cyprus covering the August 1- September 30, 2000 period. The report is addressed to the US House of Representatives speaker and the US Senate foreign relations committee chairman.

    President Clinton also pointed out that he has conveyed to his Turkish counterpart the views of the US government during a meeting they had in the UN Millennium Summit, stressing the importance of a fair and lasting solution for all Cypriots.


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