Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 2000-11-22
MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Thessaloniki, November 22, 2000
SECTIONS
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
TITLES
[01] GREECE TAKES MEASURES OVER "MAD COW" DISEASE
[02] ROGGE: IOC DETERMINED TO HAVE 2004 GAMES IN ATHENS
[03] GREEK AND ARMENIAN AGRICULTURE MINISTERS MEET
[04] IMF PUBLISHES REPORT ON GREECE
[05] PAPANDREOU: ANY COUNTRY THAT DOES NOT RESPECT THE EU PRINCIPLES WILL
NOT BECOME ITS MEMBER
[06] THE ARMENIAN PRESIDENT WILL BE IN THESSALONIKI TOMORROW
[07] KOSTAS KENTERIS WILL BE IN MONTE CARLO
[08] KARAMANLIS-DIMITROV MEETING
[09] THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE IS IN FREE FALL
[10] AN IOC DELEGATION INSPECTS THE OLYMPIC PROJECTS IN ATHENS
[11] THE INTER-BALKAN JOURNALIST CONFERENCE OPENS IN THESSALONIKI ON FRIDAY
[12] THE SIMITIS-KOTSARIAN MEETING WAS HELD IN A POSITIVE CLIMATE
[13] MEETING OF THE FOREIGN MINISTERS OF GREECE AND FYROM
[14] REPPAS: THE POPE IS ALWAYS WELCOME IN GREECE
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[15] SIMITIS-META DISCUSS BILATERAL RELATIONS
[16] NEW VIOLATIONS OF THE CYPRIOT AIRSPACE BY TURKISH FIGHTER JETS
[17] THE CONTACTS OF THE GREEK MINISTER OF NATIONAL ECONOMY IN BERLIN
NEWS IN DETAIL
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] GREECE TAKES MEASURES OVER "MAD COW" DISEASE
The Greek government has banned the import and use of French
meat, in an attempt to prevent the possible spreading of "mad cow"
disease, following a cabinet meeting held yesterday afternoon.
Those present at the meeting also agreed on a series of
measures, including a ban on French meat imports, a ban on the
import of flour derived from French meat and the removal of
existing French meat products from the Greek market.
The Greek government has taken a firm stance over this issue
and has taken swift action in line with other European Union
countries, to prevent any panic from breaking out amongst
consumers. These new measures fall in line with those adopted by
the EU ministry of Agriculture, who announced steps to prevent
"mad cow" disease from spreading and to check the safety of other
livestock products.
[02] ROGGE: IOC DETERMINED TO HAVE 2004 GAMES IN ATHENS
The International Olympic Committee has begun to show a
positive attitude over the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, just a few
hours before its delegates are due to land in Athens.
"I can only say to my Greek friends the IOC is determined to
have the Games in Athens", Rogge said, confirming that there is no
plan to take the Games away from Athens.
[03] GREEK AND ARMENIAN AGRICULTURE MINISTERS MEET
Greek minister of Agriculture, Georgios Anomeritis will have
several meetings with his Armenia counterpart Z. Gevorgian, who is
accompanying the Armenian President of the Republic Mr Kotsarian
in his visit to Athens and with the Bulgarian undersecretary of
Agriculture, A. Toseva.
Mr Anomeritis and Mr Gevorian are expected to sign a two-year
cooperation agreement, which will outline mutual actions in the
agrarian sector.
The Greek Agriculture minister is holding meetings with his
foreign counterparts to discuss agricultural policy, aimed at
effectively promoting Greek interests in this field.
[04] IMF PUBLISHES REPORT ON GREECE
The International Monetary Fund has proposed reforms in all
aspects of Greek economic policy, in the report it published on
Greece, which included positive comments on economic policies
pursued by the government.
IMF analysts underline the progress made in all levels of the
Greek economy in recent years and, in reference to this year's
budget mention that although it is already headed in the right
direction, positive steps are expected to be made as far as its
rate of development is concerned. The
IMF report did not mention any delays concerning
privatisation.
In relation to the rate of development, the IMF comments on
structural changes which are mainly to do with reducing tax,
revising the administrative system and fiscal reform, which is
expected to be achieved by limiting expenditure. At the same time,
the report highlights the great macroeconomic growth and maintains
that there is potential for the current situation to continue.
The main points of the report concern the budget and rates of
interest, which have decreased significantly, whilst the
acceleration of the construction budget has been a cause for
concern as the increase in productivity does not compensate for
the increase in staff costs.
According to the same report, an increase is expected in fiscal
activity and an average annual gross domestic product increase of
4%, with the possibility of further increase by 2001. The need to
reduce state debts are also mentioned and a mutual lack of trust
between companies has also been noted, as well as distrust within
the free market.
As far as limiting state expenditure is concerned, the IMF
report suggests cutting salaries as the increase in state job
salaries are higher than they are within other areas of the
economy. Reforms in the pension system and the possibility of
offering pensions through a private system are also proposed.
The IMF also demands a cut in taxes, with the aim of
increasing competitiveness and of attracting foreign investors.
The report mentions that unemployment is high and should be dealt
with by measures such as offering state support such as education
reforms.
[05] PAPANDREOU: ANY COUNTRY THAT DOES NOT RESPECT THE EU
PRINCIPLES WILL NOT BECOME ITS MEMBER
Greece is ready to proceed with the ratification of the EU-
Turkey partnership relation text based on what was agreed in
Helsinki.
The above were stated by Greek foreign minister Giorgos
Papandreou in a joint press conference with deputy foreign
minister Elisavet Papazoi on the Inter-governmental conference and
the EU-Turkey partnership relation.
The EU-Turkey partnership text was drawn up after
consultations between the "15" EU member-states and the candidate
for accession countries, said Mr. Papandreou, underlining that
Turkey must make its decisions, adding that it must make its small
revolution for wide reforms. He also said that Turkey must
recognize its obligations toward the EU which are in effect for
all the candidate for EU accession countries.
All the Euro-deputies and the Euro-parliament have made it
clear to Turkish foreign minister Ismail Cem that any country that
does not respect the basic principles of the EU will not be
accepted as its member.
Mr. Papandreou said that it is reasonable for Greece to ask
that the Greek-Turkish relations and the Cyprus problem be
included in the EU-Turkey partnership text. He also said that
Turkey must realize that the good relations with Greece and its
efforts for the solution of the Cyprus problem is for its own
benefit and the benefit of the wider region.
Responding to the question if he was annoyed by the
statements made by Ismail Cem in Antalya, he said that Turkey's
reactions were excessive because the issues raised are nothing
more than the basic principles of the EU.
Commenting on the EU decision based on which, Cyprus will
participate in the joint military forces of the EU, he said that
it is absurd for an EU candidate country to want to block another
EU candidate from participating in the European procedures.
[06] THE ARMENIAN PRESIDENT WILL BE IN THESSALONIKI TOMORROW
Armenian president Robert Kotsarian will be in Thessaloniki
tomorrow wrapping-up his formal visit to Greece.
He will arrive at Thessaloniki's airport in the morning and
he will have meetings with the local authorities. Before his
departure tomorrow in early afternoon, he will also meet with
representatives of the Armenian community in Thessaloniki.
[07] KOSTAS KENTERIS WILL BE IN MONTE CARLO
Greek Olympic Gold medallist in the men's 200m in the Olympic
Games in Sydney, Kostas Kenteris will depart for Monte Carlo on
Saturday where he will be honored by the IAAF in the World
Athletics Gala that takes place every year at the end of the
season.
It will be his second visit to the principality and he is the
only Greek athlete honored by the World Federation of Sports.
[08] KARAMANLIS-DIMITROV MEETING
FYROM foreign minister Alexander Dimitrov, who is on a visit
to Greece, met with right-wing main opposition party of New
Democracy leader Kostas Karamanlis and they discussed the
situation in the Balkans in view of the EU Summit that will take
place in Zagreb as well as, issues concerning the relations
between Greece and FYROM.
Mr. Karamanlis referred to the gradual improvement observed
in bilateral relations and the positive development in bilateral
economic relations. He also stated that New Democracy backs the
existing borders in the Balkans and stressed the need for inter-
Balkan cooperation and the development of the relations with the
EU. Mr. Karamanlis also stressed that the necessary political will
must be displayed to deal with the issue of FYROM's name which is
an obstacle to the further improvement of bilateral relations.
[09] THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE IS IN FREE FALL
Losses of 2.92% were recorded in the Athens Stock Exchange
today and the general index plummeted to 3.307,56 points, while
the volume of transactions was small at 62.9 billion drachmas.
Of the stocks trading today, 304 recorded losses, 45 had
gains and 28 remained unchanged.
[10] AN IOC DELEGATION INSPECTS THE OLYMPIC PROJECTS IN ATHENS
An International Olympic Committee, IOC, delegation inspects
the course of the 2004 Olympic Games projects in Athens, while IOC
vice-president Jacques Rogge is expected to arrive in the Greek
capital later this evening.
The IOC delegation held a meeting in a central Athens hotel
and discussed specific issues concerning the Olympic Village where
the athletes will be staying and the village that will host the
journalists from all over the world covering the sports events.
According to information, the committee appears to be
satisfied with the date set for the start of the Olympic Village
construction works namely, in May 2001.
Former Sydney Olympic Games minister Michael Knight is one of
the IOC delegation members visiting Athens. In statements he made,
characterized as a misunderstanding everything that was heard
regarding his role in the Athens Olympic Games. He clarified that
he will neither have the role of a supervisor, nor he will be an
envoy of IOC president Juan Antonio Samaranch but he will just be
an IOC coordinating committee member.
[11] THE INTER-BALKAN JOURNALIST CONFERENCE OPENS IN THESSALONIKI
ON FRIDAY
The directors and editors-in-chief of the 60 largest Balkan
mass media as well as, leading computer scientists, specializing
in the latest developments in new technologies and the Internet,
will attend the 6th Inter-Balkan Journalist Conference on "The New
Technologies in the mass media for the development of inter-Balkan
cooperation" which is organized by MPA and will take place in
Thessaloniki on November 24-25.
The conference will be attended by representatives of leading
mass media in Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia,
Kosovo, Moldavia, FYROM, Romania and Turkey. Also, among the main
speakers in the conference will be 12 directors and editors-in-
chief representing leading newspapers and radio-television
stations in Greece.
The conference will open with the speeches of Organization
for the Reconstruction of the Balkans general secretary Andrea
Zobel, Boston MIT University Media Lab Computer Science director
Michalis Bletsas, who will refer to the latest developments in the
Internet and Aristotle University Computer Science professor
Yiannis Pitas, who will present a program on the protection of
copyright on the Internet.
[12] THE SIMITIS-KOTSARIAN MEETING WAS HELD IN A POSITIVE CLIMATE
Greek prime minister Kostas Simitis met at noon today with
Armenian president Robert Kotsarian, who is on a formal visit to
Greece. Mr. Simitis characterized as very good the cooperation
between the two countries and expressed Greece's interest in a
greater economic presence in Armenia. Mr. Simitis also stated that
Greece backs the efforts for peace in the Nagorno Karabach region.
The prime minister stated that political cooperation between
the two countries is very good, adding that there is a close
cultural cooperation, while the economic relations must be
promoted further. Referring to the Greek economic presence in
Armenia, he brought as an example the Greek Telecommunications,
OTE, the Commercial Bank of Greece and other Greek companies that
are active in Armenia.
In the meeting they also discussed the future developments in
the energy market and Mr. Simitis stated that oil price increases
give a special importance to the Black Sea and the countries in
the region regardless of whether they have oil or not.
Referring to the problems in the region of Armenia, Mr.
Simitis pointed out that Greece seeks to promote any cooperation
aimed at the peaceful solution of the Nagorno Karabach issue
within the framework of international law and the UN decisions.
From his side, the Armenian president referred to the efforts
for the reconstruction of his country and expressed strong
interest in the Greek investment capital.
Earlier in the morning, Mr. Kotsarian had met with
undersecretary of national economy Yiannis Zafiropoulos and it was
agreed that a Greek business delegation will visit Armenia in the
first two months of 2001.
The Armenian president also met with Archbishop Christodoulos
of Athens and All of Greece and thanked him for the assistance
offered by the Greek Church to the Armenian people.
A cooperation protocol between the cities of Athens and
Yerevan was signed in Mr. Kotsarian's meeting with Athens mayor
Dimitris Avramopoulos, who honored him with the golden medal of
the city.
[13] MEETING OF THE FOREIGN MINISTERS OF GREECE AND FYROM
The Greek government will proceed with the establishment of a
FYROM consulate in Thessaloniki next year, while it has accepted a
FYROM proposal to establish a Balkan University for European
Studies in the city, according to statements made by Greek foreign
minister Giorgos Papandreou after the meeting he had with his
FYROM counterpart Alexander Dimitrov in Athens.
Mr. Papandreou stressed that cooperation between Greece and
FYROM is excellent, very close and developing. He also referred to
the issuing of visas and stated that Greece has decided to issue
one-year and multiple entry visas, clarifying that Greece acts
within the framework of the Schengen agreement on the specific
issue.
On the issue of the FYROM name, Mr. Papandreou stated that it
is handled within the framework of the UN and expressed the view
that there is a political will from both sides to reach a solution
that will satisfy both countries.
The two ministers also discussed the issue of Kosovo, the
developments in Yugoslavia, the relations between Serbia and
Montenegro as well as issues concerning the wider region.
They also discussed the Greek-Turkish relations and the
Cyprus issue, while a special emphasis was given to the imminent
meeting in Zagreb with the participation of the EU countries and
the south eastern European countries.
Both ministers reiterated that they are in favor of the
territorial integrity and support the existing borders in the
Balkans as well as the democratic procedures, the economic
cooperation and the development of the countries which are the
main factors for stability in the region.
[14] REPPAS: THE POPE IS ALWAYS WELCOME IN GREECE
Greek government representative, Dimitris Reppas today
reiterated that Pope John Paul II is always welcome in Greece and
added that he is recognised as a State Leader.
Mr Reppas stressed that the Leader of a foreign state is
welcome in the country and that the government cannot take a
negative stance as far as the possibility of the Pope visiting
Greece is concerned, however he also said that the details of such
a trip would have to be discussed by all parties involved.
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[15] SIMITIS-META DISCUSS BILATERAL RELATIONS
Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis held a telephone
conversation with his Albanian counterpart Ilir Meta, with whom he
discussed recent developments in bilateral relations, according to
the newspaper "Gazeta Skiptare".
The newspaper states that Mr Meta invited Mr Simitis to
formally visit Tirana and the two leaders discussed recent
developments in Greek-Albanian relations, mainly the worries
expressed by Mr Simitis on behalf of the Greek government in a
letter to the Albanian Prime Minister.
In his letter, the Greek Prime Minister referred to the fact
that Albania has failed to keep up its commitment to respecting
human rights and in particular, the rights of the Greek The
International minority in Albania.
[16] NEW VIOLATIONS OF THE CYPRIOT AIRSPACE BY TURKISH FIGHTER
JETS
New violations of the Cypriot airspace by Turkish fighter
jets were recorded yesterday morning within the framework of the
Turkish military exercise "Toros 200".
The violations were made by two F16 and two RF4 fighter jets
and according to the Cypriot ministry of defense spokesman, they
flew over Morfou but they did not land at the illegal airfield in
Lefkonikou.
[17] THE CONTACTS OF THE GREEK MINISTER OF NATIONAL ECONOMY IN
BERLIN
The Greek-German cooperation in combination with the
undertaking of joint activities in the wider Balkan region and the
Black Sea, the strengthening of cooperation between the Greek
governing socialist party of PASOK and the German Social-
democratic party, SPD, as well as the issue of the German war
reparations, were the main issues discussed in the contacts Greek
minister of national economy Yiannos Papantoniou had in Berlin.
In statements he made in an interview with Deutsche Welle
stated that in the meeting he had with the SPD general secretary
they discussed the potential for greater cooperation between the
two parties.
Mr. Papantoniou made it clear in the contacts he had with
German officials that Greece can be Germany's partner in the
Balkans, while they also discussed the likelihood of a German
participation in the privatization prepared by the Greek
government.
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