Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 2001-02-22
MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Thessaloniki, February 22, 2001
SECTIONS
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
TITLES
[Á] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] A DELEGATION OF PAN-MACEDONIAN ASSOCIATIONS IS ON A VISIT TO
ATHENS
[02] LOSSES WERE RECORDED IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE
[03] THE DEVELOPMENT MINISTER ON THE LIBERALIZATION OF THE ENERGY
MARKET
[04] SPECIAL SECURITY MEASURES FOR THE INTER-BALKAN SUMMIT MEETING
IN SKOPJE
[05] OVER 100 MILLION PEOPLE ARE HOMELESS WORLDWIDE
[06] NO DEVELOPMENT IS EXPECTED ON THE ISSUE OF THE FYROM NAME
[07] YASSER ARAFAT WILL BE IN ATHENS ON SATURDAY
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[08] NIMITZ: THERE ARE NO SPECIFIC PROPOSALS ON THE FYROM NAME
[09] THE PAN-MACEDONIAN ASSOCIATIONS SAY "NO" TO A SETTLEMENT ON
THE FYROM NAME THAT WILL INCLUDE THE TERM "MACEDONIA"
NEWS IN DETAIL
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] A DELEGATION OF PAN-MACEDONIAN ASSOCIATIONS IS ON A VISIT TO
ATHENS
A delegation of the Pan-Macedonian Associations Council in a
series of contacts it had in Athens has expressed concern for the
likelihood of a final settlement on the issue of the FYROM name
based on which, the Greek side will accept the use of a name that
will include the term "Macedonia".
The delegation is on an urgent visit to Athens due to the
rumors on a settlement of the issue of the FYROM name within the
framework of the Inter-Balkan Summit meeting in Skopje and
yesterday its members had meetings with Greek parliament deputies
and US ambassador to Athens Nicholas Burns.
Mr. Burns conveyed the US stance suggesting a compromise
between Greece and FYROM on the issue of the name because of the
intransigence displayed by FYROM. The delegation presented its own
proposal namely, the use of a summary name that will reflect the
multi-ethnic composition of this state offering the opportunity of
expression to the Albanian-speaking non Slav population as well.
[02] LOSSES WERE RECORDED IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE
Losses were recorded in the Athens Stock Exchange today. The
general index dropped to 0.46% at 3.177,31 points, while the
volume of transactions was increased compared to yesterday's
session at 185.9 million Euro or 63.3 billion drachmas.
Of the stocks trading today, 208 recorded gains and 122 had
losses, while the value of 41 stocks remained stable.
[03] THE DEVELOPMENT MINISTER ON THE LIBERALIZATION OF THE ENERGY
MARKET
The liberalization of the electricity production market in
Greece proved to be very attractive as 921 Greek and foreign
investors expressed interest in the construction of electricity
production units of 19.600MW.
According to minister of development Nikos Christodoulakis if
those investments materialize the inflow of capital will be 5
trillion drachmas, while the permanent new job positions are
estimated to be 4.500 and the temporary about 15.000.
The minister underlined that the electricity supply by
private investors can start in the second half of the year through
electricity imports. The first private electricity production
plants are expected to be ready in 2003-2004.
He also announced the speeding up of the liberalization of
the natural gas market before 2006. For the construction of
thermal plants of 6.000MW are needed 8 billion cubic meters of
natural gas and the necessary quantities will come through the
Russia-Greece and Italy-Greece pipelines. Mr. Christodoulakis also
referred to the state Electricity Company and announced that its
presentation to domestic and foreign institutional investors will
start by the end of March.
[04] SPECIAL SECURITY MEASURES FOR THE INTER-BALKAN SUMMIT MEETING
IN SKOPJE
Special security measures are in effect since this morning in
Skopje, FYROM and the wider region around the capital, as the
arrival of the delegations that will participate in the Inter-
Balkan Summit meeting tomorrow morning is underway.
The police presence is visible at the areas around the hotels
where the foreign officials will stay and at the airport.
The Greek delegation headed by prime minister Kostas Simitis
departed this afternoon and later in the evening there will be a
meeting of Greek foreign minister Giorgos Papandreou with his
Turkish counterpart Ismail Cem. It is also possible that there
will be a meting of prime minister Kostas Simitis with his Turkish
counterpart Bulent Ecevit today or tomorrow. Mr. Simitis will also
meet with FYROM prime minister Mr. Georgievski and other Balkan
leaders.
The Summit meeting agenda tomorrow will include the situation
in Yugoslavia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and the developments in the
wider region.
Mr. Georgievski has already stated that he is concerned with
the tension in Southern Serbia, while the FYROM minister of
defense has called on NATO to strengthen the border patrols to
avert the infiltration of unidentified gunmen to the FYROM
territory.
Also, concerned over the situation in the southern part of
his country is the prime minister of Serbia. He said that this is
a problem for the Balkans as the Albanian extremists crisis is
possible to spread to the neighboring FYROM.
[05] OVER 100 MILLION PEOPLE ARE HOMELESS WORLDWIDE
Over 100 million people live on the streets, while 70 million
children are homeless, according to figures that were given to
publicity by the UN on the homeless situation around the world.
According to the available data, the homeless in the United
States are 700.000, while in certain western European countries
are five times more.
Based on a UN report, the main cause for the rising number of
the people who end up living on the streets is the rapid
urbanization especially, in Africa and southeastern Asia.
[06] NO DEVELOPMENT IS EXPECTED ON THE ISSUE OF THE FYROM NAME
No development is expected on the issue of the FYROM name on
the occasion of the Inter-Balkan Summit meeting, stated prime
minister Kostas Simitis to the members of the governmental
committee that met today to discuss the course of the government's
work.
According to information, the prime minister stated that he
does not see an immediate solution on the issue of the FYROM name
but a long-term one, while he pointed out that there is a need for
stability in the region.
Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas stated that Mr.
Simitis, who left for Skopje this afternoon and will return
tomorrow, will have meetings with the FYROM president and the
prime minister and the leader of the main opposition party.
He will also meet with the Romanian prime minister, while it
has not been clarified if there will be a meeting of prime
minister Kostas Simitis with his Turkish counterpart as the
arrival of the Turkish prime minister to Skopje has not been
confirmed.
[07] YASSER ARAFAT WILL BE IN ATHENS ON SATURDAY
Palestinian president Yasser Arafat is possible to visit
Athens on Saturday, according to government sources.
Mr. Arafat requested to visit Greece and have a meeting with
prime minister Kostas Simitis. The same sources mentioned that the
Greek side has accepted his request.
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[08] NIMITZ: THERE ARE NO SPECIFIC PROPOSALS ON THE FYROM NAME
UN secretary-general special mediator in the Greek-FYROM
consultations on the issue of the name that will be used by FYROM,
Mr. Matthew Nimitz, denied the rumors according to which, his
recent visit to Skopje had to do with the existence of a specific
proposal concerning the name.
Speaking to the FYROM state television "MTV", Mr. Nimitz
stressed that a big effort is needed for a solution that will be
acceptable by both sides. He also added that it is possible that
the solution will not be ideal neither for Greece nor for FYROM.
On the likelihood to bring the issue before the UN Security
Council in case the two sides will be unable to reach a solution,
Mr. Nimitz stated that this alternative solution exists. However,
he concluded that the UN believes that the issue must be resolved
within the framework of article 5 of the Interim Accord namely,
through negotiations.
[09] THE PAN-MACEDONIAN ASSOCIATIONS SAY "NO" TO A SETTLEMENT ON
THE FYROM NAME THAT WILL INCLUDE THE TERM "MACEDONIA"
The federations of the Pan-Macedonian Associations of
Australia, America, Europe and Africa with a joint statement
expressed their unanimous decision to react to the acceptance of a
composite name for FYROM that will include the term "Macedonia".
In the same statement the Pan-Macedonian Association in
Melbourne thanked the Greeks for their immediate reaction to the
rumors concerning the adoption of the composite names "Dolna" or
"Nova Makedonija". In the statement it is also mentioned that
Greece has the economic, political and military advantages to bend
the intransigence of FYROM and it is regarded as inconceivable to
abandon historical and cultural Greek rights, stressing that this
would leave the door open for territorial aspirations.
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