Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 2001-03-16
MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Thessaloniki, March 16, 2001
SECTIONS
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
TITLES
[Á] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] NATO SECRETARY-GENERAL IN ATHENS TODAY
[02] FM TO VISIT REGION OF EASTERN THRACE TOMORROW
[03] PUBLIC ORDER MINISTER IN BRUSSELS FOR EU TALKS
[04] DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER MEETS WITH CANADIAN FM
[05] X-BANKER & PUBLISHER KOSKOTAS RELEASED TODAY
[06] FYROM PM REQUESTS GREECE'S INPUT OVER CRISIS
[07] ISLAND OF SKYROS TO HOST SUMMER ECOLOGICAL U
[08] ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH ON SKOPJE CHURCH'S NAME
[09] MINISTER SETS RECORD STRAIGHT ON ANIMAL DISEASE
[10] BORDER GUARDS CLASH WITH DRUG SMUGGLERS
[11] FM TO VISIT REGION OF EASTERN THRACE TOMORROW
[12] COMMISSION CALLS FOR PRICE HIKE ON CIGARETTES
[13] GREECE RANKS 13TH ON ROMANIA'S INVESTORS LIST
[14] PROTOCOL OF COOPERATION BETWEEN THE GREEK AND TURKISH
MUNICIPALITY NETWORKS
[15] SEVEN PASOK PARLIAMENT DEPUTIES DO NOT WANT THE TERM
MACEDONIA TO BE INCLUDED IN THE FYROM NAME
[16] KARAMANLIS-ROBERTSON MEETING
[17] THE NATO SECRETARY-GENERAL MET WITH THE MINISTERS OF FOREIGN
AFFAIRS AND DEFENSE
[18] LOSSES IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE
[19] A CONFERENCE ON ORTHODOXY WILL BE HELD IN AFRICA
[20] SIMITIS-ROBERTSON MEETING
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[21] EU POPULATION DECLINING DUE TO FEWER BIRTHS
[22] ALBANIAN GUERRILLA LEADER THREATENS "INFERNO"
[23] MEETING OF THE US-CANADA PAN-MACEDONIAN ASSOCIATION YOUTH
SECTION
[24] CHRISOCHOIDIS' PROPOSALS AGAINST ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION IN THE
EU
[25] FYROM: KAKLIKIS-DIMOVSKA MEETING
NEWS IN DETAIL
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] NATO SECRETARY-GENERAL IN ATHENS TODAY
NATO Secretary General Lord George Robertson, presently on an
official two-day visit to Greece, stated upon his arrival in
Athens last night that the situation in the western Balkans is
dangerous, while he stressed NATO's absolute support for the
government of FYROM in its confrontation with the extremist
Albanian guerrillas.
Lord Robertson, who was welcomed at the airport by National
Defense Minister Akis Tsochatzopoulos, stated that FYROM is faced
with "a small number of people who prefer bullets from democratic
political processes and who are trying to downgrade the country's
democratic constitution."
The NATO chief is to be received by Foreign Minister George
Papandreou this morning, while he will also have successive
meetings with the President of the Hellenic Republic Costis
Stephanopoulos, Prime Minister Costas Simitis and Mr.
Tsochatzopoulos.
According to reports, Lord Robertson is expected to ask the
Greek government that it increase its defense armaments
expenditures.
[02] FM TO VISIT REGION OF EASTERN THRACE TOMORROW
Foreign Minister George Papandreou is to visit the northern
Greek region of Thrace on March 17-18, where he will be a guest of
the Sapes municipality.
During his stay in the area, Mr. Papandreou will attend the
signing of a cooperation memorandum between the Sapes municipal
council and those of other municipalities and communities in
Thrace.
Mr. Papandreou is also expected to use the opportunity to
meet various local officials and bodies and to visit Thrace's
Muslim villages.
Today, Mr. Papandreou is to meet with United States
Ambassador to Athens Nicholas Burns, with whom he will discuss
details of his visit to the US.
On March 26, Papandreou will visit London at the invitation
of his British counterpart Robin Cook for talks with the British
government. The Greek Foreign Minister will also be visiting
Ankara on April 6 to discuss the course of bilateral relations
between Greece and Turkey with Turkish Foreign Minister Ismail
Cem, as well as regional issues, particularly the situation in the
Balkans.
[03] PUBLIC ORDER MINISTER IN BRUSSELS FOR EU TALKS
Public Order Minister Michalis Chrysochoides is presently in
Brussels to attend the European Union's Public Order and Justice
Ministers Council.
The talks are to center around illegal immigration in the EU.
According to the European Commission, the "passage" through the
Balkans is frequently used by illegal immigrants primarily from
China, Iraq and Iran.
Mr. Chrysochoides proposed that the EU establish a European
Watch with the purpose of collecting statistical data that will
study illegal immigration and its consequences in Europe.
Other items to be discussed are crisis management policies,
drug trafficking and crime prevention.
[04] DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER MEETS WITH CANADIAN FM
Greek Deputy Foreign Minister Grigoris Niotis, presently on a
four-day visit to Canada, had a courtesy meeting with Canadian
Prime Minister Jean Chretien in Ottawa, in the presence of Greek-
Canadian Deputies John Kanis and Eleni Bakopanou.
Mr. Niotis also held talks with Canadian Foreign Minister
John Manley on bilateral relations between the two countries.
The Greek deputy FM briefed Mr. Manley on the Cyprus issue,
stressing that Canada, together with the international community
should exert pressure to have Turkey's intransigence lifted.
Regarding, Cyprus, Mr.Niotis stressed that the island will join
the European Union regardless of a political solution being
found.
Mr. Niotis will depart today for New York, where he will
participate in the March 25th Greek National Independence Day
celebrations organized by the Greek expatriate community.
[05] X-BANKER & PUBLISHER KOSKOTAS RELEASED TODAY
Former banker and publisher George Koskotas, who spearheaded
a financial scandal that brought down the government in 1989, was
paroled on Thursday and will be released from prison today.
Koskotas, the former CEO of the Bank of Crete and publisher
of an Athens daily, was incarcerated on an embezzlement conviction
after a shortfall of 132 million dollars was discovered in the
bank.
In the months that followed, Koskotas, who had by then fled
to the United States, claimed that the late prime minister and
PASOK party founder Andreas Papandreou ordered state companies to
deposit funds with the bank, and took bribes from stolen money.
The allegations resulted in the resignations of several ministers
and demands for a vote of no confidence in the government. Mr.
Papandreou, who died in 1996, was cleared of all charges by a
special court in 1992 and was re-elected in 1993.
Koskotas was arrested on November 23, 1988, in Massachusetts,
and was jailed in the United States until his extradition to
Greece in 1991. He has served 12 years of a 25-year sentence for
embezzlement, forgery and obstruction of justice felonies. Barred
from leaving the country, Koskotas has also been ordered to report
to an Athens police precinct twice a month.
[06] FYROM PM REQUESTS GREECE'S INPUT OVER CRISIS
The Prime Minister of FYROM Ljubco Georgievski expressed his
concern over the latest developments in his country, during a
telephone conversation he had with his Greek counterpart Costas
Simitis last night.
Mr. Georgievski reportedly requested of Mr. Simitis that
Athens undertake all the necessary initiatives within the
organizations Greece is a member of.
The Premier of FYROM described the difficult, as he
characterized it, situation being created in his country and
expressed his concern over further developments.
Messrs. Simitis and Georgievski agreed that a solution must
be achieved through diplomatic initiatives.
[07] ISLAND OF SKYROS TO HOST SUMMER ECOLOGICAL U
The island of Skyros is to host the Summer Ecological
University's fourth cycle of studies on "The Eco-geography of the
Mediterranean", between July 2-20.
Organized by the Scientific Institute of Environmental
Studies in cooperation with the University of Thessaly, the Summer
Ecological University is aimed at combining training at relaxation
and appeals to students, teachers and professionals, as well as
anyone wishing to expand his knowledge while vacationing at the
same time.
Academics, biologists, oceanographers, chemists and
researchers will be teaching during this year's cycle.
[08] ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH ON SKOPJE CHURCH'S NAME
Concern over using the term "Macedonia" in the name of the
Orthodox Church of Skopje is understandable, according to the
Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos and the Archbishop of Athens and
All of Greece Christodoulos,
In a letter of reply to the director of the Panmacedonian
Union of Australia Dimitris Minas, the Ecumenical Patriarch and
the Archbishop note that "the concern is understandable and
illustrates the Union's immense agony and sensitivity over
national issues."
Moreover, the church leaders wrote that the Church of Greece
has tried to inform the Orthodox Church of Skojpe that it should
refrain from using the name "Macedonia" in its title, following
the restoration of relations between this Church and the other
Orthodox Churches.
[09] MINISTER SETS RECORD STRAIGHT ON ANIMAL DISEASE
Greece is performing continuous checks on imported live
animals and meat, according to Agriculture Minister George
Anomeritis, who also stressed that Greek consumers should not be
concerned over the foot-and-mouth disease outbreaks in other
European Union countries.
In Thessaloniki yesterday to address the Geotechnical Chamber
of Greece's General Assembly, Mr. Anomeritis also stated that last
year Greece slaughtered 7,000 animals with foot-and-mouth disease
and spent about 2.5 billion drachmas to compensate
stockbreeders.
Moreover, the Agriculture Minister stressed that the foot-and-
mouth disease cannot be contracted by humans.
The Greek government has banned imports of live animals and
raw meat from France in order to prevent the spread of the
disease, while it has also suspended the importation of lamb from
Albania and Serbia.
A European Union veterinary panel has agreed to ban French
livestock exports until March 27, while it will reconvene on March
21 in order to review the matter.
[10] BORDER GUARDS CLASH WITH DRUG SMUGGLERS
Greek border guards in the Grammos region clashed today with
three Albanian drug traffickers who threw a hand grenade at the
arresting officers.
According to the police report, the three smuggled 98.5 kilos
of hashish into Greece last week and had stashed it in the wooded
area. Apprehended by the border patrolmen as they were preparing
to retrieve the drugs, the mule-riding suspects resisted arrest
and one of them tried to hurl the grenade against the officers.
The officers opened fire against one of the suspects who is
presently being treated for minor injuries in a Kastoria hospital.
All three are being held under arrest.
[11] FM TO VISIT REGION OF EASTERN THRACE TOMORROW
Foreign Minister George Papandreou is to arrive at the city
of Sapes tomorrow were he will attend the signing of a cooperation
memorandum between the "polis" network municipalities of Greece
and Turkey.
The signing ceremony will also be attended by parliamentary
delegations from Greece and Turkey.
The "polis" network features the participation of 16
municipalities from western Thrace, while Turkey's comparative
network "Trakyakent" features the participation of 22
municipalities from eastern Thrace.
The cooperation memorandum aims at promoting intra-regional
and intra-border action and strengthening social, cultural,
academic, commercial and economic ties between the Greek and
Turkish municipalities.
[12] COMMISSION CALLS FOR PRICE HIKE ON CIGARETTES
Cigarette packs sold in Greece will be subject to a steep
price hike if the state enforces a plan proposed issued by the
European Commission which calls for the imposition of an EU
minimum tax on smokes.
According to the Commission, the proposal will ensure a fair
and reasonable taxation of all tobacco products sold within the
EU, while it will also help the anti-smoking campaign.
Greece is among the EU's five countries, along with Spain,
Portugal, Italy and Luxembourg, that currently have lower duties
on cigarettes than the proposed minimum rate. The proposal, if
passed, will also strike be a major blow to Greece's multi-billion
drachma tobacco production sector which fears that the higher
prices will increase the potential of cigarettes smuggled into the
EU from non-EU countries where tobacco products are sold much
cheaper.
[13] GREECE RANKS 13TH ON ROMANIA'S INVESTORS LIST
Greece ranks 13th among Romania's foreign investors list,
with traded capital amounting to 1.47 billion dollars for the time
period between December 1990-November 2000.
Specifically, Greek investments in Romania during the
aforementioned decade correspond to 2.9 percent of the overall
foreign capital invested in the country.
According to the latest data provided by Romania's National
Statistics Service, bilateral trade experienced a meteoric rise
last year, when Greek exports to Romania increased by 185.3%,
amounting to $327.8 million, between January and November of 2000.
At the same time, Romanian exports to Greece during 2000 rose
by 149.6% since 1999, amounting to $290 million. Nevertheless,
Romania's trade balance with Greece continues to show a deficit,
presently standing at $37.8 million.
[14] PROTOCOL OF COOPERATION BETWEEN THE GREEK AND TURKISH
MUNICIPALITY NETWORKS
The "Polis" municipality network protocol of cooperation will
be signed by Greece and Turkey in Sapes, northeastern Greece
tomorrow in the presence of foreign minister Giorgos Papandreou.
The signing ceremony will be attended by parliamentary delegations
and local administration representatives from Turkey and Bulgaria.
In the "Polis" network participate 16 municipalities from
western Thrace, while in the Turkish "Trakyakent" network,
participate 22 municipalities from eastern Thrace.
Among the goals of the cooperation are the promotion of inter-
regional and inter-border activities and the strengthening of the
social, cultural, educational, agricultural, tourist, trade and
economic relations between the Greek and Turkish municipalities
aimed at strengthening the friendship relations between the two
countries.
[15] SEVEN PASOK PARLIAMENT DEPUTIES DO NOT WANT THE TERM
MACEDONIA TO BE INCLUDED IN THE FYROM NAME
In a written statement seven parliament deputies from the
governing socialist party of PASOK expressed their opposition to
the likelihood of an agreement that will allow the use of the term
Macedonia in FYROM's name.
The seven parliament deputies are Stelios Papathemelis,
Panagiotis Kritikos, Nora Katselis, Charis Kastanidis, Panagiotis
Fotiadis, Panagiotis Kourouplis and Alexandros Chrisanthakopoulos.
[16] KARAMANLIS-ROBERTSON MEETING
Right wing main opposition party of New Democracy leader
Kostas Karamanlis met with NATO secretary-general Lord George
Robertson in Athens.
After the meeting, Mr. Karamanlis stated that he had a
constructive talk with Mr. Robertson and the main issues that were
discussed concerned the situation in the Balkans and the crisis in
FYROM.
He said that for the problem to be solved the international
community must guarantee the inviolability of the borders, adding
that no border changes can be accepted in the Balkans. He said
that extremist and nationalist actions and moves can not be
encouraged and no new states can be created in the Balkans.
[17] THE NATO SECRETARY-GENERAL MET WITH THE MINISTERS OF FOREIGN
AFFAIRS AND DEFENSE
NATO secretary-general Lord George Robertson met in Athens
today with the ministers of foreign affairs and defense and the
main issues they discussed were the developments in FYROM and the
actions of the Albanian extremists.
In the meeting he had with foreign minister Giorgos
Papandreou, Mr. Robertson condemned the actions of the Albanian
extremists and stressed that NATO will protect the borders in the
region and offer the greater possible political assistance with
the appointment of an envoy to Skopje. He reiterated, however,
that the alliance has no mandate to be engaged in Skopje and the
measures it takes concern the better guarding of the borders with
Kosovo and the political support of the FYROM government.
Foreign minister Giorgos Papandreou expressed the concern of
the Greek government regarding the developments in the region of
FYROM and Kosovo and reiterated that there is a need to protect
the territorial integrity of FYROM. He also called for the
reinforcement of the KFOR operational effectiveness.
The NATO secretary-general also met with defense minister
Akis Tsochatzopoulos, who stated that Greek troops are among the
forces that have been deployed at the borders of FYROM and Kosovo.
[18] LOSSES IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE
Losses were recorded in the Athens Stock Exchange today. The
general index dropped to 0.33% at 3.125,67 points, while the
volume of transactions was satisfactory at 254 million Euro or
86.5 billion drachmas.
Of the stocks trading today, 141 recorded gains and 198 had
losses, while the value of 35 stocks remained stable.
[19] A CONFERENCE ON ORTHODOXY WILL BE HELD IN AFRICA
Orthodoxy in Africa and the historical relations of the
Orthodox Christians, Copts and Muslims with the African religions
will be discussed in the international scientific symposium that
will be held in Johannesburg on March 22-25.
The conference is organized by Thessaloniki's Aristotle
University, Johannesburg University and the Institute of Greek-
African Studies in Johannesburg.
About 40 university professors and special researchers from
Greece and South Africa will attend the conference that will be
completed in Pretoria on March 25. The conference participants
will also attend the festivities organized by the Greek community
in Pretoria on the occasion of the Greek national holiday
commemorating the Greek uprising against the Ottoman Turks in
1821.
[20] SIMITIS-ROBERTSON MEETING
NATO secretary-general Lord George Robertson, who is on a
visit to Greece, met in Athens today with prime minister Kostas
Simitis.
Mr. Simitis condemned the violence in FYROM and expressed
Greece's respect to its territorial integrity. He stressed that
Greece backs the FYROM government in its efforts to deal with the
issue in a democratic way, while he made an appeal to all
political forces in FYROM to move toward the direction of a
dialogue.
Regarding the stance adopted by the Albanian government, he
said that it is a prudent stance and expressed the hope that the
Albanian political forces in FYROM and Kosovo will adopt a similar
position.
He said that the situation should not be left to deteriorate,
stressing that in a different case the negative stereotypes
regarding the region will be confirmed and its countries will move
away from the European procedures, a development that can be
extremely negative.
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[21] EU POPULATION DECLINING DUE TO FEWER BIRTHS
A low rate of births has resulted in a declining population
among the European Union's member-states, according to Sweden's
national statistics office (SCB), which also warned that fertility
in the 12 EU applicant countries -with the exception of Turkey- is
also too low to maintain their populations at current levels.
According to the SCB, every woman should have an average of
2.1 children in order to prevent a further decline in the
population rate. Presently, women in Ireland, France, Finland,
Luxembourg, Denmark, Britain, the Netherlands and Belgium are
giving birth to more than 1.5 but less than two children each in
average, while Greece, Italy, Spain, Austria and Germany have
fertility rates below the EU average of 1.5. Sweden, which
presently holds the EU's rotating presidency, is exactly on the
mean rate.
Among applicant countries, women in Turkey are giving birth
to an average of 2.5 children, while Cyprus and Malta have birth
rates over 1.5 but below two.
Fertility in all other candidate member-states is between one
and 1.5.
The challenges of demographic change will be discussed during
next week's EU Summit in Stockholm on March 23-24.
[22] ALBANIAN GUERRILLA LEADER THREATENS "INFERNO"
One of the leaders of the Albanian armed extremists has upped
the ante against the government of FYROM, warning that his men are
capable of setting the "whole country on fire."
In a telephone conversation with the French news agency AFP
from the village of Malino, the guerrilla leader warned that the
clashes around Tetovo were merely a warming of what might follow.
"The government of FYROM is narrow-minded, but we're not
going to stop. We'll continue until Skopje understands our
demands," he told AFP, adding that "we will continue to fight on
all fronts and if Skopje strikes in one place, an explosion will
occur in another", referring to a possible attack against the city
of Kumanovo, northeast of Skopje.
[23] MEETING OF THE US-CANADA PAN-MACEDONIAN ASSOCIATION YOUTH
SECTION
The US-Canada Pan-Macedonian Association Youth Section held
its first meeting this year.
According to the New York based Greek-American newspaper
"Ethnikos Kirix", the meeting was attended by 70 young association
members from Canada, Boston, Philadelphia, New York and Houston.
Pan-Macedonian Association president Ms. Nina Peropoulos
stressed that young members had to be informed on the developments
concerning the issue of the name that will be used by FYROM and
added that a double name that will include the term Macedonia or
any of its derivatives will not be accepted.
[24] CHRISOCHOIDIS' PROPOSALS AGAINST ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION IN THE
EU
Greek minister of public order Michalis Chrisochoidis
proposed the creation of a European observation post in the
European Union to collect statistical data, study the illegal
immigration phenomenon in Europe and its effects and establish
policies that will deal with the problem. The proposals were made
in the EU internal affairs council meeting that was held in
Brussels yesterday.
Mr. Chrisochoidis spoke of a common problem with distinct
characteristics in each country and stressed that there must be an
effort for common solutions.
He also referred to the recent initiative undertaken by
Germany, Italy, Greece and Albania against organized crime at the
Adriatic coasts.
[24] FYROM: KAKLIKIS-DIMOVSKA MEETING
The developments in FYROM as a result of the Albanian
extremists' actions were discussed in the meeting of ambassador
Giorgos Kaklikis head of the Greek Liaison Office in Skopje with
FYROM interior minister Dosta Dimovska.
The state radio station in Skopje reported that Mr. Kaklikis
expressed the complete support of the Greek government to the
FYROM authorities and the measures that are being implemented to
stabilize the situation and avert the spread of the armed attacks
inside the country.
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