Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 2001-04-18
MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Thessaloniki, April 18, 2001
SECTIONS
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
TITLES
[Á] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] MAROUSI WINS SAPORTA BASKETBALL CUP
[02] CIA OFFICER: GREECE ENABLES TERRORISM TO OCCUR
[03] VATICAN DELEGATION IN ATHENS FOR PAPAL VISIT
[04] ISRAEL HONORS 22 GREEKS FOR SAVING JEWS IN WWII
[05] GREEK PRESIDENT TO VISIT CROATIA IN MAY
[06] PRESIDENT STEPHANOPOULOS WILL VISIT CROATIA IN MAY
[07] MAROUSI BASKETBALL TEAM RETURNED TO ATHENS WITH THE COVETED
SAPORTA CUP
[08] POSITIVE COMMENTS BY SAMARANCH ON THE COURSE OF THE 2004
OLYMPIC GAMES PREPARATIONS
[09] A PREGNANT WOMAN WAS KILLED IN A TRAFFIC ACCIDENT - HER BABY
SURVIVED
[10] IMPRESSIVE GAINS IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE
[11] REPPAS: A CHANGE IN THE BORDERS IS INCONCEIVABLE
[12] THE PONTIFF WILL MEET WITH PRIME MINISTER SIMITIS
[13] REPPAS: TURKEY HAS COME TO ISOLATION
[14] SEMINAR FOR TURKISH JUDGES IN THESSALONIKI
[15] THE BOOK ON TERRORISM IN GREECE INCLUDES THE AUTHOR'S
PERSONAL VIEWS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[16] THE US-CANADA PAN-MACEDONIAN ASSOCIATION IS AGAINST THE
ADOPTION OF A FYROM NAME THAT WILL INCLUDE THE TERM MACEDONIA
NEWS IN DETAIL
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] MAROUSI WINS SAPORTA BASKETBALL CUP
Marousi Athens won the Saporta basketball Cup after beating
France's Elan Chalon-sur-Saone 74-72 (halftime 38-33) in the final
played in Warsaw last night.
This was the 10th European basketball cup to be won in the
history of Greek basketball. Marousi is the fourth Greek team to
win the former European Cupwinners' Cup after AEK Athens (1968 and
2000), PAOK Thessaloniki (1991) and Aris Thessaloniki (1993).
[02] CIA OFFICER: GREECE ENABLES TERRORISM TO OCCUR
Greece is a county that enables terrorism to occur, according
to a recent book authored by career CIA officer Paul R. Pillar
entitled "Terrorism and U.S. Foreign Policy".
Ranking Greece along with Pakistan, Mr. Pillar dedicates a
whole chapter on states that sponsor terrorism (including Iran,
Libya, North Korea, and Cuba), along with those that enable it to
occur (Greece and Pakistan).
In his reference to Greece, the author outlines two key
issues: first, domestic terrorism from leftist groups, a long-term
problem that poses a direct threat to US interests, particularly
17 November and ELA; and, second, support to the Kurdish People's
Party PKK.
In regards to 17N, Mr. Pillar writes that the terrorist
organization is viewed as a defiant "Robin Hood-like" cell
secretly admired by the general public, while he also alludes to
common ideological roots shared by the group and the ruling PASOK
party.
Moreover, Mr. Pillar opines that Greece's ineptitude in
combating terrorism is due to a variety of factors, among them
witness intimidation and the media's emphasis on civil liberties.
While the author is not advocating sanctions against Greece,
he does stress that Washington ought to point out to Greece the
necessary changes in its counter-terrorism strategy.
The book is published by the Washington DC-based Brookings
Institute.
[03] VATICAN DELEGATION IN ATHENS FOR PAPAL VISIT
A delegation of Vatican officials is expected to arrive in
Greece today, in order to draw out the last remaining details of
Pope John Paul II's imminent visit to Athens.
According to the itinerary, the Pope will arrive in Athens at
11:30 on Friday May 4, on board an Alitalia airliner, and a small
welcoming reception will be held at the airport.
Later, he will be visiting the Presidential Mansion where
the official welcoming will be taking place, as well as the
Archdiocese, before arriving at the residence of his
representative in Athens where he will be staying.
He will dine with Catholic clergymen there and rest before
going to Agios Dionysios Catholic Cathedral for a meeting with
clergymen and monks of the Catholic Church. In the evening, the
Pope will be visiting the Arios Pagos hill to fulfill the purpose
of his visit and pray at the location where Apostle Paul taught
the word of God to the Athenians for the first time. The Pope and
the Archbishop of Athens and All Greece Christodoulos will give
each an address in the English and Greek languages respectively.
At 8 a.m. on May 5, the Pope will be visiting the indoor
basketball stadium at the installations of the Athens Olympic
stadium where a church service will be held in Greek and Latin.
The Pope's address to the faithful is to be read in Greek.
[04] ISRAEL HONORS 22 GREEKS FOR SAVING JEWS IN WWII
Twenty-two Greek citizens are to be honored for their efforts
to save Greek Jews during the World War II occupation, in a
ceremony hoisted by Israel's ambassador to Athens and
representatives of the Central Jewish Council of Greece (KIS)
The 22 individuals, who risked their lives to assist their
fellow countrymen, will be bestowed the title of "righteous among
nations" by the Israeli state during a special ceremony at
Ambassador Ran Curiel's residence.
The Jerusalem-based Yad Vashem Institute awards the said
title along with an accompanying medal. A second ceremony,
complete with the unveiling of a plaque bearing the honored
individual's name and a tree-planting ceremony will take place at
the Jerusalem institute.
[05] GREEK PRESIDENT TO VISIT CROATIA IN MAY
The President of the Hellenic Republic Costis Stephanopoulos
is to conduct an official visit to Croatia on May
23-24, escorted by the undersecretary of National Economy Yiannis
Zafiropoulos, responsible for international economic affairs.
Coinciding with the President's visit, the ministry is also
organizing a business mission to Croatia, whose members are to
hold meetings with Croatian entrepreneurs and state officials.
Greek exports to Croatia amount to .26 percent of the
latter's overall import volume, while Croatian exports to Greece
correspond to .13% of the total imports
[06] PRESIDENT STEPHANOPOULOS WILL VISIT CROATIA IN MAY
President Kostis Stephanopoulos will be on a formal visit to
Croatia on May 23-24 accompanied by undersecretary of national
economy, responsible for international economic relations, Yiannis
Zafiropoulos.
The national economy ministry has organized a business
delegation to visit the country during the same period, as Croatia
is a tempting target for investment capital due to its specialized
work force.
The Greek exports to Croatia correspond to 0.26% of Greece's
overall exports, while the imports from Croatia correspond to
0.13% of the Greek imports.
[07] MAROUSI BASKETBALL TEAM RETURNED TO ATHENS WITH THE COVETED
SAPORTA CUP
The Marousi basketball team returned to Athens this morning
with the coveted Saporta Cup after beating the French Chalon (74-
72) in the final game that was held in Warsaw last night.
Coach Vangelis Alexandris and his players were able to win
the cup, which last year was won by AEK, another Greek team from
Athens.
[08] POSITIVE COMMENTS BY SAMARANCH ON THE COURSE OF THE 2004
OLYMPIC GAMES PREPARATIONS
International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Juan Antonio
Samaranch made positive comments on the course of the Athens 2004
Olympic Games preparations in a speech he delivered in New Delhi,
India.
The outgoing IOC president appeared certain that the 2004
Olympic Games will be unique and stressed that the Greeks can
offer to the games their historical dimension. He stated that he
was satisfied with the course of the preparations in Greece,
saying characteristically that the pace of the preparations has
been improved considerably after the measures taken by the Greek
government in response to the IOC recommendations.
An IOC delegation headed by its vice-president Jacques Rogge
will visit Athens on May 2 to be briefed on the course of the
Olympic Games preparations.
[09] A PREGNANT WOMAN WAS KILLED IN A TRAFFIC ACCIDENT - HER BABY
SURVIVED
The doctors in Grevena, northwestern Greece managed to save a
baby-boy when they performed a cesarean section on his dead
mother, who was killed in a traffic accident.
Two private cars collided on Easter Thursday near the city of
Grevena and a 36yearold pregnant woman was killed. The woman was
in the 7th month of her pregnancy and one hour after the crush,
when her body was brought to Grevena Hospital, the doctors found
out that the child she was currying was still alive. They
performed a cesarean section on the dead woman and managed to save
the baby-boy. The baby was taken to Hippocration Hospital in
Thessaloniki and its condition is described as satisfactory.
However, it is still unknown if it has suffered brain damage
as it was left without oxygen for a period of one hour after the
death of its mother.
[10] IMPRESSIVE GAINS IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE
Impressive gains were recorded in the Athens Stock Exchange
today. The general index rose to +4.10% at 3.316,17 points, while
the volume of transactions was 284.7 million Euro or 97.01 billion
drachmas.
Of the stocks trading today, 321 recorded gains and 31 had
losses, while the value of 22 stocks remained stable.
[11] REPPAS: A CHANGE IN THE BORDERS IS INCONCEIVABLE
A change in the modern world borders is inconceivable, stated
today Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas responding to the
question if a change in the Balkan borders is imminent.
Mr. Reppas, commenting on the scenarios regarding the
creation of a "Greater Albania", stated that scenarios are just
scenarios and there is no such issue.
[12] THE PONTIFF WILL MEET WITH PRIME MINISTER SIMITIS
Pope John Paul B' will meet with prime minister Kostas
Simitis on the first day of his visit to Greece on May 4, stated
Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas.
Responding to a question by a reporter, he pointed out that
the Pope's visit is held at the invitation of president Kostis
Stephanopoulos. He said that the government is not involved in the
drawing up of the schedule of the Pope's visit to Greece, adding
that it is being prepared in consultation with the Church of
Greece.
[13] REPPAS: TURKEY HAS COME TO ISOLATION
Cyprus' EU accession course continues smoothly, stated Greek
government spokesman Dimitris Reppas, adding that Turkey has come
to isolation as a result of the positions it expresses for the
solution of the Cyprus problem.
Mr. Reppas, commenting on the statements made by Turkish
foreign minister Ismail Cem, stressed that the threats he launched
were aimed at creating impressions and Turkey with the policy it
follows does not help neither itself nor the Turkish Cypriots.
Mr. Reppas also said that the policy followed by Greece is
right and gives fruit.
Mr. Cem had stated that in case Cyprus becomes an EU member
before the Cyprus problem is resolved, Turkey will react in any
way it sees fit.
[14] SEMINAR FOR TURKISH JUDGES IN THESSALONIKI
The Center of International and European Economic Law
organizes a seminar for Turkish judges to take place in
Thessaloniki on Friday and Saturday within the framework of the
Greek-Turkish cooperation based on an agreement reached by foreign
ministers of Greece and Turkey, Giorgos Papandreou and Ismail Cem.
The agreement provides for Greece to offer know-how to Turkey on
issues concerning the European Union.
A similar seminar was held in Ankara on October 5-6 and was
attended by about 200 delegates.
[15] THE BOOK ON TERRORISM IN GREECE INCLUDES THE AUTHOR'S
PERSONAL VIEWS
Everything mentioned in the book on terrorism in Greece, that
was published in the United States by the Brookings Institute, are
the personal views of the author and not the positions of some
agency, stated Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas.
The government spokesman stated that the criticism expressed
in that book is undue and pointed out that efforts are being made
by the Greek government aimed at dealing with terrorism. Mr.
Reppas stated characteristically that the Greek government's will
to eradicate that plague is given and strong.
Mr. Reppas also said that the author, when referring to the
period of the junta in Greece, should have taken into account the
fact that the former US president had apologized for the role of
his country in the period of the dictatorship.
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[16] THE US-CANADA PAN-MACEDONIAN ASSOCIATION IS AGAINST THE
ADOPTION OF A FYROM NAME THAT WILL INCLUDE THE TERM MACEDONIA
The US-Canada Pan-Macedonian Association will not accept the
recognition of FYROM under a composite name that will include a
derivative of the term Macedonia, stated association president Ms.
Nina Peropoulou speaking yesterday before members of "Alexander
the Great" Association and local federation officials in
Clearwater, Florida.
She stressed that the Greeks have an obligation to preserve
their national identity, adding that there are many signs
indicating that the issue of the FYROM name will close with the
adoption of the term Macedonia to be included in it and called on
the Greeks not to allow this.
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