Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 2001-05-22
MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Thessaloniki, May 22, 2001
SECTIONS
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
TITLES
[Á] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] GREEK PRESIDENT TRAVELS TO CROATIA TOMORROW
[02] SPORTS FAIR OPENS IN THESSALONIKI ON THURSDAY
[03] GREEK BEACHES ARE CLEANEST IN ALL OF EUROPE
[04] LABOR MINISTER INVITES UNIONS TO "TALK TURKEY"
[05] GREEK FM REQUESTS U.S. INPUT IN FYROM NAME ISSUE
[06] GREEK FM MEETS BUSH ADMINISTRATION'S TOP BRASS
[07] GREECE WON'T RATIFY EU EXPANSION SANS CYPRUS
[08] GREECE MINDFUL OF TURKISH HUMAN RIGHTS RECORD
[09] PRESIDENT, PM DISCUSS GREECE'S TERM AS EU CHIEF
[10] TURKISH PROPONENT OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN ATHENS
[11] CHEMISTS WARN: NEW GASOLINE MAY BE HARMFUL
[12] POLICE FIND TWO MORE BODIES AT EVROS MINEFIELD
[13] THE DOCTORS OF THE WORLD CALL FOR THE ABOLITION OF ANTI-
PERSONNEL MINES
[14] HELLENIST VICTOR DAVIS HANSON IN ATHENS
[15] LOSSES IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE
[16] THE GREEK GOVERNMENT IS SATISFIED WITH THE PAPANDREOU-POWELL
CONTACTS
[17] REPPAS: NO CHANGE IN THE FRAMEWORK CONCERNING CIVIL MARRIAGE
[18] EVENT ORGANIZED BY OTE IN ROMANIA
[19] POPULAR GREEK ACTOR DINOS ILIOPOULOS IS IN A COMA
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[20] ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH VARTHOLOMEOS WILL HOLD A LITURGY IN A
CHURCH IN KAPPADOKIA FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 77 YEARS
[21] BALKAN OFFICIALS IN SOFIA
NEWS IN DETAIL
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] GREEK PRESIDENT TRAVELS TO CROATIA TOMORROW
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 total imports.
[02] SPORTS FAIR OPENS IN THESSALONIKI ON THURSDAY
The second international Sports and Re-creation Equipment and
Facilities trade fair "Sportexpo" is to be held in Thessaloniki's
International Trade Center on May 24-27.
The theme of this year's Sportexpo, organized by Helexpo,
will be the Athens 2004 Olympic Games, with focus granted on
several special events not widely popular to the public, such as
triathlon, hockey, softball, baseball, canoe-kayak, pentathlon,
archery, body building, mountain biking, martial arts and
aerobics.
[03] GREEK BEACHES ARE CLEANEST IN ALL OF EUROPE
Greek beaches are the cleanest in all of Europe, according to
a European Union report that rates the quality of swimming waters
in all of its member-states.
According to the annual report, 98.8 percent of Greek beaches
are fit to swim in, as they meet all of the strict regulations
imposed by Greek and EU legislation.
Out of a total of 1,862 Greek coasts, only 16 failed to meet
suitability conditions.
Minister of Environment, Town Planning and Public Works
Costas Laliotis stated that the report's conclusions "reaffirm,
once again, the very good quality of waters in 98.8 per cent of
our beaches and allow Greece to rank first among European Union
member-states."
[04] LABOR MINISTER INVITES UNIONS TO "TALK TURKEY"
Labor and Social Security Minister Tassos Yiannitsis issued
invitations to trade unions for talks over the state's contentious
social security reforms, hoping to escape the stalemate that has
already led to two mass strikes.
The invitation calls the country's largest labor union, the
General Confederation of Greek Labor (GSEE) to meet with the
minister within the following ten days.
However, fuelled by the state's eleventh hour move to shelve
the reforms right before the first strike took place on April 26,
the unions are expected to insist that the government conform to
their proposals, i.e. that it expand its contribution to social
security and pensions.
Specifically, GSEE, supported by the Supreme Administrative
Council of Civil Servants (ADEDY), demand that the state's social
security system be funded trilaterally by employees, employers and
the state. The unions also call for the discovery of new funding
sources that would prevent potential deficits in pension funds.
The labor unions also demand that the government guarantee
the publicly funded and operated character of the social security
system, the organizational and operational restructuring of the
system and a maximum of 35 years of employment to pension.
In his letter, the Labor Minister reiterated the government's
pledge to continue to financially support security funds.
[05] GREEK FM REQUESTS U.S. INPUT IN FYROM NAME ISSUE
Greece's Foreign Minister George Papandreou, presently on an
official visit to the United States, has reportedly requested the
Bush Administration's assistance in resolving the name issue
pending between Athens and Skopje.
Following successive meetings with US Secretary of State
Colin Powell, Vice President Dick Cheney and National Security
Adviser Condoleezza Rice, Mr. Papandreou stated that the talks
confirmed that Greek-US relations remain very close with the Bush
Administration in office.
Following a working lunch with Mr. Powell, Mr. Papandreou
stated that "we had a very constructive and useful discussion."
Among the issues discussed were the present situation in the
Balkans, Greek-Turkish relations and the Cyprus issue, terrorism
and bilateral-interest matters.
"Our relation is very warm. Greece and the U.S. are
cooperating very closely in the Balkans. We talked on the broader
cooperation between the U.S. and the European Union in the Balkans
and the perspective of incorporating the whole region in the EU,"
the Greek FM stated, adding "we talked, of course, about Cyprus
and Turkey, as well as the Middle East."
In regards to Cyprus, Mr. Papandreou called for Washington's
support for the unimpeded course of the island republic's
accession to the EU, as well as for pressure to be exerted on
Ankara to have Turkish-Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash return to UN-
sponsored proximity talks.
Mr. Powell expressed his support for the UN secretary
general's good offices and the need for a resumption of talks
after general elections are held in Cyprus on May 27. He also
expressed support for the decision taken at the EU Helsinki summit
and referred to the need for all to contribute to the lifting of
the existing deadlock.
In reference to the Balkans, Messrs. Papandreou and Powell
discussed the future of Kosovo, while the Greek FM said a clear
message should be sent to all that the U.S. and the EU do not
support the province's independence.
The two also discussed Balkan reconstruction, as well as the
need for the stability pact to proceed at a faster pace.
[06] GREEK FM MEETS BUSH ADMINISTRATION'S TOP BRASS
Presently on an official visit to the United States, Greece's
Foreign Minister George Papandreou met with U.S. Vice President
Dick Cheney at the White House yesterday, with whom he held talks
that confirmed the close relations between Greece and the U.S.
According to Mr. Papandreou, "we had the opportunity of
discussing all individual issues in Yugoslavia, Kosovo, the action
of extremist groups in FYROM, as well as the accession of Cyprus
to Europe with or without a prior solution to the political
problem of Cyprus. We all hope for a solution before accession but
this does not constitute a precondition for the accession of
Cyprus to the EU.
"Steadfast insistence on decisions taken at Helsinki is the
main conception governing the policy of all of us," Mr.
Papandreou said, adding "we have requested the contribution of the
U.S. to the effort to have Turkey adopt European principles which
will contribute substantively to the country's stability and which
have particular importance for the progress of Turkish society."
The Greek FM had met earlier with Secretary of State Colin
Powell with whom he discussed the present situation in the
Balkans, Greek-Turkish relations and the Cyprus issue, terrorism
and bilateral-interest matters.
[07] GREECE WON'T RATIFY EU EXPANSION SANS CYPRUS
Athens will not ratify the European Union's expansion in the
event such development does not include Cyprus, Greece's shadow
foreign minister Dora Bakoyianni told Turkish Foreign Minister
Ismail Cem in Istanbul yesterday.
A deputy with the main opposition party of New Democracy
(ND), Ms. Bacoyanni held 45-minute talks with Mr. Cem on the
sidelines of the Spring Conference of the Council of Europe's
parliamentary assembly.
According to the deputy, she and Mr. Cem exchanged points of
view on various issues, especially Cyprus, for which she stressed
" a viable and fair solution has to be discovered, within the
framework of the UN resolutions.
"Cyprus's ongoing course to the EU is becoming apparent to
the Turkish side," she noted.
During his address before the Conference, Mr. Cem described
the Cyprus issue as the most difficult problem in Turkey's foreign
policy.
[08] GREECE MINDFUL OF TURKISH HUMAN RIGHTS RECORD
Greece's representative in the Work Group for Southeastern
Europe has set forth the issue of human rights violations in
Turkey, in light of the upcoming EU-Turkey Association Council
meeting, according to Alternate Foreign Minsiter Elizabeth
Papazoi.
Responding to a question tabled in Parliament by former
minister and main opposition party deputy (New Democracy) Yiannis
Varvitsiotis, Ms. Papazoi stated that Greece is constantly raising
the issue of Turkey's compliance with its international
conventional commitment.
Moreover, Ms. Papazoi said it is a framework decision paving
the way for more individual cases being filed against Ankara, such
as that of Titina Loizidou.
"Greece and Cyprus are closely monitoring the issue and are
attributing particular importance to the decision by the European
Human Rights Court which found Turkey guilty of massive human
rights violations in Cyprus during and after the 1974 invasion of
the island republic.
[09] PRESIDENT, PM DISCUSS GREECE'S TERM AS EU CHIEF
The President of the Hellenic Republic Costis Stephanopoulos
received the Prime Minister Costas Simitis at the Presidential
Mansion today, with whom he discussed the full gamut of current
affairs.
Following the 50-minute talks, Mr. Simitis stated that Greece
has to act now in order to ensure Cyprus's accession to the
European Union during Greece's presidential term, i.e. the first
half of 2003.
"We are presently in the process of forming the agenda that
we will handle in 2003, which, in addition to the enlargement,
could very likely include decisions for the new Common
Agricultural Policy," the premier stated.
[10] TURKISH PROPONENT OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN ATHENS
Turkey's leading human rights campaigner Akin Birdal was in
Athens yesterday to address a conference entitled "Greece-Turkey-
Europe: Human Rights", organized by the Greek Union for the Rights
of Man and Citizen.
The key message shared by all speakers was that respecting
human rights is a prerequisite for rapprochement between the two
peoples.
Mr. Birdal, the honorary president of Turkey's Human Rights
Union, has been stripped of his civil rights in Turkey. The target
of Turkish far right circles which have accused him of links to
Kurdish rebels, Mr. Birdal was shot and critically wounded by two
gunmen in 1998.
[11] CHEMISTS WARN: NEW GASOLINE MAY BE HARMFUL
The new type of lead-free gasoline products that will be
replacing the currently-used super as of January 1, 2002, contain
carcinogenic elements harmful to health, according to the
president of Greece's Chemists Association Nikos Katsaros.
As Mr. Katsaros stated, some of these products have already
appeared in the market without the prior approval of the
Transportation and Communications Ministry.
The Ministry has called for the adaptation of the country's
refineries to new gasoline specifications that will be effective
at the end of the year, proposing the use of the substitute fuel
for super gasoline, presently used by about two million cars in
Greece.
According to the Ministry, the new fuel will comply with
stricter specifications than the current gasoline, modeled on
similar steps already taken in Italy and Spain, and is to be
available on the Greek market most likely in August.
The Transportation and Communications Ministry has submitted
its proposal to the ministries of national economy/finance,
development, and environment, calling for the prompt issue of
joint ministerial decisions to enable adaptation of refineries to
the new specifications.
[12] POLICE FIND TWO MORE BODIES AT EVROS MINEFIELD
Police have discovered the bodies of two more illegal
immigrants who were killed when they tried to enter Greece from
Turkey across the Evros border and trespassed into a fenced
minefield, the same site where three others also died on Sunday.
According to the police report, the two men, aged between 25-
30, were apparently killed 20 days ago when they wandered into the
marked minefield near Ferres.
Meanwhile, the three earlier victims, along with another man
who was injured, have been identified as the Iranian nationals
Mesit Dar-Aba, 26; Bugiuk Safik-Sak 25 and his 27-year-old brother
Bugiuk Hamit.
The fourth man, 24-year-old Samady Aydin-Efes, is presently
hospitalized in Alexandroupolis and is said to be in stable
condition.
[13] THE DOCTORS OF THE WORLD CALL FOR THE ABOLITION OF ANTI-
PERSONNEL MINES
Five years after the Treaty of Ottawa, Greece and Finland are
the only European countries that continue to have minefields on
their territory.
Only yesterday, three illegal immigrants lost their lives and
one was seriously injured while trying to cross the Greek-Turkish
borders in Evros, northeastern Greece overturning once again the
myth that the minefields are adequately marked. The above were
pointed out in a statement issued by the Doctors of the World on
the occasion of the tragic event and tomorrow's visit to Greece by
Noble Peace Prize winner Jody Williams, who is the president of
the World Committee for the Abolition of Anti-Personnel Mines.
Ms. Williams will be present, together with Greek defense
minister Akis Tsochatzopoulos, in the opening of a symposium under
the title "The child as a messenger of peace" that will be held at
the Megaron Music Hall on Thursday, May 24.
[14] HELLENIST VICTOR DAVIS HANSON IN ATHENS
The causes that led to the gradual fading of the Greek
studies in the United States will be analyzed by distinguished
Hellenist professor and California State University Classical
Studies Program director Victor Davis Hanson in the lecture he
will give in Athens on May 28.
The event is organized by the Alexandros Onasis Institute and
the Greek Humanist Society. The theme of his speech is: "Who
Killed Homer?" which is also the title of his book that was
written in collaboration with professor John Heath.
In the book the two professors analyze Greece's significance
for western civilization and how this idea has been lost in
America of today.
Forty-eight-year-old Hellenist professor Victor Davis Hanson,
who has a 20year academic experience, has played a leading part in
the upgrading of classical studies in the United States and has
been honored, among others, by the American Philological
Association for his contribution to the teaching of the ancient
Greek classics to undergraduate students.
[15] LOSSES IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE
Losses were recorded in the Athens Stock Exchange today. The
general index dropped to -0.99% at 3.147,35 points, while the
volume of transactions was small at 52.569 billion drachmas or
154.3 million Euro.
Of the stocks trading today, the overwhelming majority
namely, 281, recorded losses and only 51 had gains, while the
value of 43 stocks remained stable.
[16] THE GREEK GOVERNMENT IS SATISFIED WITH THE PAPANDREOU-POWELL
CONTACTS
Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas stated that the
Greek government is satisfied with the contacts foreign minister
Giorgos Papandreou had with US secretary of state Colin Powell in
Washington. Mr. Reppas stated that in many sectors, such as the
Balkan issues, the US government shares the same policy with
Greece, while on the issues of Greek national interest it is
obvious that Greece's positions have gained ground.
When he was asked to comment if the US and Greek views
converge on the Cyprus issue, the Greek government spokesman
stated that as it has been stated by the United States, Cyprus' EU
accession is an EU matter.
He said that the wish is for the dialogue within the UN
framework to continue under the auspices and observation of UN
secretary-general, adding that if the Cyprus problem is not
resolved this can not lead to the interruption of Cyprus' EU
accession course. Mr. Reppas also said that Cyprus cannot be the
hostage of Turkey.
[17] REPPAS: NO CHANGE IN THE FRAMEWORK CONCERNING CIVIL MARRIAGE
There is no question of a change in the existing framework
concerning civil marriage, reiterated today Greek government
spokesman Dimitris Repas responding to a relevant question by
reporters.
Mr. Reppas said that the Greek government has never dealt
with such an issue and no such issue was ever brought up for
discussion.
Meanwhile, parliament president Apostolos Kaklamanis backed
religious marriage in statements he made earlier on the occasion
of the latest statements by minister of justice Michalis
Stathopoulos, who promoted the idea of mandatory civil marriage.
Mr. Kaklamanis stated that both the state end the Church must
get serious and avoid creating issues out of nothing, stressing
that such issues do not contribute to the calm the Greek people
need for their peaceful and productive deeds.
[18] EVENT ORGANIZED BY OTE IN ROMANIA
An event under the title "2001-A Peace Odyssey" will be held
in Bucharest organized by the Greek Telecommunications
Organization, OTE, and the companies of the ROMTELECOM & COSMOROM
Group with the support of OTE International Investments.
The goal of the event that will take place on June 5-6 will
be to strengthen cooperation in telecommunications as a means for
the peaceful coexistence in the region of southeastern Europe and
stress the important role played by the OTE group of companies in
the development of the Romanian telecommunications market.
[19] POPULAR GREEK ACTOR DINOS ILIOPOULOS IS IN A COMA
Popular actor Dinos Iliopoulos, who is in the intensive care
unit of the Central Clinic of Athens, is in a critical state.
According to the statement issued by his doctors, Dinos
Iliopoulos is in a coma, while the latest lab tests showed that
his brain has suffered extensive ischemic lesions.
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[20] ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH VARTHOLOMEOS WILL HOLD A LITURGY IN A
CHURCH IN KAPPADOKIA FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 77 YEARS
Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos will be in Kappadokia,
Turkey on Friday afternoon to hold a liturgy in the church of St.
Konstantinos and Eleni in the town of Sinasu on May 26. No
Christian Orthodox liturgy was held in the church since the
population exchange between Turkey and Greece.
Together with the Ecumenical Patriarch will be bishops from
the Fanar in Istanbul and Greece, while many faithful are expected
to come from different countries to attend the liturgy.
[21] BALKAN OFFICIALS IN SOFIA
Romanian president Ion Iliescu, former president Emil
Constantinescu and former foreign minister Petre Roman will be at
the opening of the proceedings of the Balkan Political Group in
Sofia on May 26, according to diplomatic sources in Bucharest.
Also, present will be Turkey's former president Suleiman
Demirel, FYROM's former president Kiro Gligorov, Albania's former
prime minister Fatos Nano and Greek foreign minister Giorgos
Papandreou.
The Balkan Political Group was established at the initiative
of former Bulgarian president Zeliu Zelev.
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