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Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 2003-02-04

Macedonian Press Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

From: The Macedonian Press Agency at http://www.mpa.gr and http://www.hri.org/MPA.


MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY Thessaloniki, February 4, 2003

SECTIONS

  • [A] NATIONAL NEWS
  • [B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

  • NEWS HEADLINES

    [A] NATIONAL NEWS

  • [01] FURTHER ARRESTS FOR ELA
  • [02] CRITERIA FOR THE ADDITIONAL NEEDS OF 2004
  • [03] TAKING OUT OF THE COLLECTION BASKET
  • [04] THE BARBARITY OF LETHE
  • [05] NEW ARRESTS IN ELA CASE
  • [06] JOURNALISTS NAMED IN BLACKMAIL CASE
  • [07] PAPANDREOU WRAPPED UP HIS TOUR OF THE MIDDLE EAST
  • [08] THE EU CALLS FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE SOCIAL SECURITY SYSTEM
  • [09] KARAMANLIS WILL BE IN BRUSSELS TOMORROW
  • [10] SIMITIS-ANGELOPOULOU MEETING POSTPONED
  • [11] TWO TURKISH FIGHTER JETS HARASSED A GREEK AIR FORCE JET
  • [12] LOSSES IN THE ASE
  • [13] THE GOV'T SPOKESMAN ON SIMITIS' CONTACTS
  • [14] THE TURKISH MINISTER OF TOURISM WILL VISIT ATHENS
  • [B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

  • [15] PAPANDREOU: "SADDAM HUSSEIN HAS NOT REALIZED THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE SITUATION"
  • [16] PAPANDREOU'S CONTACTS IN LEBANON NEWS IN DETAILS

    [A] NATIONAL NEWS

  • [01] FURTHER ARRESTS FOR ELA One more person, who is believed to be the "Andrew" of the Stasi files, was arrested today. The government appealed against giving the suspects "names" and certain people who heard their real names implicated with ELA are threatening to sue. Tomorrow, th e first three suspects who have refused all charges will testify.
  • [02] CRITERIA FOR THE ADDITIONAL NEEDS OF 2004 President of the "Athens 2004" Organizing Committee Gianna Aggelopoulou will meet with Greek Prime Minister Kostas Simitis. A decision was made yesterday to form a committee to oversee each individual budget for Olympic preparations. The government does not invest in national vanity, stated Minister of Culture Evaggelos Venizelos. The 2004 Organizing Committee still retains its independence.
  • [03] TAKING OUT OF THE COLLECTION BASKET Evidence on individuals in the publishing sector was allegedly turned into the DA by Bishop of Zakynthos, Chrysostomos. Charges have been pressed against journalist Al. Stefanopoulos by journalist G. Tragas, who was accused of asking for rewards from Bis hop of Thebes Ieronymos to assist in his election to the Archbishopric.
  • [04] THE BARBARITY OF LETHE Uknown parties desecrated the monument to the Holocaust of the Jews of Thessaloniki, by writing insulting slogans and drawing swastikas on it. The Jewish Community of Thessaloniki has filed a complaint and has called the city's intellectual world and the

    mass media to condemn this action publicly. This year is the 60th anniversary of the dislodging and elimination of 50,000 Jews in nazi crematories.

  • [05] NEW ARRESTS IN ELA CASE Another arrest of an individual that allegedly participated in the activity of the ELA terrorist organization was made by police today. Shortly after 8am, 64-year-old architect Christos Tsigaridis was arrested in his house in Paleo Psychiko.

    According to information, the 64-year-old is referred to in Stasi files with the codename "Andrew", and has already been taken to the building of the General Police Direction of Attica (GADA), where he is being questioned. Nevertheless, in statements yes terday, Mr. Tsigaridis supported that he has nothing to do with ELA.

    Another suspect is expected at GADA within the next few hours, with the codename "Nicholas".

    Arrests in the ELA case are also expected in Thessaloniki within the next few days. According to information published in today's "Aggelioforos", the names of three members of the organization from Thessaloniki were made known from Stasi files, and signi ficant incriminating evidence has been concentrated against them. Information mentioned that the suspects are a married couple and one more person, Thessaloniki residents who were active in the terrorist organization until 1995, when it was disbanded.

    It should be noted that ELA carried out its first terrorist strike in Thessaloniki in 1977 and had taken responsibility for more than 10 attacks on IRS offices, police directions, the court house and other targets by 1990.

    Meanwhile, the three first suspects to be arrested in connection to ELA, Irene Athanasaki, Aggelatos Kanas and Kostas Agapiou, will begin testifying successively tomorrow from 9am to 2pm. All three face criminal charges of accession to and participating in a terrorist organization.

  • [06] JOURNALISTS NAMED IN BLACKMAIL CASE Journalists, who he claims are involved in the case of blackmail against Metropolites, were named by the Metropolite of Zachynthos, Chrysostomos, who testified before DA Dimitris Papaggelopoulos who is investigating the case. The journalist in question i n question is the publisher of the "Eleftheri Ora" newspaper Gr. Michalopoulos, ecclesiastic editor Dionysis Makris and the publisher from Zachynthos, Zisimos Tsoukalas.

    Metropolite Chrysostomos pointed out that all Metropolites and Patriarchs have fallen victims to blackmail and called them to testify so that their position is not deemed suspicious. He also referred to Archbishop Christodoulos, noting that on his trip t o Russia he was accompanied by Grigoris Michalopoulos. Concerning Dionysis Makris, he stated that Mr. Makris had asked him for 3 million drachmas (app. 8800 euro) for a paper he was about to publish, while about Zisimos Tsoukalas he said that in 1994 he h ad been caught with marked bank notes on a similar case. In fact, he mentioned that the Archbishop's office hired Giorgos Vassiliou, a partner of Michalopoulos and Makris.

    In reference to his statement to the DA, the Zachynthos Metropolite noted that the four hours his testimony lasted were not enough to describe the dismal picture of the Church in Greece. At the same time he made it clear that these facts do not mean that

    the priests are guilty, and asked for a cleansing in the journalistic sector.

    Ecclesiastic editor Dionysis Makris responded to the Metropolite's comments, with statements to NET television. Mr. Makris attributed the accusations to criticism against the Metropolite in a magazine, concerning statements he made on premarital relation s as well as how he acted in the hierarchy. He characteristically stated that the Metropolite in question has confused criticism with blackmail, he made it clear that he never asked for money and noted that everything said was slanderous and completely fa lse. He also stated that he had meetings with the Metropolite when he was a representative of the Archbishopric, in the framework of his cooperation with journalists. Mr. Makris also stated that he was surprised to find his name involved in the blackmail case and mentioned that as soon as he sees the specific evidence there will be reactions through his attorney.

    Results in the case are expected at the end of the week, while DA D. Papaggelopoulos is evaluating the evidence in the testimonies and is prepared to call specific Metropolites who seem to have been blackmailed.

  • [07] PAPANDREOU WRAPPED UP HIS TOUR OF THE MIDDLE EAST Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Papandreou wrapped up his tour of Syria, Jordan and Lebanon and he is on his way to New York via Paris to attend the UN Security Council meeting tomorrow in which the US will present evidence on Iraq.

    Syria, Jordan and Lebanon favor a political solution to the crisis in Iraq and decided to form a committee of envoys that will attempt to visit Baghdad in an effort to persuade Saddam Hussein to comply with the UN resolutions.

    After his visit to New York, Mr. Papandreou is likely to visit Egypt. Meanwhile, the Foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia is expected to visit Athens within the next few days. The contacts are placed within the framework of the consultations between Middle E ast leaders and the European Union aimed at easing the tension with Iraq.

  • [08] THE EU CALLS FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE SOCIAL SECURITY SYSTEM All EU member states should try constantly to improve their social security system, stated European Commissioner Pedro Solbes, responsible for Economic and Monetary Affairs. Mr. Solbes made the statement responding to a question on whether Greece should proceed with new changes in its social security system.

    The European Commissioner met in Athens today with Greek Finance Minister Nikos Christodoulakis and discussed issues concerning the course of the European economy.

  • [09] KARAMANLIS WILL BE IN BRUSSELS TOMORROW Right-wing main opposition party of New Democracy leader Kostas Karamanlis will be in Brussels tomorrow to attend the European People's Party, EPP, Presiding Board meeting.

    Mr. Karamanlis will meet with EPP President Wilfred Martens, European Commissioner Pedro Solbes, responsible for Economic and Monetary Affairs and New Democracy Euro-deputies.

  • [10] SIMITIS-ANGELOPOULOU MEETING POSTPONED Today's meeting of Greek Prime Minister Kostas Simitis with "Athens 2004" Organizing Committee President Mrs. Yianna Angelopoulou-Daskalakis was postponed due to Mr. Simitis' preparation for this evening's debate in Parliament on the issue of corruption.

    Meanwhile, press information mentions that Mrs. Angelopoulou expressed discontent during yesterday's ministerial committee meeting concerning the committee decision for cost and budget coordination in the Olympic Games preparations.

    The meeting of the Prime Minister with Mrs. Angelopoulou will take place tomorrow.

  • [11] TWO TURKISH FIGHTER JETS HARASSED A GREEK AIR FORCE JET A Greek Air Force jet was harassed at noon today by two Turkish fighter jets, while flying 40 miles southeast of the Aegean island of Rhodes inside the Athens FIR. One of the Turkish jets was flying just 150 meters above the Greek aircraft for several mi nutes.

    Greek fighter jets rushed on the scene and intercepted the Turkish aircraft. For the record, the Greek airspace violations by Turkish aircraft have increased notably during the past few weeks.

  • [12] LOSSES IN THE ASE Losses were recorded in the Athens Stock Exchange today. The general index dropped to -0.62% at 1.667,19 points, while the volume of transactions was at 64.3 million euros.

    Of the stocks trading today, 72 recorded gains and 241 had losses, while the value of 65 stocks remained unchanged.

  • [13] THE GOV'T SPOKESMAN ON SIMITIS' CONTACTS Greek Prime Minister and European Union President Kostas Simitis had a telephone communication with his counterparts from Britain, Portugal, Italy and Sweden at their initiative to discuss the developments concerning Iraq and the EU stance, stated Greek government spokesman Christos Protopapas.

    Mr. Simitis had the opportunity to point out to his counterparts from Britain, Portugal and Italy that their stance concerning the declaration of the "8" did not contribute to the good picture of the European Union and had a negative effect on the common

    EU stance which is necessary in crucial issues, like Iraq.

    The government spokesman reminded the contacts the Prime Minister's diplomatic adviser Mr. Sotiropoulos had last Friday with his European counterparts concerning the declaration of the "8". They had expressed to him the position according to which, they support the EU General Affairs Council decision and had no intention to cause problems to the EU image by expressing solidarity to the United States.

  • [14] THE TURKISH MINISTER OF TOURISM WILL VISIT ATHENS The course and the prospects of the Greek-Turkish cooperation in the sector of tourism will be at the center of tomorrow's talks between Greek Minister of Development Akis Tsochatzopoulos and Turkish Minister of Tourism Mrs. G. Aksit, who will be on a wo rking visit to Greece.

    Mrs. Aksit is expected in Athens this evening and tomorrow the two ministers will sign a protocol of cooperation and make statements to the press.

  • [B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

  • [15] PAPANDREOU: "SADDAM HUSSEIN HAS NOT REALIZED THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE SITUATION" Expressing the impression that was made on him from his contacts in the Middle East, Foreign Minister Giorgos Papandreou stated that "the leaderships of region's countries appreciate that Saddam Hussein has not realized the seriousness of the situation. This of course means that if he does realize it, there is still a chance he will comply and a serious possibility that war is avoided".

    Following his meeting with his Jordanian counterpart in Amman, the second stop of his Middle Eastern tour, Mr. Papandreou called Saddam Hussein to fully cooperate with the international community and comply with the Security Council resolution.

    "If the Iraqi leader complies, then we can talk about a diplomatic success", stressed Mr. Papandreou, who made mention of a plan to respond to the consequences of a war but insisted that "for the time being diplomatic efforts are our priority".

    Meanwhile, the Americans would welcome a change in Saddam's position and his compliance to UN resolutions, although such a possibility is not considered likely, appreciated Mr. Papandreou after a telephone communication with US Secretary of State Collin Powel, whom he informed on his tour of the Middle East as President of the European Council.

    During his contacts, the Foreign Minister has also discussed the Middle Eastern issue - as well as the possible connection of the issue to the crisis in Iraq - and he stated that a dialogue on the application on the "road map", which will lead to two ind ependent peaceful states by 2005, must begin.

  • [16] PAPANDREOU'S CONTACTS IN LEBANON Speaking to the Press after his meeting with Lebanese President Emile Lahoud and Foreign Minister Mahmoud Hamoud, Greek Foreign Minister and European Council President Giorgos Papandreou referred to the need to send "a clear message to Saddam Hussein tha t he has to fully comply with UN Security Council Resolution 1441."

    Mr. Papandreou said that that the Arab world must be mobilised in order to convey that message to Iraq. "There was a sense of resignation, but we have to stress the need to be active and take initiatives", he said.

    The European Council President and the Lebanese officials (Lebanon currently holds the Arab League Presidency) referred to the likelihood of cooperation between the EU and the Arab world. Mr. Papandreou said on the Iraqi issue that "we will see after Feb ruary 15th, when the ministerial meeting of the Arab League will take place, the ways of coordinating our efforts".

    Moreover, he pointed out that the EU is discussing the possibility of backing the Arab envoys whose visit to Iraq is being considered.

    Mr. Papandreou expressed the EU's commitment to promote the peace process in the Middle East and stressed the need for an open dialogue amongst the Arab world and the European Union, in order to enhance political and economic cooperation. "Europe is here

    for the Arab world", the Greek Foreign Minister characteristically said.


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