Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 00-09-04

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

CONTENTS

[01] PM IN N.Y. TOMORROW FOR UN MILLENNIUM SUMMIT

[02] EU COMMISSIONER DIAMANTOPOULOU: THE MAIN GOAL OF SOCIAL DIALOGUE IS TO

[03] POLAND WILL BE READY FOR EU ACCESSION BY 2002

[04] IMPRESSIVE GAINS OF 1.48% IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE

[05] CYPRUS' IMPORTS FROM GREECE HAVE INCREASED BY 5.2%

[06] CYPRIOT AMBASSADOR: THE CYPRUS PROBLEM CAN BE SOLVED PEACEFULLY

[07] 1/3 OF THE INVESTORS IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE ARE LOSING MONEY

[08] GREECE PARTICIPATES IN THE SYDNEY OLYMPIC GAMES WITH 148 ATHLETES

[09] POSITIVE PROSPECTS FOR THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE ACCORDING TO FOUR

[10] FOREST FIRES ARE IN PROGRESS IN KONITSA, NAFPLIO AND LAKONIA

[11] DEPUTY FM: SUPPORT SMALL EXPATRIATE COMMUNITIES

[12] WORKS BY GREEK ARTISTS WILL BE EXHIBITED IN LONDON

[01] PM IN N.Y. TOMORROW FOR UN MILLENNIUM SUMMIT

Prime Minister Costas Simitis will travel to New York on September 5-9, at the invitation of U.S. President Bill Clinton, where he will address the UN General Assembly Millennium Summit and will participate in the Progressive Government leaders meeting.

Mr. Simitis will depart for the United States tomorrow, September 5. While in New York, the Premier is expected to hold a series of meetings with other leading figures, such as the President of Cyprus Glafcos Clerides and the Archbishop of America Dimitrios.

On the summit's sidelines, the Premier will also meet with the King of Jordan Abdullah, and the Presidents of FYROM, Iran and Albania.

The Greek Premier will be accompanied by Foreign Minister George Papandreou who will be meeting with his Turkish counterpart Ismael Cem.

A.F.

[02] EU COMMISSIONER DIAMANTOPOULOU: THE MAIN GOAL OF SOCIAL DIALOGUE IS TO TACKLE UNEMPLOYMENT

Greek EU commissioner Ms. Anna Diamantopoulou stated after her visit today to the European Center for the Development of Vocational Training (CEDEFOR) in Thessaloniki that tackling unemployment should be the common goal shared by workers, employers and the government in the social dialogue on the work relations.

She underlined that quick decisions must be made in order to deal in time with the problem of unemployment and stressed that any decisions and measures that will be taken on work relations must be the product of a dialogue, saying that this is the essence of the policy concerning the changes in the job market.

Ms. Diamantopoulou stated that the changes planned to take place in the job market should not hurt the job security of the workers.

She also stated that CEDEFOR is a valuable European policy tool and added that it is very important that this center is based in Thessaloniki.

CEDEFOR director Johan van Rens stated that the center is ready to assist all those who are concerned with specialized employment issues and vocational training.

[03] POLAND WILL BE READY FOR EU ACCESSION BY 2002

The Polish economy is expected to be able to meet all the EU accession criteria by the year 2002, according to Poland's ambassador to Athens Dr. Wojtek Lamentowicz in a press conference he gave in Thessaloniki today within the framework of his country's participation in the 65th International Trade Fair held in the city.

Mr. Lamentowicz stated that the privatization procedure is moving ahead with a quick pace and today 70% of the capital belongs to the private sector. Furthermore, the private participation in the industrial sector is at 45%, while in the banking sector is at 70%.

On the GDP growth rate, the Polish ambassador to Athens stated that it was accelerated after 1993 and in 1997 it increased by 7%, while in 1999 the growth rate will be at 5%.

Referring to his country's trade transactions with the European Union, he pointed out that Poland is the fourth EU trade partner as 70% of its exports are directed to the EU and 35% of them is absorbed by the German market.

The bilateral cooperation between Poland and Greece concerns mainly the shipbuilding sector, stated the Polish ambassador, who said characteristically, that Greek ship-owner Mr. Livanos has reached a deal with the "Sentino" shipyards to build 8 ships, while the signing of another deal to build 5 ships is pending. According to the Polish ambassador, if the new deal is signed the building cost will reach US$ 500 million.

[04] IMPRESSIVE GAINS OF 1.48% IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE

It appears that the likely interest rate cuts expected to be announced the day after tomorrow had a beneficial effect on the Athens Stock Exchange as there were impressive gains of 1.48% in today's session and the general index was at 3.655,25 points.

The volume of transactions was 70.1 billion drachmas and of the stocks trading today 100 recorded gains and 239 had losses.

[05] CYPRUS' IMPORTS FROM GREECE HAVE INCREASED BY 5.2%

The close relations between Greece and Cyprus, the growth of the Cypriot economy and the expansion of the trading relations of the two countries with European and neighboring states in combination with Cyprus' EU accession prospect were the main issues that were analyzed in today's press conference that was given in the pavilion of Cyprus on the grounds of Thessaloniki's 65th International Trade Fair.

The Cypriot ambassador stated that it is the 40th participation of Cyprus in the ITF as it takes part in the exhibition every year since the founding of the Cypriot Republic.

The commercial attache of the Cypriot embassy pointed out that the per capita GNP was 8.080 Cypriot pounds in 1999, the growth rate was 4% and inflation was at 1.7%.

The imports to Cyprus increased by 3.4% last year compared to 1998, while the European Union is its main economic partner as 52.6% of the Cypriot imports come mainly from Britain, Italy, Greece and Germany. Most of the Cypriot exports had the European Union as their destination (50.7%) followed by the Arab countries with 24.6%.

Regarding the trade transactions between Greece and Cyprus, they showed an increase as the exports to Greece reached 11.5 billion drachmas increased by 14.6% compared to 1998, while re-exports were 18 billion drachmas and the imports from Greece were 96 billion drachmas with an increase of 5.2% compared to 1998.

The tourist attache of the Cypriot embassy stated that a record high of arrivals is expected in the current year as the arrivals on the island in the first half of the year have already showed an increase of 12%. He also stated that 90% of the tourists, who visited Cyprus in 1999, came from Europe.

[06] CYPRIOT AMBASSADOR: THE CYPRUS PROBLEM CAN BE SOLVED PEACEFULLY

The Cyprus problem can be resolved peacefully through dialogue, stated Cypriot ambassador to Athens Christodoulos Pasiardis in a press conference he gave today at the pavilion of his country on the grounds of Thessaloniki's 65th International Trade Fair.

Specifically, he stated that a solution can be found to this major issue by promoting correct and just positions, adding that moving away from the dialogue will create a problem to both sides.

Mr. Pasiardis stated that the responsibility for the fact that until now the dialogue is fruitless belongs mainly to the Turkish side and under no circumstances to the Cypriot side.

[07] 1/3 OF THE INVESTORS IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE ARE LOSING MONEY

The negative psychological climate that dominates in the Athens Stock Exchange for the past several months is fully reflected in the opinion poll that was conducted by the Kappa Research polling company and published by the Athens newspaper "To Vima".

According to the opinion poll, 70% of those questioned dispute the credibility of the Athens Stock Exchange even though more than half believe that it is a free market that operates based on the offer and demand laws. Also, 30.6% admit that they have lost money in the stock market, while 15.6% stated that they had gains and 43.9% still hope that they will have profits.

Analysts in Athens believe that the interest rate cuts and keeping the daily turnover over 100 billion drachmas will have a beneficial effect on the Athens Stock Exchange.

[08] GREECE PARTICIPATES IN THE SYDNEY OLYMPIC GAMES WITH 148 ATHLETES

For the first time in its history Greece will participate in an Olympiad with 148 athletes who will compete in 17 sports events. This is a record number of athletes for Greece which will have a strong presence in the Olympic Games in Sydney that will last from September 15 to October 1. The male athletes dominate as the Greek mission will be made up of 89 men and 56 women.

Most of the athletes (30 men and 25 women) will compete in the track and field events, while Greece will be represented in synchronized swimming, tae kwon-do, cycling, boxing, target shooting, weight lifting, gymnastics, table tennis, equestrian sports, diving, swimming, rowing and wrestling.

[09] POSITIVE PROSPECTS FOR THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE ACCORDING TO FOUR INTERNATIONAL MONEY AND CREDIT INSTITUTIONS

The prospects are positive for the Greek capital market, according to four international money and credit institutions. However, they stress that the Greek stock market must find its own balance and that it is too early to regard as certain the reversal of the downward trend observed in the Athens Stock Exchange.

Specifically, according to the Athens newspaper "Imerisia", the British money and credit institution HSBC regards the Athens Stock Exchange as a source of attraction of foreign investors given the fact that the big capitalization stocks are moving upwards and the evaluation of the blue chips is no longer at disappointing levels for foreign investors.

Credit Suisse First Boston stresses that the Greek money market is cheap and the long-term investments will be profitable, while Merill Lynch maintains that the medium-term picture of the Greek money market is good and there are expectations for a gradual rise.

Deutsche Bank which adopted a more cautious stance regards as positive the rise in the volume of transactions in the Athens Stock Exchange and adopts a wait-and-see stance before it draws more concrete conclusions on the course of the Greek stock market.

[10] FOREST FIRES ARE IN PROGRESS IN KONITSA, NAFPLIO AND LAKONIA

Three forest fires are in progress in Kastanea in the region of Konitsa, north-western Greece, in Arvanitia in the region of Nafplio, southern Greece and in Voutianous in Lakonia also in southern Greece. Strong fire-fighting forces and tens of local residents are trying to put the fires under control.

Meanwhile, the fire that broke out in a farm and forest area in Serbia near Kozani, north-western Greece has been put under control and another fire in Anavra near Almiros in Magnisia, central Greece is under partial control.

[11] DEPUTY FM: SUPPORT SMALL EXPATRIATE COMMUNITIES

While confident over the future and task of the Council of Greeks Abroad (SAE), it is those small communities of expatriates unaffiliated with the various Greek organizations that are the priority of Deputy Foreign Minister Aggeliki Laiou, in charge of expatriate affairs.

In an interview with the local daily "Thessaloniki", Ms. Laiou also stressed the need to strengthen SAE's four forums (each pertaining to expatriated women, entrepreneurs, youth and intellectuals), which, she said, serve as networks for Hellenism throughout the world.

Ms. Laiou will accompany Prime Minister Costas Simitis during his visit to the United States this week, where he will be attending the United Nations General Assembly Millennium Summit.

A.F.

[12] WORKS BY GREEK ARTISTS WILL BE EXHIBITED IN LONDON

The works of two Greek artists will be exhibited in the "Peter Constant" art gallery in London starting on October 22. The paintings by Vasilis Zenetzis and Leon Kalogeropoulos are inspired by Greece's monuments and sea.

Vasilis Zenetzis' work is formally recognized abroad for the past 3 years and many of its paintings have been sold in big auction houses like Sotheby's and Christies'.

Leon Kalogeropoulos is regarded as the only serious artist of the past 50 years who paints sea themes and the Greek National Gallery and the Naval Museum in Piraeus, Greece have hosted many of its paintings.

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