Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 00-09-17

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

CONTENTS

[01] THESSALONIKI EXCHANGE CENTER TO BOOST ITS ROLE

[02] GREECE WINS SILVER IN WEIGHTLIFTING COMPETITION

[03] GREEK, TURKISH FMs MEET AGAIN, AGREE ON CBMs

[04] PROMETHEUS GAS, DEMCO OPEN STATIONS IN FYROM

[05] OTPOR CONCERT HELD IN TOWN DESPITE OBJECTIONS

[06] GREEK JAVELIN ATHLETE VIEWED «MOST CONSISTENT»

[07] PREMIER TO VISIT AGRICULTURE MINISTRY THIS WEEK

[08] GREECES DEPUTY SPORTS MINISTER IN SYDNEY

[09] GREECE RANKS 2OTH IN MEDAL VALUE ON DAY TWO

[10] WIFE OF IOC CHIEF PASSES AWAY AFTER LONG ILLNESS

[11] AN OLYMPIC FIRST, ATHLETES TAKE ANTIDRUGS OATH

[01] THESSALONIKI EXCHANGE CENTER TO BOOST ITS ROLE

The board of the Thessaloniki Exchange Center has approved a plan for its organizing restructuring, aiming to strengthen its activities and to enhance its role in the domestic capital market.

The members of the board, chaired by ASE's chairman Panagiotis Alexakis, agreed to create a department for supporting and developing the function of a Greek Market of Developed Capital Markets, and for the New Stock Exchange for rapidly growing companies.

Moreover, they agreed to promote measures aiming to boost a derivatives market and to strengthen its public relations.

A.F.

[02] GREECE WINS SILVER IN WEIGHTLIFTING COMPETITION

Greek weightlifting champion Leonidas Sabanis (silver medalist at the Atlanta 1996 Games), won the silver medal in the Men's 62 kilogram class today at Sydney's Olympic Games after lifting a total of 317.5kg (147.5 in the snatch and 170 in the clean and jerk).

European champion Nikolay Pechalov of Croatia won the gold medal, and set an Olympic Games record, by lifting 150kg in the snatch and 175kg in the clean and jerk for a combined total of 325kg.

Bronze medalist Sevdalin Minchev, Bulgaria, also totaled 317.5kg after lifting 140kg in the snatch and 177.5kg in the clean and jerk.

The athletes participating in the weightlifting competition qualify for the Olympics not as individuals, but as members of a national team, based on the results of the most recent world championships. Each nation is allowed a set number of entrants according to its ranking. Athletes will perform two different lifts - the snatch and the clean and jerk -- and will be ranked according to the combined weight lifted in the two.

A.F.

[03] GREEK, TURKISH FMs MEET AGAIN, AGREE ON CBMs

Foreign Minister George Papandreou held a second meeting with his Turkish counterpart Ismael Cem in New York yesterday, where they agreed to proceed with confidence-building- measures (CBMs) regarding the Aegean Sea.

In an interview with the Macedonian Press Agency, Mr. Papandreou stated that the agreement is the successful result of lengthy negotiations between the two sides.

"Military matters will be discussed in NATO on the basis of the Papoulias-Yilmaz accord, whereas measures pertaining to neighborly issues shall be discussed by the general directors of the respective countries' foreign ministries," Mr. Papandreou stated.

According to the Foreign Minister, Turkey has submitted a proposals report relevant to the CBMs.

"Many ideas (submitted) by both sides can be adopted," Mr. Papandreou stated.

Meanwhile, public statements given by the two Ministers, after a working lunch at a Greek restaurant in New York, indicate that the Cyprus question was not on their agenda.

According to press reports, Mr. Cem's speech before the UN General Assembly has sent a message of hope for Greek and Turkish relations but refused to extend that message to Cyprus.

A.F.

[04] PROMETHEUS GAS, DEMCO OPEN STATIONS IN FYROM

Greece's Prometheus Gas and Demco have signed a contract with the state power corporation of Skopje, Toplifikacija Ad-Skopje, to build and operate a thermo-electric power station in the capital of FYROM.

The station, powered with natural gas, will have an electrical power of 160 MW and a thermal power of 150 MW. It is expected to be operational in mid-2003.

Prometheus Gas, a member of Copelouzos Group, is the Representative of OAO Gazprom, Russia's biggest natural gas producer, in the Balkans and has secured amble quantities of natural gas (around 250 million cubic metres annually) to power the new station. Demco is a member of Kontominas Group.

A.F.

[05] OTPOR CONCERT HELD IN TOWN DESPITE OBJECTIONS

A concert in Thessaloniki in support of a Yugoslav student group opposed to President Slobodan Milosevic (OTPOR, or Resistance) was held last night at Thessaloniki's Aristotle University, after city officials refused to allow the event to take place on municipal grounds, noting that it was a political event regarding the internal affairs of a foreign country.

The Communist Party of Greece was opposed to the concert since it considers Yugoslav opposition parties to be supported by the United States as part of an effort to overthrow Milosevic and install a government more friendly to the West.

"Representatives of the Yugoslav opposition move through our country and, in cooperation with those who butchered their people, participate in political events under the guise of culture," said Thessaloniki's Committee for International Detente and Peace.

The KKE-led group has accused Foreign Minister George Papandreou of orchestrating the concert and had called on city residents to prevent it from taking place.

A.F.

[06] GREEK JAVELIN ATHLETE VIEWED «MOST CONSISTENT»

In a sport deemed as being the most erratic and unpredictable event in the Olympics, Greece's javelin champion Kostas Gatsioudis is widely viewed as "this season's most consistent thrower", having eight wins in 11 competitions this year.

He was second at the World Championships last year in Seville (89.18 metres). Since then, he's won 14 of his competitions, throwing over 84m in all them. His best throw of the season is 91.69m.

The centerpiece of any Olympics, the track and field competition, will take place from September 22-October 1 and 46 medals will be awarded -- 24 for men and 22 for women.

A.F.

[07] PREMIER TO VISIT AGRICULTURE MINISTRY THIS WEEK

Prime Minister Costas Simitis will meet with the political leadership of the agriculture ministry on Wednesday to discuss the country's comprehensive policy on agricultural issues.

Agriculture Minister George Anomeritis said that there were numerous outstanding issues, which will be resolved during the visit of the premier at his ministry, including the allocation of European Union framework support funds for agriculture.

He also noted that by the end of September the ministry would have prepared proposals, or a complete bill, regarding water resources.

Mr. Simitis has served as Agriculture Minister in the past.

A.F.

[08] GREECES DEPUTY SPORTS MINISTER IN SYDNEY

Deputy Sports Minister George Florides, presently in Sydney, held talks with his European counterparts yesterday at a working dinner hosted by EU president France, on the sidelines of the Olympic Games.

The officials discussed the future of sports in Europe, initiatives to combat doping, and management for sporting-event companies.

Among those attending was Jacques Rogge, a deputy president of the International Olympics Committee.

The Olympics anthem was sung in Greek at the opening ceremony of the Sydney Games on Friday, marking the first time Greek was used for many years.

The anthem was performed by the Millennium Choir of the Holy Archbishopric of Australia, which was formed to sing the anthem at the Olympics and other works at millennium celebrations.

A.F.

[09] GREECE RANKS 2OTH IN MEDAL VALUE ON DAY TWO

Rk Country Gold Silver Bronze Total

1 USA: United States of America 4 5 2 11

2 AUS: Australia 3 2 4 9

3 FRA: France 3 2 1 6

4 JPN: Japan 2 2 0 4

5 TUR: Turkey 2 0 0 2

6 GER: Germany 1 3 1 5

7 GBR: Great Britain 1 2 0 3

8 CHN: People's Rep. of China 1 1 4 6

9 ITA: Italy 1 1 2 4

10 BUL: Bulgaria 1 1 1 3

11 RUS: Russian Federation 1 1 1 3

12 SUI: Switzerland 1 1 1 3

13 NED: Netherlands 1 1 0 2

14 CAN: Canada 1 0 1 2

15 CUB: Cuba 1 0 1 2

16 CRO: Croatia 1 0 0 1

17 HUN: Hungary 1 0 0 1

18 UKR: Ukraine 1 0 0 1

19 KOR: Korea 0 2 1 3

20 GRE: Greece 0 1 0 1

21 SVK: Slovakia 0 1 0 1

22 YUG: Yugoslavia 0 1 0 1

23 BEL: Belgium 0 0 1 1

24 BLR: Belarus 0 0 1 1

25 BRA: Brazil 0 0 1 1

26 CRC: Costa Rica 0 0 1 1

27 CZE: Czech Republic 0 0 1 1

28 GEO: Georgia 0 0 1 1

29 INA: Indonesia 0 0 1 1

30 KGZ: Kyrgyzstan 0 0 1 1

31 PRK: DPR Korea 0 0 1 1

32 ROM: Romania 0 0 1 1

33 SWE: Sweden 0 0 1 1

Total 27 27 31 85

A.F.

[10] WIFE OF IOC CHIEF PASSES AWAY AFTER LONG ILLNESS

The wife of the Olympics International Committee Juan Antonio Samaranch, Maria Teresa Salisachs-Rowe, passed away yesterday in Barcelona, after a long illness. She was 67.

Mrs.Samaranch had been ill for several months and Mr. Samaranch was reportedly en route from Australia to be with her when she died two hours prior to his arrival in Spain.

"She was a wonderful woman," Mr. Samaranch told reporters in Barcelona. "I not only loved her, I admired her."

"It has been a big loss," he said, "but life is that way. Everything has a beginning and an end."

The funeral will be held Monday in Barcelona. Mr. Samaranch is expected to return to Sydney for the rest of the games.

A.F.

[11] AN OLYMPIC FIRST, ATHLETES TAKE ANTIDRUGS OATH

A "we won't cheat" clause was read at the Opening Ceremony of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, during the duration of which more than 2,000 drug tests will be given during competition and 400 out of competition.

The clause, inserted into the traditional Olympic oath, was read on behalf of all athletes by Australian women's hockey team captain Rechelle Hawkes.

The oath reads as follows:

"In the name of all the competitors I promise that we shall take part in these Olympic Games, respecting and abiding by the rules which govern them, committing ourselves to a sport without doping and without drugs, in the true spirit of sportsmanship, for the glory of sport and the honor of our teams."

A.F.

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