Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 00-10-26

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

CONTENTS

[01] THESSALONIKIS LIBERATION CELEBRATED TODAY

[02] GREEK PM IN JOINT PRESS CONFERENCE AT FYROM

[03] THESSALONIKI CELEBRATES ITS LIBERATION ANNIVERSARY AND THE FEAST OF ITS

[04] THE ACTING GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN ON THE SIMITIS-ECEVIT MEETING

[05] GAINS OF 0.63% IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE

[06] AN AIRPORT EMPLOYEE WAS LOCKED BY MISTAKE IN THE LUGGAGE AREA OF AN

[07] TSOCHATZOPOULOS: THE TOLERANCE TOWARD TURKEY IS DANGEROUS

[08] PAPANTONIOU: THE RISE OF THE VALUE OF THE US DOLLAR IS COINCIDENTAL

[09] SAE SENDS MESSAGE TO U.S PRESIDENT, CANDIDATES

[10] THESSALONIKIS LIBERATION CELEBRATED TODAY

[11] YUGOSLAVIA BECAME A FORMAL MEMBER OF THE STABILITY PACT

[12] THE EUROPEAN UNION CALLS ON ALBANIA TO RESPECT THE RIGHTS OF THE GREEK

[13] BRONZE MEDAL FOR GREECE IN THE WOMEN'S 50M BACKSTROKE

[14] GOLD MEDALS FOR GREECE IN SYDNEY'S PARALYMPIC GAMES

[01] THESSALONIKIS LIBERATION CELEBRATED TODAY

The President of the Hellenic Republic Costis Stephanopoulos is presently in Thessaloniki where he will attend the festivities held in honor of the city's patron Saint Demetrius day (today, October 26) which coincides with the anniversary of the city's liberation, as well as the commemoration of 'NO Day' -- the 59th anniversary of Greece's entry into W.W.II. (October 28).

A doxology was performed this morning at the city's monumental St. Demetrius Church.

On the 28th of October, the President will lay a wreath at the 3rd Army Corps and will attend the military parade. The events will also be attended by the Minister of Defense Akis Tsochatzopoulos, who will represent the Premier, while the government will be represented by the Minister Macedonia-Thrace George Paschalides.

A.F.

[02] GREEK PM IN JOINT PRESS CONFERENCE AT FYROM

Prime Minister Costas Simitis, presently in FYROM for the summit conference of Southeastern Europe's state and government leaders, stressed that utmost aim for the Balkans is achieving the region's reconstruction and security, through a policy of cooperation and the processes of democratization and development.

Addressing a press conference given jointly with the other leaders, Mr. Simitis also stated that rules of international law should be applied since investments and cooperation cannot proceed in an insecure environment.

The Premier referred to cooperation between countries in southeastern Europe and the European Union, saying that integration in Europe is the best guarantee for cooperation and this should be the direction to be followed.

Reiterating Greece's policy in actively contributing with initiatives toward overcoming crises in the region, Mr. Simitis stated that "we should not forget that we, the people of the Balkans, live in the same neighborhood and for this reason a common effort is needed to achieve peace, cooperation, friendship and cooperation, which is of vital importance for the development of our countries and the prosperity of our citizens."

Referring to Yugoslavia, Mr. Simitis stated that the goal for the support of political change in the said country was achieved, while he also added that Greece is ready to offer the necessary help for peace and security in the region.

This was the first visit of a Greek premier in FYROM, a development which proves Greece's positive role in the region.

The informal summit featured the participation of Greece, Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, Romania, Turkey, Albania and FYROM. The next Balkan leaders summit will be held at Skopje, in February 2001.

A.F.

[03] THESSALONIKI CELEBRATES ITS LIBERATION ANNIVERSARY AND THE FEAST OF ITS PATRON SAINT

Greek president Kostis Stephanopoulos, minister of defense Akis Tsochatzopoulos, New Democracy opposition party leader Kostas Karamanlis and the mayor of Thessaloniki referred to the meaning of today's anniversary of the city's liberation and its role in the current developments.

The president stated that this is a great day for the people of Thessaloniki, the Macedonians and all the Greeks, stressing that memories linked with that day lead us steadily toward the future.

Defense minister Akis Tsochatzopoulos in statements he made on the occasion of the celebrations said that they send a big message of hope to the Greek people that this year a new creative course will start that will satisfy the national needs and demands in order to have peace, security, cooperation and stability in the region.

Also, present in the celebrations were former president of the republic Christos Sartzetakis, minister of Macedonia-Thrace Giorgos Paschalidis, Thessaloniki's prefect Kostas Papadopoulos, parliament deputies and local administration officials.

[04] THE ACTING GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN ON THE SIMITIS-ECEVIT MEETING

The government has a specific policy on the issues of national importance and the Greek-Turkish relations. It has a strategy and strategies need perseverance which we have, underlined acting Greek government spokesman Tilemachos Hitiris referring to yesterday's few-minute talk between prime minister Kostas Simitis and his Turkish counterpart Bulent Ecevit in Skopje.

He said that the Greek government wants the implementation of the Helsinki agreement and insists in the protection of its rights.

The acting government spokesman called on Turkey, which is an EU candidate state, to follow a specific route like the rest of the EU candidate countries and added that the issue of the partnership relation will be examined by the European Union without Turkey.

On the NATO exercise "Destined Glory", he stressed that Greece is right and this is recognized by NATO, adding that the Turks know this and that is why they did not bring their case to the International Court of Justice in The Hague. He concluded by saying that what needs to be done is NATO to be firm on its principles, adding that for as long as this is not happening the alliance is not convincing.

[05] GAINS OF 0.63% IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE

Stabilizing tendencies prevailed in the Athens Stock Exchange today. The general index was at 3.772,72 points increased by 0.63%.

The volume of transactions was small at 57 billion drachmas.

[06] AN AIRPORT EMPLOYEE WAS LOCKED BY MISTAKE IN THE LUGGAGE AREA OF AN AIRPLANE

An Airport of Kos employee was discovered in the luggage area of an airplane where he was locked by mistake.

Olympic Airways seasonal employee, 24yearold Emmanuel Lambrou was unloading luggage from a Crossair airplane at the airport of the island of Kos, in south-eastern Aegean when he was locked by mistake in the airplane's luggage space and flew to the island of Rhodes, the next stop of the specific plane.

The employee was discovered in a state of shock and according to statements made by the responsible airport authorities, he was lucky because the trip from Kos to Rhodes is just a few minutes and the airplane was flying at a low altitude.

[07] TSOCHATZOPOULOS: THE TOLERANCE TOWARD TURKEY IS DANGEROUS

Turkey is a destabilizing factor in the region and the tolerance on behalf of Greece is dangerous, stated Greek minister of defense Akis Tsochatzopoulos speaking in a book presentation in Thessaloniki yesterday.

He underlined that the efforts of Turkey to justify its decision to close its airspace for the Greek aircraft within the framework of the NATO exercise were unsuccessful, adding that the Treaty of Montreaux lifted the demilitarization of Dardanelles and the islands of Limnos and Ikaria and therefore, the Turkish arguments are groundless.

He also pointed out that Greece, through its participation in the EU, must promote its position in the geopolitical environment and continue to play its role as a factor of stability, security and cooperation.

[08] PAPANTONIOU: THE RISE OF THE VALUE OF THE US DOLLAR IS COINCIDENTAL

Minister of national economy Yiannos Papantoniou characterized the rise of the value of the US dollar as coincidental, stressing that for this reason the US currency race does not concern the Greek government.

After the meeting he had with prime minister Kostas Simitis today, Mr. Papantoniou reiterated that the final decisions of the government concerning the economic measures aimed at dealing with the rise of the heating oil prices will be announced next Wednesday together with the budget presentation.

[09] SAE SENDS MESSAGE TO U.S PRESIDENT, CANDIDATES

The President of the World Council of Greeks Abroad (SAE) Andrew Athens, has appealed to the U.S. President Bill Clinton to condemn Turkey's violation of NATO's accords during the recent military maneuvers code-named "Destined Glory".

In a telegraph forwarded to the White House, Mr. Athens stated that "aside of the fact that it is unfair, it is unfathomable for Turkey to be able to violate its NATO obligations without facing any repercussions.

"We urgently demand an assurance on behalf of the U.S> policy, as well as NATO's stance, in regards to the recent crisis created by Turkey towards the Allies".

The message was also forwarded to presidential hopefuls Al Gore and George Bush.

A.F.

[10] THESSALONIKIS LIBERATION CELEBRATED TODAY

The President of the Hellenic Republic Costis Stephanopoulos is presently in Thessaloniki where he will attend the festivities held in honor of the city's patron Saint Demetrius day (today, October 26) which coincides with the anniversary of the city's liberation, as well as the commemoration of 'NO Day' -- the 59th anniversary of Greece's entry into W.W.II. (October 28).

A doxology was performed this morning at the city's monumental St. Demetrius Church.

On the 28th of October, the President will lay a wreath at the 3rd Army Corps and will attend the military parade. The events will also be attended by the Minister of Defense Akis Tsochatzopoulos, who will represent the Premier, while the government will be represented by the Minister Macedonia-Thrace George Paschalides.

A.F.

[11] YUGOSLAVIA BECAME A FORMAL MEMBER OF THE STABILITY PACT

Yugoslavia became a formal member of the Stability Pact in south-eastern Europe today. The agreement was signed in Bucharest by president Kostunica representative, Goran Svilianovic, one of Serbia's Democratic Opposition leaders.

In statements he made afterwards, Mr. Svilianovic stressed that Yugoslavia's accession into the Stability Pact is a first step for its accession into the European institutions.

In a letter sent to Bodo Hobach, the president of Yugoslavia stressed that his country as an equal member will meet all its obligations defined by the Stability Pact.

[12] THE EUROPEAN UNION CALLS ON ALBANIA TO RESPECT THE RIGHTS OF THE GREEK MINORITY

One of the basic criteria for the future development of the EU-Albanian relations is the respect of democratic principles, human rights and the rights of the minorities, responded the European Union Council to a question by Greek Euro-deputy Michalis Papagiannakis concerning the schools of the Greek minority in Albania.

The Greek Euro-deputy, elected with the Coalition of the Left party, had asked if the EU Council is going to make a demarche to the Albanian government which violates the constitutional right of the members of the ethnic Greek minority to get an education in their mother-tongue.

[13] BRONZE MEDAL FOR GREECE IN THE WOMEN'S 50M BACKSTROKE

Swimming offered one more Paralympic medal to Greece in Sydney. Maria Kalpakidou won the bronze medal in the women's 50m backstroke S2 category with 1:33.79.

The gold medal was won by Spain's Sara Carracelas with 1:21.20, which is a new Paralympic record, while the silver went to Ireland's Mairead Berry with 1:22.85.

[14] GOLD MEDALS FOR GREECE IN SYDNEY'S PARALYMPIC GAMES

Greece won its second gold medal in Sydney's Paralympic Games. Stephanos Anargirou won the gold medal in the men's shotput F55 category with a throw of 10m. The first gold was won by Kostas Fikas in the men's 100m freestyle swimming S8 category when he broke the world record with 1:02.50.

The second place and the silver medal in the men's shotput F55 category was won by Czech Martin Nemec with a throw of 9.86m and the bronze went to Germany's Ulrich Iser with 9.64m.

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