Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 00-11-13

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

CONTENTS

[01] THE PILOT OF THE F-16 FIGHTER JET THAT CRASHED THIS MORNING IS DEAD

[02] REPPAS: THE POSITIONS OF THE GOVERNMENT AND THE FOREIGN MINISTRY

[03] ARTURO RIPSTEIN: MEDEA HAD BECOME MY OBSESSION

[04] HARVEY KEITEL: THE ARTIST WHO ADMIRES THE ANCIENT GREEK THEATER AND

[05] LOSSES OF 1.63% IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE

[06] GIORGOS PAPANDREOU: I HAVE NEVER SAID THAT THE NATIONAL ISSUES ARE A

[07] LEADING NAMES IN THE AREAS OF JOURNALISM AND NEW TECHNOLOGIES WILL

[08] AN F-16 FIGHTER JET CRASHED IN THE SEA REGION OF ANHIALOS

[09] KOSTUNICA-PAPANTONIOU MEETING

[10] THE VATICAN RECOGNIZED THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE BY THE OTTOMAN TURKS

[11] INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF BRITISH TOURISTS VISITING GREECE

[01] THE PILOT OF THE F-16 FIGHTER JET THAT CRASHED THIS MORNING IS DEAD

The pilot of the one-seat F-16 fighter jet that crashed in the sea region of Nea Anhialos, near the city of Volos in central Greece today, was killed. The jet crashed during an exercise and the dead pilot is 30yearold Konstantinos Kakavas from the city of Patras.

The ministry of national defense announced officially that the pilot was unable to eject from the plane. For the moment, the exact causes of the accident are not known but according to the Air Force officers, the likely scenarios are two. Either the pilot fell unconscious as a result of the acceleration or he lost his orientation. The pilot was not very experienced as he had only 260 flying hours.

[02] REPPAS: THE POSITIONS OF THE GOVERNMENT AND THE FOREIGN MINISTRY COINCIDE

Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas stated that there is coincidence and not deviation in the positions shared by the government and the foreign ministry regarding the way the Greek-Turkish relations are handled.

Mr. Reppas praised the foreign minister, stressing that he has turned a new page in foreign policy among others, in the chapter of the Greek-Turkish relations and added that it is a daring initiative by Mr. Papandreou to reorient the foreign policy toward a more aggressive way in which to promote the existing issues. The Greek government spokesman stated that this effort has been fruitful.

When asked to comment on the statements made by Turkish prime minister Bulent Ecevit, who said that the EU-Turkey partnership text on Cyprus is invalid, the government spokesman stated that such statements on behalf of Turkey are not helpful and the only thing that they achieve is the further isolation of the country.

In conclusion, Mr. Reppas stated that whether Turkey becomes an EU member or not Greece will succeed, clarifying that in case Turkey becomes an EU member it will be harmonized and will change political culture, while in a different case it will prove to the international community that it has other options and a different orientation.

[03] ARTURO RIPSTEIN: MEDEA HAD BECOME MY OBSESSION

Thessaloniki's 41st Film Festival honored one of the most important film directors in the world, Arturo Ripstein.

In a press conference he gave today he stated that Medea by Eurypides had become an obsession for him but when he read Medea written by Seneka decided to make it a film as its text was more concrete. The scenario was written by his wife Paz Alicia Garciadiego and he pointed out that it is a melodrama very appealing in Mexico because it deals with the values of the middle class.

To the observation that there is a lot of blood in his movies, he responded that this is not right saying characteristically that in his 25 films he has used only a 1.5 litre of blood. He also said that in his movies he presents the dark side of the human soul and the dark and hidden sides of reality.

He referred to the difficulties faced by the film industry in his native country Mexico as a result of the economic problems, stressing that in the past were made up to 100 films a year, while now they are no more than 8-10.

Ripstein also stressed that he prefers the small camera and the digital video technique in his films because this way he has absolute control and for aesthetic reasons as well. Finally, he said that he does not want to go to Hollywood because the directors there do not make the films they want to make but those that are imposed on them.

[04] HARVEY KEITEL: THE ARTIST WHO ADMIRES THE ANCIENT GREEK THEATER AND DETESTS HOLLYWOOD

Harvey Keitel, the leading actor in Theodoros Angelopoulos' film The gaze of Ulysses, who is in Thessaloniki on the occasion of a special presentation made for Angelopoulos within the framework of Thessaloniki's 41st Film Festival, expressed his deep admiration for Greece and the ancient Greek theater as well as his repulsion for Hollywood. In a press conference in Thessaloniki today he said that the work that started in Greece inspires him, stressing that the ancient Greek theater has set everything on stage and adding that Homer and Aeschylus have said great stories.

Referring to Hollywood, he said characteristically that he does not want to listen to any stories on Hollywood, stressing that the stories given to him by Angelopoulos help him to live better and express his questions about life.

He said that it is exciting for him to be in Greece because, as he said, everything started from Greece, and expressed the hope that Hollywood could come here to take advantage of the ancient theaters, adding that instead they are trying to bring Delphi to Beverly Hills.

Speaking about his participation in the film The gaze of Ulysses, he said that when he did that movie he was in a spiritual search and had the privilege to visit the postwar Vukovar and Sarajevo and experience the drama of the people.

Keitel stated that his goal is not the Oscar, stressing that the Oscar is a thing, an object. He said that the goal is work because work is the beginning and the end.

[05] LOSSES OF 1.63% IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE

The week opened for the Athens Stock exchange with significant losses of 1.63% and the general index dropped to 3.560,06 points, while the volume of transactions was very small at 44.2 billion drachmas.

Of the stocks trading today just 38 recorded gains, 311 had losses and 33 remained unchanged.

[06] GIORGOS PAPANDREOU: I HAVE NEVER SAID THAT THE NATIONAL ISSUES ARE A PERSONAL AFFAIR

"I've never said that the national issues are a personal affair. The Euro-Turkish rapprochement is an issue that concerns the country", stated foreign minister Giorgos Papandreou when journalists called on him to comment on the attack launched against him by opposition New Democracy party leader Kostas Karamanlis on the occasion of his statements to Sunday's Eleftherotipia newspaper according to which, Greece does not take any risk and he is the one who takes a risk with the bet on the Euro-Turkish rapprochement.

Mr. Papandreou was present in the meeting of Greek president Kostis Stephanopoulos with Cypriot Republic president Glafkos Clerides and stated to reporters that there is relevant satisfaction that certain steps have been made in Cyprus.

[07] LEADING NAMES IN THE AREAS OF JOURNALISM AND NEW TECHNOLOGIES WILL ATTEND THE MPA CONFERENCE

One of the leading names in the area of new technologies, Greek researcher Michalis Bletsas, Computing Director of Boston's MIT Media Lab, will be among the main speakers in the 6th Inter-Balkan Journalism Conference and will present the latest developments in the new technologies specifically, the applications concerning the mass media and the development of streaming media through the Internet.

The 6th Inter-Balkan Journalism Conference on "The new technologies in the mass media for the development of Inter-Balkan cooperation" is organized by MPA and will take place in Thessaloniki on November 24-25. In the conference will participate directors, editors-in-chief and editors from the 50 largest mass media in south-eastern Europe (newspapers, television and radio stations from all the Balkan states).

The conference will also be attended by journalists from leading Greek mass media, while the conference proceedings will also be attended by publishers and directors of the main mass media in northern Greece.

[08] AN F-16 FIGHTER JET CRASHED IN THE SEA REGION OF ANHIALOS

A one-seat F-16 fighter jet crashed into the sea in the military training field of Anhialos, near the city of Volos in central Greece this morning.

For the moment, there is no information available on the fate of the pilot. It is the seventh accident recorded in the Greek Air Force since the start of the year.

[09] KOSTUNICA-PAPANTONIOU MEETING

Ministers of national economy and Macedonia-Thrace, Yiannos Papantoniou and Giorgos Paschalidis and undersecretary of national economy Yiannis Zafiropoulos will meet in Belgrade today with Yugoslav president Voiclav Kostunica and federal minister Miroljub Lambus, responsible for foreign economic relations.

As it was announced in Belgrade, one of the main issues that will be discussed will be the Greek plan for the reconstruction of the Balkans, while there will be a discussion on the Belgrade-Athens economic cooperation and the issuing of Greek aid in electricity and fuel to cover the basic needs of Yugoslavia.

Also, a protocol of cooperation between the stock markers of Athens and Belgrade is expected to be signed today in the presence of foreign economic relations minister in the transitional government of Serbia, Goran Ritic.

Honorary president of the Industries Association in Northern Greece Nikos Efthimiadis stated to MPA that the Greek businessmen express strong interest in a cooperation with Yugoslavia, while Turist Banka president Micko Mistkovski stated to MPA that a cooperation agreement will be signed soon with the Greek Alpha Bank.

[10] THE VATICAN RECOGNIZED THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE BY THE OTTOMAN TURKS

The Vatican recognized for the first time the Armenian genocide committed by the Ottoman Turks in a formal document, according to the newspaper "La Stampa". In the document a clear reference is made to the 1915 "ethnic and religious cleansing" that resulted to the extermination of a Christian community and the deaths of 1.5 million people.

According to the newspaper, the recognition of the genocide is included in a joint statement issued immediately after the meeting of Pope John-Paul II with head of the Armenian Church Karekin II last Friday.

In the joint statement is mentioned that the 20th century was stigmatized by events of extreme violence and the Armenian genocide was the beginning of the atrocities that followed namely, two World Wars, numerous regional conflicts and organized extermination campaigns that resulted to the deaths of millions of faithful people.

[11] INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF BRITISH TOURISTS VISITING GREECE

The number of tourists from Britain visiting Greece and Cyprus has presented a notable increase this year, according to the British tourist agency Thompson Holidays.

Greece was the second most favorite destination after Spain and attracted 3.8 million British tourists representing an increase of 9% compared to 1999.

In Cyprus, the British tourists visiting the island reached 500.000 showing an increase of 15%.

According to Thompson Holidays travel agency, the number of British tourists in Turkey dropped to 400.000 corresponding to a decline of 27%.

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