Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 01-03-18

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

CONTENTS

[01] FYROM EDGES TOWARDS WAR, AS CONCERNS MOUNT

[02] GREECE'S BALKAN RECONSTRUCTION PLAN IN MAY

[03] GREEK POST OFFICE STARTS INTERBALKAN PROGRAM

[04] CENSUS TAKERS ROAM THE STREETS THROUGHOUT

[05] POLIS PROTOCOL TO STRENGTHEN COOPERATION

[06] FM IN EASTERN THRACE FOR "POLIS" AGREEMENT

[07] GREECE-SYRIA TRANSPORT AGREEMENT TO BE SIGNED

[01] FYROM EDGES TOWARDS WAR, AS CONCERNS MOUNT

Amidst mounting international concern, FYROM is apparently edging towards war as heavy fighting continues to rage around the town of Tetovo and, according to reports, clashes are spreading to many parts of the country.

The Greek government has expressed its deep concern at the events, while NATO continues to appear unwilling to deploy units from the KFOR multinational force outside Kosovo.

Athens, which is in constant contact with the government of FYROM, has reiterated its standing position that it will support Skopje through political and diplomatic means.

Addressing PASOK's central committee yesterday, Prime Minister Costas Simitis stressed that international law has to be implemented and that the UN resolutions for Kosovo were binding for all.

Furthermore, Mr. Simitis said that the borders of Kosovo into other countries had to be controlled by UN forces, so that extremist elements could not use that area for incursions into neighboring countries.

Greece condemns the use of force and is against secessionist tendencies, he stressed.

A.F.

[02] GREECE'S BALKAN RECONSTRUCTION PLAN IN MAY

The 180 billion drachma Greek plan for Balkan Reconstruction is to get underway in early May at the latest, according to national economy deputy minister Yiannis Zafiropoulos.

In statements to Sunday's edition of Eleftherotypia, Mr. Zafiropoulos stressed that the Reconstruction Plan will boost the Greek business penetration in its Balkan neighbors.

Moreover, he added that the "bilateral agreements with each country separately" will be signed by early April, after which the final selection would be made of the projects to be incorporated in the Program, which would be followed by the submittal of the investment proposals.

Mr. Zafiropoulos said the contribution of the Greek investments in creating new jobs was "particularly significant", as 5,000 jobs were created in FYROM alone.   

In an interview with To Vima, the deputy minister stressed that Greek capital invested in Balkan countries during the recent years totals 2.4 billion dollars, out of a total 5,667 billion dollars invested in those countries.

According to the article, 2.4 billion dollars in Greek capital has been invested in recent years in Albanian, Bulgaria, FYROM, Romania and Yugoslavia, while total investments in those countries was estimated at 5,667 billion dollars.

In Albania, 200 Greek investments had been made, valued at 150 million dollars. Greek investments in Bulgaria totaled 456 million dollars for 3,362 investment projects.

In FYROM, 150 investments by Greek concerns totaled 300 million dollars. In Romania, 1,755 investments by Greek concerns totaled 427.4 million dollars.

In the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Greek investments totaled one billion dollars for 230 investment projects.

A.F.

[03] GREEK POST OFFICE STARTS INTERBALKAN PROGRAM

The Hellenic Post Office is to embark on the implementation of a program called Interbalkan Post Office Development and Cooperation-Hermes 2000-2001, in the framework of the European Union's Interreg II-External borders program.

The program, presented in Thessaloniki on Friday, is budgeted at 202 million drachmas and calls for the training of 300 post agency officials from Albania, Bulgaria and FYROM, drafting of a report on growth and cooperation prospects in the Balkans and hosting an international conference in June.

A.F.

[04] CENSUS TAKERS ROAM THE STREETS THROUGHOUT

The National Statistical Service conducted the millennium's first population and housing census today, which will include Greeks living abroad and undocumented migrants.

While the state appealed that the respondents remain in their regular place of residence, the traffic police boosted patrols on the highways in anticipation of the masses who flocked to their place of origin.

The census, which includes Greek citizens, foreigners, economic immigrants and travelers, has three characteristics: it is obligatory for all inhabitants in the country, all information will be classified and there will be no religious restrictions. It will be carried out by 150,000 enumerators - including university graduates and unemployed individuals- who will visit every household in the country.

The 18-billion-drachma census consists of three different groups of statistics: an overall count of all who reside in Greece today; a total count of "permanent" residents - which includes foreigners who have been living in Greece for at least six months; and a total count of all legal residents.

The enumerators visited all houses and apartment buildings, as well as shacks, Gypsy settlements and prefabricated housing settlements accommodating quake-victims in western and northern Athens suburbs. They also approached the homeless at shelters and on the street.

The questions covered everything from the number of persons per household and marital status to place of residence one year and five years ago, nationality and education. Foreigners were asked to state when they arrived in Greece, their country of origin and the reasons why they reside here. The government believes it will take 10 months to review the data before publishing the conclusions.

A.F.

[05] POLIS PROTOCOL TO STRENGTHEN COOPERATION

The content of the Protocol "The 'Network of Municipalities of Western and Eastern Thrace' of Greece, called 'Polis', and the 'Union of Municipalities of Western and Easthern Thrace' of Turkey, called 'Trakyakent is as follows:

1 - To advance the cross-regional and cross-border cooperation of the Municipalities of Western and Eastern Thrace, through their agencies. Each agency is governed and functions in accordance with its charter and rules of operation.

2 - At regular intervals, to exchange information on the economic, commercial, tourist, agricultural, social and cultural activities, developments and interests to the two sides aiming at reinforcing their relations and promoting cross-border cooperation.

3 At reciprocal meetings, to discuss issues of common interest, for the purpose of materializing joint programs, projects, actions and initiatives.

4- At regular contacts, within the framework of their bilateral multi-aspect cooperation, to strengthen the social, cultural, educational, tourist, agricultural, commercial and economic collaborations with the following methods: A) Cooperation among the non-governmental and non-profit social and cultural partners, agencies, unions, cooperatives, organizations from each region. B) Advancement of joint ventures and cooperation in the sector of technical assistance among the members, in the area of small and medium size enterprises, trade, tourism, agriculture, culture, the arts, sports, ecology, etc. C) Cooperation for common actions with third countries and agencies. D) Keeping their members informed on the existing possibilities for cooperation that arise, and support for the success of the cooperation. E) Development of initiatives through the organization of exchanges and participation in exhibitions and actions organized by one or the other side. F) Organization of cultural, social, business and trade conferences, events and projects.

5- To propose, to their governments, plans, programs and ideas regarding the resolution of problems arising in their regions which concern the cross-border cooperation.

6 - To investigate the prospects for and cooperating closely in programs of cross-regional and cross-border cooperation co-financed by the European Union. The Greek side, as a full member of the European Union, will undertake the effort of supporting the Turkish side in fulfilling its desire to take advantage of the opportunities provided by the European organizations.

7- To submit applications for membership in the European alliances of border regions, Unions and Organizations of 'Euro-regions', as well as in all other kinds of organizations, unions, and non-governmental and non-profit organizations that serve their (the two agencies') purposes.

8- To assume all kinds of initiatives related to the materialization of the goals of this agreement and the goals contained in the charters of the two agencies. The two sides accept the terms of this agreement and commit themselves to working to achieve its targets, with the firm point of reference being the reinforcement of the friendship, peace and cooperation of the peoples of Greece and Turkey.

he Agreement enters into effect as of the day of its signing and automatically ceases to be in effect if one of the two signatories renounces it. The agreement is signed in three exact copies, in the Greek, Turkish and English languages. The two signatories hold copies of equal validity. The enclosed founding charters and rules of operation of the two agencies constitute an indivisible part of the agreement."  

A.F.

[06] FM IN EASTERN THRACE FOR "POLIS" AGREEMENT

Foreign Minister George Papandreou was at the municipality of Sapes today where he attended the signing of a Protocol of Cooperation between the polis network of border municipalities of Greece and Turkey.

The signing ceremony was also attended by Turkish minister of state for privatization Yuksel Yalova and parliamentary delegations from both countries.

The Protocol of Cooperation of the Greece-Turkey Municipalities Network, which envisions comprehensive cross-border cooperation in the fields of trade, tourism and culture, was hailed by Mr. Papandreou as an "important initiative" that will further strengthen ties between the two peoples and boost cooperation in the economy, tourism, communications and culture.

Specifically, Mr. Papandreou said that the "initiative of the organized local governments" follows in the steps of Greek and Turkish statesmen Eleftherios Venizelos and Kemal Attaturk and later by Andreas Papandreou and Turgut Ozal, "as well as the major initiatives of the two peoples during the recent earthquakes".

"Foreign policy is becoming a cause among the primary institutions of popular sovereignty, with a common European vision, and this comprises a message for stability, a message for the countries of former Yugoslavia that are still witnessing clashes. A message for Bosnia all the way to Cyprus, that, here, we can build the Europe of the citizens, the multi-culture Europe, the Europe of the peoples," the Greek FM stated.

Furthermore, he added that the new road being paved would benefit the region of Thrace, where the two countries shared a common border, as it was "a path for our common interest, through respect of common principles, via the new agreements signed and ratified between Greece and Turkey," he added.

In turn, Mr. Yalova congratulated the mayors of both countries for their initiative, which began three years ago, saying the cooperation launched would "serve as a model for the new century". He said that "in the near future, when Turkey becomes a member of the EU, the Greek local authorities will generously convey their experiences and knowledge to their counterparts in the Turkish regions that border with Greece".

"I am also certain that with the same generosity the market of 65 million Turks will open up for the producers of Western Thrace," he added.

A.F.

[07] GREECE-SYRIA TRANSPORT AGREEMENT TO BE SIGNED

Transport Minister Christos Verelis will conduct an official visit to Damascus on March 21-24, at the invitation of his Syrian counterpart, Makram Obeid, where he will sign an agreement on deregulating bilateral road transportation permits.

The transport permits pact was initialed in Damascus last month by Greek and Syrian officials, who also discussed the possibility of commissioning a viability study on making ports in the two countries compatible through the creation of facilities for Ra-Ra and Ro-Ro ferries, container traffic and rail links.

A.F.

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