Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 01-04-18

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

CONTENTS

[01] MAROUSI WINS SAPORTA BASKETBALL CUP

[02] VATICAN DELEGATION IN ATHENS FOR PAPAL VISIT

[03] ISRAEL HONORS 22 GREEKS FOR SAVING JEWS IN WWII

[04] GREEK PRESIDENT TO VISIT CROATIA IN MAY

[05] THE BOOK ON TERRORISM IN GREECE INCLUDES THE AUTHOR'S PERSONAL VIEWS

[06] SEMINAR FOR TURKISH JUDGES IN THESSALONIKI

[07] REPPAS: TURKEY HAS COME TO ISOLATION

[08] THE PONTIFF WILL MEET WITH PRIME MINISTER SIMITIS

[09] REPPAS: A CHANGE IN THE BORDERS IS INCONCEIVABLE

[10] IMPRESSIVE GAINS IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE

[11] A PREGNANT WOMAN WAS KILLED IN A TRAFFIC ACCIDENT - HER BABY SURVIVED

[12] POSITIVE COMMENTS BY SAMARANCH ON THE COURSE OF THE 2004 OLYMPIC GAMES

[13] MAROUSI BASKETBALL TEAM RETURNED TO ATHENS WITH THE COVETED SAPORTA CUP

[14] PRESIDENT STEPHANOPOULOS WILL VISIT CROATIA IN MAY

[15] THE US-CANADA PAN-MACEDONIAN ASSOCIATION IS AGAINST THE ADOPTION OF A

[01] MAROUSI WINS SAPORTA BASKETBALL CUP

Marousi Athens won the Saporta basketball Cup after beating France's Elan Chalon-sur-Saone 74-72 (halftime 38-33) in the final played in Warsaw last night.

This was the 10th European basketball cup to be won in the history of Greek basketball. Marousi is the fourth Greek team to win the former European Cupwinners' Cup after AEK Athens (1968 and 2000), PAOK Thessaloniki (1991) and Aris Thessaloniki (1993). 

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[02] VATICAN DELEGATION IN ATHENS FOR PAPAL VISIT

A delegation of Vatican officials is expected to arrive in Greece today, in order to draw out the last remaining details of Pope John Paul II's imminent visit to Athens.

According to the itinerary, the Pope will arrive in Athens at 11:30 on Friday May 4, on board an Alitalia airliner, and a small welcoming reception will be held at the airport.

Later, he will be visiting the Presidential Mansion where the official welcoming will be taking place, as well as the Archdiocese, before arriving at the residence of his representative in Athens where he will be staying.

He will dine with Catholic clergymen there and rest before going to Agios Dionysios Catholic Cathedral for a meeting with clergymen and monks of the Catholic Church. In the evening, the Pope will be visiting the Arios Pagos hill to fulfill the purpose of his visit and pray at the location where Apostle Paul taught the word of God to the Athenians for the first time. The Pope and the Archbishop of Athens and All Greece Christodoulos will give each an address in the English and Greek languages respectively.

At 8 a.m. on May 5, the Pope will be visiting the indoor basketball stadium at the installations of the Athens Olympic stadium where a church service will be held in Greek and Latin. The Pope's address to the faithful is to be read in Greek.

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[03] ISRAEL HONORS 22 GREEKS FOR SAVING JEWS IN WWII

Twenty-two Greek citizens are to be honored for their efforts to save Greek Jews during the World War II occupation, in a ceremony hoisted by Israel's ambassador to Athens and representatives of the Central Jewish Council of Greece (KIS)

The 22 individuals, who risked their lives to assist their fellow countrymen, will be bestowed the title of righteous among nations by the Israeli state during a special ceremony at Ambassador Ran Curiel's residence.

The Jerusalem-based Yad Vashem Institute awards the said title along with an accompanying medal. A second ceremony, complete with the unveiling of a plaque bearing the honored individual's name and a tree-planting ceremony will take place at the Jerusalem institute. 

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[04] GREEK PRESIDENT TO VISIT CROATIA IN MAY

The President of the Hellenic Republic Costis Stephanopoulos is to conduct an official visit to Croatia on May

23-24, escorted by the undersecretary of National Economy Yiannis Zafiropoulos, responsible for international economic affairs.

Coinciding with the President's visit, the ministry is also organizing a business mission to Croatia, whose members are to hold meetings with Croatian entrepreneurs and state officials.

Greek exports to Croatia amount to .26 percent of the latter's overall import volume, while Croatian exports to Greece correspond to .13% of the total imports

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[05] THE BOOK ON TERRORISM IN GREECE INCLUDES THE AUTHOR'S PERSONAL VIEWS

Everything mentioned in the book on terrorism in Greece, that was published in the United States by the Brookings Institute, are the personal views of the author and not the positions of some agency, stated Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas.

The government spokesman stated that the criticism expressed in that book is undue and pointed out that efforts are being made by the Greek government aimed at dealing with terrorism. Mr. Reppas stated characteristically that the Greek government's will to eradicate that plague is given and strong.

Mr. Reppas also said that the author, when referring to the period of the junta in Greece, should have taken into account the fact that the former US president had apologized for the role of his country in the period of the dictatorship.

[06] SEMINAR FOR TURKISH JUDGES IN THESSALONIKI

The Center of International and European Economic Law organizes a seminar for Turkish judges to take place in Thessaloniki on Friday and Saturday within the framework of the Greek-Turkish cooperation based on an agreement reached by foreign ministers of Greece and Turkey, Giorgos Papandreou and Ismail Cem. The agreement provides for Greece to offer know-how to Turkey on issues concerning the European Union.

A similar seminar was held in Ankara on October 5-6 and was attended by about 200 delegates.

[07] REPPAS: TURKEY HAS COME TO ISOLATION

Cyprus' EU accession course continues smoothly, stated Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas, adding that Turkey has come to isolation as a result of the positions it expresses for the solution of the Cyprus problem.

Mr. Reppas, commenting on the statements made by Turkish foreign minister Ismail Cem, stressed that the threats he launched were aimed at creating impressions and Turkey with the policy it follows does not help neither itself nor the Turkish Cypriots.

Mr. Reppas also said that the policy followed by Greece is right and gives fruit.

Mr. Cem had stated that in case Cyprus becomes an EU member before the Cyprus problem is resolved, Turkey will react in any way it sees fit.

[08] THE PONTIFF WILL MEET WITH PRIME MINISTER SIMITIS

Pope John Paul B' will meet with prime minister Kostas Simitis on the first day of his visit to Greece on May 4, stated Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas.

Responding to a question by a reporter, he pointed out that the Pope's visit is held at the invitation of president Kostis Stephanopoulos. He said that the government is not involved in the drawing up of the schedule of the Pope's visit to Greece, adding that it is being prepared in consultation with the Church of Greece.

[09] REPPAS: A CHANGE IN THE BORDERS IS INCONCEIVABLE

A change in the modern world borders is inconceivable, stated today Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas responding to the question if a change in the Balkan borders is imminent.

Mr. Reppas, commenting on the scenarios regarding the creation of a "Greater Albania", stated that scenarios are just scenarios and there is no such issue.

[10] IMPRESSIVE GAINS IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE

Impressive gains were recorded in the Athens Stock Exchange today. The general index rose to +4.10% at 3.316,17 points, while the volume of transactions was 284.7 million Euro or 97.01 billion drachmas.

Of the stocks trading today, 321 recorded gains and 31 had losses, while the value of 22 stocks remained stable.

[11] A PREGNANT WOMAN WAS KILLED IN A TRAFFIC ACCIDENT - HER BABY SURVIVED

The doctors in Grevena, northwestern Greece managed to save a baby-boy when they performed a cesarean section on his dead mother, who was killed in a traffic accident.

Two private cars collided on Easter Thursday near the city of Grevena and a 36yearold pregnant woman was killed. The woman was in the 7th month of her pregnancy and one hour after the crush, when her body was brought to Grevena Hospital, the doctors found out that the child she was currying was still alive. They performed a cesarean section on the dead woman and managed to save the baby-boy. The baby was taken to Hippocration Hospital in Thessaloniki and its condition is described as satisfactory.

However, it is still unknown if it has suffered brain damage as it was left without oxygen for a period of one hour after the death of its mother.

[12] POSITIVE COMMENTS BY SAMARANCH ON THE COURSE OF THE 2004 OLYMPIC GAMES PREPARATIONS

International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Juan Antonio Samaranch made positive comments on the course of the Athens 2004 Olympic Games preparations in a speech he delivered in New Delhi, India.

The outgoing IOC president appeared certain that the 2004 Olympic Games will be unique and stressed that the Greeks can offer to the games their historical dimension. He stated that he was satisfied with the course of the preparations in Greece, saying characteristically that the pace of the preparations has been improved considerably after the measures taken by the Greek government in response to the IOC recommendations.

An IOC delegation headed by its vice-president Jacques Rogge will visit Athens on May 2 to be briefed on the course of the Olympic Games preparations.

[13] MAROUSI BASKETBALL TEAM RETURNED TO ATHENS WITH THE COVETED SAPORTA CUP

The Marousi basketball team returned to Athens this morning with the coveted Saporta Cup after beating the French Chalon (74-72) in the final game that was held in Warsaw last night.

Coach Vangelis Alexandris and his players were able to win the cup, which last year was won by AEK, another Greek team from Athens.

[14] PRESIDENT STEPHANOPOULOS WILL VISIT CROATIA IN MAY

President Kostis Stephanopoulos will be on a formal visit to Croatia on May 23-24 accompanied by undersecretary of national economy, responsible for international economic relations, Yiannis Zafiropoulos.

The national economy ministry has organized a business delegation to visit the country during the same period, as Croatia is a tempting target for investment capital due to its specialized work force.

The Greek exports to Croatia correspond to 0.26% of Greece's overall exports, while the imports from Croatia correspond to 0.13% of the Greek imports.

[15] THE US-CANADA PAN-MACEDONIAN ASSOCIATION IS AGAINST THE ADOPTION OF A FYROM NAME THAT WILL INCLUDE THE TERM MACEDONIA

The US-Canada Pan-Macedonian Association will not accept the recognition of FYROM under a composite name that will include a derivative of the term Macedonia, stated association president Ms. Nina Peropoulou speaking yesterday before members of "Alexander the Great" Association and local federation officials in Clearwater, Florida.

She stressed that the Greeks have an obligation to preserve their national identity, adding that there are many signs indicating that the issue of the FYROM name will close with the adoption of the term Macedonia to be included in it and called on the Greeks not to allow this.

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