Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 01-09-12

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

CONTENTS

[01] EMERGENCY MEETING OF THE GOVERNMENTAL COMMITTEE

[02] UNPRECEDENTED PLUNGE IN THE ASE

[03] KOUFOUDAKIS ON THE EFFECTS OF THE TERRORIST ATTACKS ON THE UNITED

[04] EXPORTERS AND INDUSTRIALISTS COMMENT TO MPA ON THE CRISIS IN THE US

[05] SIMITIS: WE WANT A BETTER WORLD

[06] THE PROSECUTOR'S DOCUMENT ON DEKA LTD

[07] PRIME MINISTER MEETS WITH PRESIDENT

[08] MIKIS THEODORAKIS: WE ARE ALL DEEPLY SHOCKED

[09] THE SAE OFFICES HAD MOVED FROM THE WTC THIS SUMMER

[01] EMERGENCY MEETING OF THE GOVERNMENTAL COMMITTEE

The Governmental Committee will have an emergency meeting at the Maximus Mansion, with the unprecedented terrorist strikes that the USA underwent yesterday. All the state and political leadership of Greece expressed their horror at the events.

In a telegram to President Bush from Prime Minister Simitis expressing his condolences, he noted that Greece condemns these frightful acts in the most explicit way, at the same time expressing the hope that the perpetrators of these crimes will be tracked down and pay.

The Foreign Secretary, Giorgos Papandreou, who also sent a telegram expressing his condolences to his American counterpart, Collin Powell, in a statement for the podium of the parliament, he supported that these events undermine the functions of open democratic societies and are acts against humanity. He also stressed that the government and he himself is in contact with the party spokespersons, but also with their EU counterparts on the observing a common stance in the community.

[02] UNPRECEDENTED PLUNGE IN THE ASE

Panic dominated in today's transactions in the Athens Stock Exchange as a result of yesterday's terrorist attacks in the United States.

The general index plunged to an unprecedented -7.74% at 2.358,05 points, while the volume of transactions was at 259.2 million Euro.

Of the stocks trading today, only 3 recorded gains and the overwhelming majority namely, 356 had losses, while the value of 19 stocks remained stable.

[03] KOUFOUDAKIS ON THE EFFECTS OF THE TERRORIST ATTACKS ON THE UNITED STATES

The belief that violent reactions should be expected by the United States against known terrorist targets regardless of whether they are responsible or not for yesterday's coordinated terrorist attacks, was expressed to MPA by Dr. Vangelis Koufoudakis political science professor and dean in the school of philosophy in Indiana State University.

He said that the world will witness a massive change in the way the American people and politicians think when it comes to the way terrorism abroad is handled. He said that he personally is afraid of reactions both inside the country and outside that will hurt human rights.

[04] EXPORTERS AND INDUSTRIALISTS COMMENT TO MPA ON THE CRISIS IN THE US

There are two sides to the "coin" of the crisis in the United States. On the one hand, Greece can be regarded as lucky as its economy does not depend to a great degree on the US economy, while on the other hand, the Greek exports will suffer a blow, even a short-term one, by the oil price hikes and the drop in the value of the US dollar. The above were stressed by Exporters in Northern Greece Association president Thomas Algianakoglou.

Northern Greece Industries Association executive vice-president Tasos Alexandridis stated that it is very risky to make any predictions on the effects of the crisis, clarifying that the consequences on the Greek industry focus mainly on the increase in the oil price and the strengthening of the Euro to the US dollar.

[05] SIMITIS: WE WANT A BETTER WORLD

We want a better world for all and for this world we are determined to continue to work, stated Greek prime minister Kostas Simitis after the meeting he had today with president Kostis Stephanopoulos.

Mr. Simitis stated that with Mr. Stephanopoulos they discussed issues concerning domestic and foreign policy and examined the situation that was created as a result of yesterday's developments.

He said that they agreed that calm and caution are necessary, adding that those developments will be faced.

[06] THE PROSECUTOR'S DOCUMENT ON DEKA LTD

Greek parliament president Apostolos Kaklamanis read in parliament the prosecutor's document on the pre-election activities of the state-run company DEKA Ltd.

The document was sent to parliament by prosecutor Dimitris Asprogerakas and includes the results of the preliminary investigation he conducted after the charges filed by right-wing main opposition party of New Democracy parliament deputy Miltiadis Evert on the economic activities and management of DEKA Ltd.

In the prosecutor's document the parliament is called to investigate whether there were penal offenses committed based on the ministers' responsibility law mentioning that there is evidence linking a member of the government and undersecretaries with the case.

Minister of press and government spokesman Dimitris Reppas condemned New Democracy and Mr. Evert, who had requested that the case be brought to justice. Mr. Reppas characterized the ND and Mr. Evert's stance as irresponsible and damaging for the institutions, stressing that the party uses justice servants in its political games and tries to hurt the stock market and the interests of the people.

[07] PRIME MINISTER MEETS WITH PRESIDENT

Prime Minister Simitis will brief the President of the Republic, Kostis Stefanopoulos, today, on the situation in the USA after yesterday's terrorist strike. Also, the Prime Minister is expected to make statements to journalists on the issue.

[08] MIKIS THEODORAKIS: WE ARE ALL DEEPLY SHOCKED

"I think we are all deeply shocked by the biblical disaster which happened in the USA today", stated Mikis Theodorakis from the stage of Theatro Gis. The concert of his pieces "Axion Esti" and "Pnevmatiko Emvatirio" continued, and he urged the audience to hold a moment of silence.

[09] THE SAE OFFICES HAD MOVED FROM THE WTC THIS SUMMER

The World Council for Hellenes Abroad, SAE, and the National Bank of Greece employees working in New York were very lucky as the two organizations used to have their offices in the World Trade Center but they had moved this summer.

The central offices of Atlantic Bank, a National Bank of Greece subsidiary, used to be housed at the 88th floor of one of the Twin Towers until last June when they moved a few blocks away at 6th Avenue. The SAE offices housed in the Twin Towers also moved in June.

The number of Greek-Americans, who were at the World Trade Center at the time of the attack, remains unspecified, while also unspecified is the number of Greek businesses housed in the two skyscrapers or nearby.

SAE president Andrew Athens stated to MPA that he is shocked by the terrorist attacks and stressed that they will have grave consequences.

He said that he is angered by the fact that this tragic terrorist attack was allowed to happen when there was a precedent and information on a possible terrorist hit. He wondered what did the FBI, CIA, the National Security Council and the Pentagon do to avert the attack and pointed out that president Bush will face great difficulties, while there will be a thorough investigation by the US Congress.

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