Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 01-12-15

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

CONTENTS

[01] THE CENTRAL ROLE OF THE ASE IN SE EUROPE

[02] SIMITIS ON THE LAAKEN SUMMIT MEETING

[03] COMMON FRONT BY THE COUNTRIES IN THE EUROPEAN SOUTH IN SUPPORT OF

[04] DEMARCHE BY GREECE TO BRUSSELS FOR THE ARREST OF GREEK PROTESTERS

[05] THE GREEK AGRICULTURE MINISTER MET WITH HIS SPANISH COUNTERPART

[06] ABOUT 130.000 YOUNG SPANIARDS A YEAR WATCH ANCIENT GREEK THEATER

[07] THE GREEKS SUPPORT THE COUNTRY'S EUROPEAN COURSE

[08] THE EURO-ARMY DOMINATED IN THE LAAKEN SUMMIT CONSULTATIONS

[01] THE CENTRAL ROLE OF THE ASE IN SE EUROPE

The Athens Stock Exchange, ASE, will launch a program of cruciform transactions with the Istanbul Stock Exchange in 2002 and very soon the common technological platform between the ASE and the Belgrade Stock Exchange will be activated. These two moves in combination with the Athens-Sofia cooperation gradually materialize the ASE plans for the establishment of a single capital market in southeastern Europe.

A main role in the promotion of the ASE alliances in the wider region can be played by the Thessaloniki Stock Exchange Center, according to ASE president Panagiotis Alexakis, speaking in a one-day conference held within the framework of the Greek Telecommunications Organization, OTE Money Show 2001 in Thessaloniki that took place under the auspices of Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs Yiannis Magriotis.

Mr. Alexakis stated that the long-term course of the ASE will be clearly an upward one as the stock market reflects the course of the economy of a country and in 2002 Greece will have the highest growth rates in the EU, even higher than Ireland's.

Mr. Magriotis speaking in the conference recognized the inability of adjustment to the new competitive economic conditions both by the public and the private sector especially, in the front of exports. However, he stressed that unique prospects are being created offering to Greece the opportunity to expand its economy.

[02] SIMITIS ON THE LAAKEN SUMMIT MEETING

The Laaken Summit Declaration is of decisive importance for the institutional reform of the European Union, stated Prime Minister Kostas Simitis and stressed that it is expected to contribute to its democratic and more effective operation.

On the issue of the Euro-army, Mr. Simitis stated that Greece is satisfied with the conclusions plan and pointed out that you cannot have a foreign policy by raising voices and beating drums, stressing that consultation and understanding of the problems are necessary.

On the Laaken Declaration and the future of Europe, the Prime Minister underlined that the decisions reached safeguard the democratic nature of the next institutional reform given the fact that the society of the people, the state parliaments, the governments and the Euro-parliament, will be represented within the framework of the Assembly that was established to prepare the institutional changes.

Mr. Simitis stated that according to the text with the conclusions reached, efforts will be made by the Assembly to understand better the problems and needs of the people, develop a common foreign policy and policy of defense as well as other policies, like in the case of illegal immigration.

He also said that among the issues that will be examined will be whether the European Union should have its own Constitution and, if the answer is positive, what will be the character of that Constitution.

On the issue of the decisions concerning the Joint European Policy of Defense and Security, Mr. Simitis stressed that the final results are satisfactory for the Greek government pointing out, however, that there is still a "certain problem" with Turkey.

[03] COMMON FRONT BY THE COUNTRIES IN THE EUROPEAN SOUTH IN SUPPORT OF TOBACCO

Greek Agriculture Minister Giorgos Dris and his Spanish counterpart Miguel Arias Kaniete, who met in Athens today, agreed to form a common front made up by the countries in Europe's south aimed at supporting the cultivation of tobacco.

The Spanish Agriculture Minister stated that through constant meetings and technical reports it will be evident to the EU that it is impossible to abolish the cultivation of tobacco.

Within this framework, Greece, Spain, Italy, and Portugal will submit common action plans to the EU to secure favorable terms for the future of the cultivation of tobacco in Europe.

Mr. Dris briefed his Spanish counterpart on Greece's positions in view of the review of the Common Agricultural Policy and stressed that those issues can be resolved during the Spanish EU Presidency in the first half of 2002.

[04] DEMARCHE BY GREECE TO BRUSSELS FOR THE ARREST OF GREEK PROTESTERS

The Greek embassy to Brussels made a demarche to the Belgian government in protest for the arrest of Greek demonstrators, who participated in the Laaken Summit protests.

Five Greeks were arrested yesterday together with 38 French demonstrators because they had occupied an abandoned building in Brussels. All five Greeks were deported.

Today, the Belgian police arrested another Greek, who is the process of being deported.

[05] THE GREEK AGRICULTURE MINISTER MET WITH HIS SPANISH COUNTERPART

Greek Minister of Agriculture Giorgos Dris met with his Spanish counterpart Miguel Arias Kanete, who is on a visit to Greece, in view of Spain's EU presidency.

A joint meeting of representatives from both ministries will be held within the framework of the visit and later a formal luncheon will be given in which the talks are expected to continue.

Tomorrow, Mr. Dris will depart for Brussels to attend the scheduled for next week EU Fisheries and Agriculture Ministers Council meetings.

[06] ABOUT 130.000 YOUNG SPANIARDS A YEAR WATCH ANCIENT GREEK THEATER

About 130.000 Spanish students a year watch ancient Greek theater performances presented in 18 Spanish cities within the framework of a program that was launched 19 years ago at the initiative of a Latin language professor.

Speaking in a conference on the Theater of the Greeks Living Abroad, Madrid University professor Alfonso Martinez Diez stated that the program was launched 19 years ago in an ancient Roman theater in Spain and initially it was watched by 50 students.

As the time past, said Mr. Diez, the program evolved into an educational plan with positive social effects.

[07] THE GREEKS SUPPORT THE COUNTRY'S EUROPEAN COURSE

The Greeks support the country's European course, according to the latest opinion poll conducted by the Euro-barometer.

Based on the opinion poll, the Greeks occupy the first place among the rest of the EU members supporting with 81% the common EU foreign policy, while 74% support the EU enlargement followed by the Danes and Swedes at the second place with 69%, while the EU average is at 51%.

The people of Luxembourg occupy the top place in terms of their support to the Euro, followed by the Greeks and the Italians at second place with 79%.

The Greeks worry more than their rest EU partners (81%) over the possibility of a new world war, while they are equally concerned (87%) about the effects of the use of nuclear or chemical weapons.

Also, the Greeks come second (91%), after the Italians with 92%, expressing fear over the likelihood of terrorist attacks.

[08] THE EURO-ARMY DOMINATED IN THE LAAKEN SUMMIT CONSULTATIONS

Tough negotiations on the Euro-army issue are in progress in the Laaken Summit meeting. Greek Prime Minister Kostas Simitis made it clear that Athens cannot accept the existing text, stressing that the Greek side seeks a clear solution that will safeguard the Greek sovereign rights.

Analysts in Brussels pointed out that the most likely development is to leave the issue of the Euro-army relations with third countries namely, the countries that are NATO members but not EU members, to be examined in a future EU Summit meeting.

In the Laaken Summit were also discussed issues like the situation in Afghanistan, the Balkans and the tension in the Middle East.

The Greek side maintained that Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat is the only legitimate representative of the Palestinian side and therefore, Greece cannot agree with a policy that attempts to push him aside and exclude him from the procedures aimed at easing the tension in the region.

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