Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 02-01-11

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

CONTENTS

[01] SIMITIS: US-GREECE RELATIONS GOOD

[02] GREECE-US TALS AT BASIS OF EQUALITY

[03] HITIRIS ON THE PRIME MINISTER'S CONTACTS IN THE US

[04] CHRISOCHOIDIS ON THE PROBLEM OF TERRORISM

[05] LOSSES IN THE ASE

[06] PASCHALIDIS: THE SURVIVAL OF FYROM IS TO THE INTEREST OF GREECE

[07] ROUSOPOULOS: QUESTIONS ON THE PRIME MINISTER'S TRIP TO THE US

[08] GREEK-ALBANIAN MEETING

[09] FOUR PASOK PARLIAMENT DEPUTIES AGAINST HENRY KISSINGER

[10] THE ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH VISITS IRAN

[11] SIMITIS: NO PRESSURE IN US MEETINGS

[01] SIMITIS: US-GREECE RELATIONS GOOD

The meeting confirmed that there is a good climate between our two countries, a need for cooperation and a need to deal with problems so that peace, cooperation and development are promoted throughout the global community, stated Prime Minister Kostas Simitis after his meeting with US President Bush in the White House.

As he mentioned, the issue of terrorism dominated their meeting: Greece is dedicated to the fight against terrorism, he underlined, and added that terrorism must be weeded out in all countries, so that it does not arise anew.

He also stressed that during the meeting developments in the Balkans, the necessary presence of the US in the region and the role of Greece in the stability and peace of the region, were also discussed.

He underlined that developments in Europe and the new European currency, which is an enormous change, and will affect economical as well as political changes, and will boost the European unification, were also discussed.

The Greek Prime Minister pointed out that their was mention of the Cyprus issue and Greek-Turkish relations, to the efforts Greece is making for international law to be applied and for there to be peace.

Mr. Simitis characterized the countries' bilateral relations as excellent, on the political, as well as on the financial and military level.

Mr. Simitis expressed his firm belief that the 2004 Athens Olympics will be excellent and invited Mr. Bush to attend the games. "There will also be a baseball game with Greek-Americans, and I think he should be there to throw the first pitch.

[02] GREECE-US TALS AT BASIS OF EQUALITY

Foreign Minister Giorgos Papandreou characterized the meetings of Prime Minister Kostas Simtis in the US as successful, stressing that the conclusion from the trip to Washington is that Greece can converse with the US as an equal.

In statements to NET, Mr. Papandreou stressed that during the Prime Minister's meetings, important issues such as the Balkans, Greek-Turkish relations, the Cyprus issue, the Middle-East, the war against terrorism and in favor of democracy and cooperation, and noted that a positive reference was made to the 2004 Athens Olympics, as well as for the safety of the Greek 2003 EU Presidency.

President Bush expressed his belief that the 2004 Olympics will be held very seriously and very successfully, a fact answering a variety of scenarios on the Olympics' safety. He was clear and showed his real appreciation for what the Greek government has done, underlined Mr. Papandreou.

The Foreign Minister stressed that there was also an evaluation of the cooperation that has developed on dealing with terrorism, not just on an international level, but domestic terrorism, and specifically November 17. "It will be assessed every time we meet with the Americans, because it is a sector of very close cooperation on the services level, he said and added that there was a positive review of he close cooperation existing, and that both sides hope for results.

He also stated that Greece's stabilizing role in the EU and the Balkans was mentioned, and other issues were discussed, the situation in Afghanistan, Pakistan-India relations, and the problems in the relations of the West with Muslim countries.

The conclusion, after this visit to the US, is that Greece can converse with the US as an equal. Of course we are a different country, a small country and the US is a superpower. The equality in our relations has been achieved, has been formed, on a basis of friendship, respect, credibility, both for our policies as well as for a common strategy, he stressed.

We have a common strategy concerning the Balkans. We want a European Turkey. We want terrorism eradicated. We want democracy worldwide. These are the strategic issues on which we agree. From that point on there may be differences in opinion, in the way we should go about certain issues, so that we may be more effective. But they are different views in a common value framework and that may prove to be important. Within that framework, nobody can support that there is pressure or inability to understand, he underlined.

[03] HITIRIS ON THE PRIME MINISTER'S CONTACTS IN THE US

Prime Minister Kostas Simitis and the Greek delegation will return from the United States tomorrow. Today, Mr. Simitis is scheduled to meet with US journalists and with the presiding board of the Jewish lobby in the United States, stated acting Greek government spokesman Tilemachos Hitiris.

Mr. Hitiris stated that the outcome of Mr. Simitis' visit to Washington was positive and meaningful.

Mr. Hitiris stated that President Bush made positive comments on the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, the anti-terrorist front in Greece, the Greek-Turkish relations and Greece's positive role in the Balkans, while on the Cyprus issue he referred to the statement made by the UN secretary-general on a happy conclusion.

On the issue of the Euro-army, he said that there is disagreement and that Greece will submit proposals aimed at overcoming it.

Commenting on the fact that the two leaders did not give a joint press conference after their meeting, he said that Mr. Bush usually does not give joint press conferences with the visiting state leaders.

On the cancellation of Mr. Simitis' meeting with US Vice-President Dick Cheney, Mr. Hitiris said that it was dictated by security reasons, adding that the same happened with the Prime Ministers of Sweden, and the Czech Republic and the NATO general-secretary.

Commenting on the Washington Times paid ad, which accuses Greece of harboring terrorism, Mr. Hitiris stated that it is an unacceptable provocation.

[04] CHRISOCHOIDIS ON THE PROBLEM OF TERRORISM

Public Order Minister Michalis Chrisochoidis stated on terrorism that it is a major political problem and concerns the whole of the country.

Speaking in parliament, Mr. Chrisochoidis stated that Greece is among the safest countries in the world and will host the safest Olympic Games ever. He added that Greece has the fewest terrorist attacks and the lowest crime rate.

On the police corruption problem, Mr. Chrisochoidis stated that important steps have been made to deal with the issue and the efforts will continue until the phenomenon is eradicated.

Referring to the problem of organized crime, Mr. Chrisochoidis stated that it is a threat against democracy and society, adding that it is still at an infantile state in Greece.

[05] LOSSES IN THE ASE

Losses were recorded in the Athens Stock Exchange today. The general index dropped to 0.49% at 2.574,68 points, while the volume of transactions was 123.56 million Euro or 42.1 billion drachmas.

Of the stocks trading today, 102 stocks recorded gains and 204 had losses, while the value of 48 stocks remained unchanged.

[06] PASCHALIDIS: THE SURVIVAL OF FYROM IS TO THE INTEREST OF GREECE

Minister of Macedonia-Thrace Giorgos Paschalidis received a delegation of protesters, who rallied outside the ministry building in Thessaloniki today on the issue of FYROM's name.

The delegation delivered a resolution to Mr. Paschalidis, who pointed out that the territorial integrity, survival and progress of FYROM and the neighboring countries are to the interest of Greece.

Mr. Paschalidis stated that the talks on the issue of the FYROM name continue within the framework of the UN and the goal is to find a mutually acceptable solution.

[07] ROUSOPOULOS: QUESTIONS ON THE PRIME MINISTER'S TRIP TO THE US

Right-wing main opposition party of New Democracy press representative Thodoris Rousopoulos stated that all that happened and did not happen in the United States create questions adding, however, that it is too soon to make a final assessment of the results of the Prime Minister's trip.

The expected progress in the two major issues concerning Cyprus and the Euro-army did not come, stressed Mr. Rousopoulos and added that New Democracy will continue to back the positions expressed in Parliament last Monday by its leader.

[08] GREEK-ALBANIAN MEETING

Albanian Minister of State Paskal Milo, responsible for European Union issues, met with Greek deputy Foreign Minister Tasos Yiannitsis in Athens today and reviewed the Greek-Albanian relations.

A text on the know-how that will be offered by the Greek government to Albania, aimed at assisting the country in its effort to become part of the united Europe, was also signed.

Speaking to reporters, Mr. Milo stated that the further development and improvement of the Greek-Albanian relations is of strategic importance, while Mr. Yiannitsis stressed that the Greek government will continue to back Albania, at a technical level, as it does with other countries in the region. A cooperation similar to that with Albania is underway with Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania and Hungary.

[09] FOUR PASOK PARLIAMENT DEPUTIES AGAINST HENRY KISSINGER

Four governing Socialist Party of PASOK parliament deputies, Stelios Papathemelis, Yiannis Kapsis, Panagiotis Kritikos and Kiriakos Spiriounis call for the assistance of the Foreign and Justice Ministries to prepare an indictment against former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger.

The four cite evidence included in the recently published book The Trial of Kissinger by British journalist Christopher Hitchens and want Mr. Kissinger to be indicted for being an accessory before the fact in three instances. The indictment will concern the July 15, 1974 coup in Cyprus and the assassination attempt on the then President Makarios, the Turkish invasion of Cyprus and the kidnapping and assassination attempt in December 1970 and February 1974 on Elias Dimitrakopoulos. Dimitrakopoulos was a Greek national, who lived in the US at the time, and was trying to form a pressure group in the US Congress against the Greek junta.

[10] THE ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH VISITS IRAN

Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos is in Iran today for a four-day visit. The head of the Christian Orthodox Church will meet in Teheran with Iranian President Mohamed Hatami, Islamic Revolution leader Hamenei, government ministers and officials.

The Ecumenical Patriarch will deliver a speech tomorrow in the Iranian Foreign Ministry Institute of Political and International Studies on the contribution of religion to the consolidation of peace in modern world, while he is also scheduled to visit the city of Ispahan.

He will officiate in the Greek Orthodox cathedral in Teheran and will complete his visit to the country on January 14.

[11] SIMITIS: NO PRESSURE IN US MEETINGS

Prime Minister Kostas Simitis gave his assurance that there were no pressures during his meeting with US President Bush, in a press conference held after he completed his meetings in Washington, while he characterized his trip as completely successful in strengthening Greece's international role.

It was a friendly discussion between the political leadership of two countries, which have common problems, and may have different perceptions and views on examining those problems, but want to find common solutions. And on broader issues there may not be different approaches, as on the issue of international terrorism, and on more specific problems there are different appreciations or, to be more exact, more attention is paid to different aspects of certain issues, as is, for example, the issue of European Defense. But at no point throughout the entire meeting was it said that, this is our wish, this is what you must do, things that were said in Greece in such a way that saddens me. Because Greece has a different role today, a different presence, another potential for discussion, he added. As he mentioned, in his meetings with the US political leadership, there was a spirit of understanding and recognition of Greece as an equal discussant, something the Greek side had foreseen, and which is a result of the work done by the government from 1996 onwards.

The Greek Prime Minister appreciated that the US presence in the Balkans contributed to security and cooperation in the region. The Balkan countries look to the presence and activity of the United States to consolidate peace in the Balkans, he pointed out and added that the military presence does not function as a police force, but gives the message that the US is interested in the region. We must discern the military reasons for the army presence and the political messages. And the political messages of the US and EU presence are important, he added.

According to Mr. Simitis, Mr. Rumsfeld mentioned that the presence of the US in the Balkans is not there in the sense of a permanent force, securing society's functions. The presence of the US will end at some point and the Balkan countries will have to function on their own, pointed out the Greek Prime Minister.

Furthermore, he stressed that Greece's position on the Euroarmy will not change. Greece decided that the specific text of the Laaken Summit Meeting is not acceptable, but the relationship between the European Union and the Security Policy of the European Union and NATO must be adjusted in some way in the future, he noted.

Regarding the different approaches of Greece and the US to the Euroarmy, he stressed that the US are interested in solving individual problems of NATO and the European Union, but the Greek side pays special attention to the autonomous action of the European defense policy and the European forces. The US want an adjustment and so do we, but an adjustment that will respond to or promote our aims. We do not completely concur on this point.

In response to whether there are any upcoming November 17 member arrests, he underlined that we are working hard and systematically to solve the problem our country has had since 1974, and usually when you work hard and systematically you get results. The Greek Prime Minister said that the US did not raise an issue of a suspects list, and added that Greece did not come to the US to be interrogated. It is a discussion between friends, people who want to cooperate, who have common problems. And if we do have some problems, such as that of terrorism, we recognize it, we know about it and want to solve it. In fact, he pointed out that not having solved its terrorism problem is not a shame for Greece, while he underlined that US experts on terrorism have come to Greece. The result weighs most heavily on us, but also on those that offered assistance. International discussions are not always between 'prosecutors' and 'defendants'. That is a frame of mind, if you will allow me to say so, of the 50's. 40 years have passed since then. And if I do stress it this much, it is because we must give the Greek people its pride. It should not have to fear. Their Prime Minister is coming, and everyone is afraid of what will happen. But nothing will happen, because there is no reason to be afraid. We have achieved remarkable things. Why then, do we have to feel that we are on trial, as if we are students going to the teacher to tell him what happened during the lesson and it all went wrong? For Gods sake, that is not Greece, please understand that. Greece is different, and if you are having a responsible discussion, a serious discussion, if you are dealing with a problem systematically, others respect you. It all depends on us and our behavior, and attitudes such as, 'this might happen', 'that might happen', 'we are lost', do not help us gain others' respect. That shows small people. We are not small people, he strongly underlined.

He also stressed that from his meetings with Mr. Bush and Mr. Rumsfeld he came away with the impression that both pay special attention the continuing course of Cyprus' negotiations for incorporation to the EU, and did not mention that resolving the political issue is a prerequisite for that incorporation. As he mentioned, at these meetings the Greek side expressed the hope that negotiations will continue, and that the Cyprus issue will be resolved, but that would mean a major change in the attitude of Rauf Denktash.

Mr. Simitis referred to President Bush's statement, with which he congratulated the initiatives undertaken by Greece to improve Greek-Turkish relations. We will continue our efforts, so that we create better relations, more cooperation and try to overcome any tensions that may arise. Of course, similar moves are expected from the Turkish side, because an acceptable climate coming into being for both sides, is not possible with initiative exclusively from the Greek side, he noted.

As far as the invitation Greece extended to Mr. Bush for the Olympics is concerned, he stressed that the US President expressed his wish to come to Greece, which he has never visited.

Commenting on the Washington Times publication, he mentioned that in the US, as in Greece, there is freedom of opinion. It is not that important an issue to Greece if one or more individuals have a certain opinion which is different to that of the majority of Greeks, he noted.

Regarding the US Mapping Service, which presented no borders Aegean between Turkey and Greece in the, he mentioned that Greece is in contact with the proper US authorities on the issue, and will continue to present its opinion until the issue is settled. Our borders are not determined by maps. Our borders are not determined by the US Mapping Service, our borders are determined by no one except international law, pointed out Mr. Simitis.

Furthermore, in relation to the Turkish notam of October 24, he stressed that the air corridor presents an issue, because it runs over Turkish territory, and Turkish practice was leaving the management of it to the Greek Civil Aviation Service, while he offered his assurance that there is no reason for concern.

In 2004, Turkey must appeal to the Hague International Court in the issue of the delimitation of the continental shelf. It must appeal to the Hague, since the issue of the 'gray zones' has not been solved. By 2006, by 2008, there will be a discussion at some point, he said.

When asked whether they discussed the FYROM issue, whether the US consider the Albanian extremists, who are a large percentage of the country's population, terrorists, and whether the name issue arose, the Prime Minister stressed that there was no specific reference to Albanian extremists.

We discussed stability in the Balkans and about FYROM. We are all agreed that there should be a peaceful resolving of any problems that may arise. There must not be a change in the borders, the agreements must be kept and the State must exist", he stressed. "The name issue was mentioned, in the sense that there is a problem within this tangle of problems, so we explained the efforts we have made", he added.

Finally, when was asked to comment on the great affection President Bush displayed for the Minister of Foreign Affairs, he answered: "We all love the Foreign Minister, both you and I".

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