Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 02-04-01

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

CONTENTS

[01] G. PAPANDREOU IN CAIRO

[02] DENNIS OSWALD IN ATHENS TOMORROW

[03] THE METROPOLITE OF JOHANNESBURG MET WITH THE GREEK PARLIAMENT PRESIDENT

[04] VASO PAPANDREOU: THE OLYMPIC PROJECTS WILL BE READY ON TIME

[05] ARAFAT RESPONDED TO PRIME MINISTER SIMITIS' MESSAGE

[06] KARAMANLIS CALLED FOR AN IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE

[07] GREEK FOREIGN MINISTER MEETING WITH THE ISRAELI AMBASSADOR

[08] ONE-DAY ESP CONFERENCE IN ATHENS

[09] EPP AND ND MEET IN THESSALONIKI ON W. BALKANS

[10] ONE MILLION VISITORS IN VERGINA IN FIVE YEARS

[11] INFLATION INCREASED IN MARCH

[12] GOVERNMENTAL MEETING UNDER PM IN THESSALONIKI TOMORROW

[13] ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH MEDIATION IN THE CONFLICT BETWEEN THE CHURCHES OF

[01] G. PAPANDREOU IN CAIRO

Foreign Minister Giorgos Papandreou will travel to Cairo this afternoon, for a one-day visit.

The trip Mr. Papandreou had scheduled for the Middle East, was postponed after Israeli denial to guarantee the safety of the mission. However, Israeli Ambassador in Athens, David Sason, announced that the Greek Foreign Minister is always welcome in Israel.

[02] DENNIS OSWALD IN ATHENS TOMORROW

The Olympic projects in St. Kosmas and Faliro are being visited this morning by Minister of the Environment, Planning and Public Works, Vasso Papandreou, and President of the Athens 2004 Organizing Committee, Gianna Aggelopoulou Daskalaki, in order to inspect their progress.

This inspection is taking place on the eve of Dennis Oswald's arrival in Athens. The President of the IOC, will also look into the progress of the Olympic Projects under construction in the Attica region, while he will have meetings with relevant ministers and Mrs. Aggelopoulou Daskalaki.

[03] THE METROPOLITE OF JOHANNESBURG MET WITH THE GREEK PARLIAMENT PRESIDENT

Greek Parliament President Apostolos Kaklamanis underlined the important role of hellenism and Orthodoxy in the South-African Union and the whole African continent, addressing Metropolite Seraphim of Johannesburg and Pretoria. The Metropolite met the Greek Parliament President in his office in Athens accompanied by a large delegation representing the Greek Spiritual Movement in S. Africa on a visit to Greece within the framework of the Ecumenical Hellenism program.

The specific program is under the auspices of the Greek President and its goal is to bring the Greek civilization in the international decision-making centers.

Mr. Kaklamanis stated that the Greeks were never in favor of discrimination based on race, religion, or social origin.

From his side, Metropolite Seraphim referred to the contribution of the South-African Union Greeks to the struggle against racial discrimination and underlined that the protection of human rights is a fundamental value. He also announced that Nelson Mandela plans to visit Greece next June and conveyed his wish to visit ancient Olympia in a show of recognition and respect to the Greek civilization. The Metropolite invited Mr. Kaklamanis to visit Pretoria.

[04] VASO PAPANDREOU: THE OLYMPIC PROJECTS WILL BE READY ON TIME

The assurance that all Olympic projects will be ready on time, was given by Minister of Environment, Public Works and Land Planning Vaso Papandreou, who visited the construction sites of the Olympic projects in the regions of Neo Faliro and Agios Kosmas accompanied by Athens 2004 President Yianna Angelopoulou.

Ms. Papandreou pointed out that the projects move faster than scheduled and underlined that every possible effort will be made to have them ready on time.

Ms. Angelopoulou reiterated that timetables are pressing and no time can be wasted adding, however, that the construction work moves in a quick pace unprecedented for the Greek standards.

[05] ARAFAT RESPONDED TO PRIME MINISTER SIMITIS' MESSAGE

I am grateful and I hope that Mr. Simitis' voice will be heard to the rest of the world, was the response of Palestinian President Yasser Arafat to the message sent to him by Greek Prime Minister Kostas Simitis.

Greek government spokesman Christos Protopapas stated that Mr. Simitis' message reached the Palestinian leader with great difficulty.

The Greek government spokesman reiterated that Greece calls for the intervention of the international community to end the blood circle and also wants the UN Security Council decisions to be implemented. Mr. Protopapas stated that the Palestinian people have the right to form their own state and the people of Israel also have the right to live in safety.

[06] KARAMANLIS CALLED FOR AN IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE

Right-wing main opposition party of New Democracy leader Kostas Karamanlis met with ambassador of Saudi Arabia to Athens Abdulah al Manti. Mr. Karamanlis warned that there is a danger of destabilization and accused the international community for lack of action.

Mr. Karamanlis called for the immediate implementation of the UN Security Council decision and invited the Israelis and the Palestinians to enter negotiations aimed at putting an end to violence and open the road to peace. He also maintained that Yasser Arafat, being the recognized leader of the Palestinian Authority, must be protected.

He also pointed out that the Saudi Arabia peace plan is a good basis for a comprehensive solution to the Middle East problem.

[07] GREEK FOREIGN MINISTER MEETING WITH THE ISRAELI AMBASSADOR

The Greek Foreign Minister will visit Cairo tomorrow to meet with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. The initiative of the Greek Foreign Ministry is placed within the framework of the efforts for the easing of the tension in the Middle East.

Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Papandreou met today with Israeli ambassador to Athens David Sason. Mr. Papandreou conveyed to Mr. Sason the discontent of the Greek government regarding the invasion of Palestinian territories by Israeli troops and the fact that Palestinian President Yasser Arafat continues to be held hostage. He also backed the immediate withdrawal of the Israeli forces from the Palestinian territories.

From his side, Mr. Sason maintained that the Israeli forces remain in the hideaway of the Palestinian leader in Ramalah where they have discovered a large number of explosives and guns, stressing that Arafat's safety is one of Israel's strategic interests.

Referring to Mr. Papandreou's request to visit Ramalah today, the Israeli ambassador responded that the Israeli Foreign Ministry cannot guarantee the safety of the Greek Minister because the region is a war zone.

Mr. Papandreou also had a meeting with Palestinian Authority representative in Greece Abdulah Abdulah to be briefed on the situation of the Palestinians.

[08] ONE-DAY ESP CONFERENCE IN ATHENS

A one-day conference on the new wave of neoliberalism and the resistance of the social state. Assessment and programming of social Europe will be organized in Athens on April 4 by the European Socialist Party, ESP, parliamentary group.

Among the main speakers will be Greek European Commissioner Anna Diamantopoulou, Labor Minister Dimitris Reppas and PASOK Euro-deputy Yiannis Koukiadis. Messages will be read by PASOK Central Committee secretary Kostas Laliotis and Euro-deputy Giorgos Katiforis. Also, brief speeches will be delivered by Greek General Confederation of Labor President Christos Polizogopoulos and Public Sector Employees Union President Spiros Papaspirou.

[09] EPP AND ND MEET IN THESSALONIKI ON W. BALKANS

A three-day meeting on democracy in western Balkans is organized by the European Popular Party (EPP) and Greek right-wing main opposition party of New Democracy in cooperation with K.Karamanlis Institute on Democracy to take place in Thessaloniki on April 11-13.

The main speakers in the meeting will be New Democracy leader and EPP Vice-president Kostas Karamanlis, EPP President Martens, European Commission vice-president Loyola de Palacio, European Commissioner Chris Patten, Bulgaria's Union of Democratic Forces President Michailova and K.Karamanlis Instiute President Varvitsiotis.

[10] ONE MILLION VISITORS IN VERGINA IN FIVE YEARS

About one million people visited the archaeological site of Vergina since 1997 and their number is expected to be increased after the construction of the Museum of Vergina. The announcement was made by Culture Minister Evangelos Venizelos on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the death of archaeologist Manolis Andronikos, who discovered the tomb of King Philippos B' father of Alexander the Great.

The new museum will allow the treasures of every monument in the archaeological site of Vergina to be exhibited separately.

[11] INFLATION INCREASED IN MARCH

Inflation in Greece increased during the month of March, between 3.6% to 3.8%, a small increase compared to 3.4% in February, according to the data of the National Statistics Service of Greece (ESYE). The exact increase percentage will be made known in the net few days, when official announcements are made.

The increase, according to information, was due to the rise in fuel prices, in fruits and vegetables, as well as the end of the winter sales (which resulted in prices returning to the pre-sales levels and the rounding up due to the euro).

[12] GOVERNMENTAL MEETING UNDER PM IN THESSALONIKI TOMORROW

The governmental meeting on major Thessaloniki projects and the Greek contest to hold the World EXPO Trade Fair in 2007 or 2008, chaired by Prime Minister Kostas Simitis, will take place tomorrow, at the Maximos mansion.

Participants in the meeting include Ministers of the Environment, Planning and Public Works Vasso Papandreou, Development, Akis Tsohatzopoulos, Transportation, Christos Verelis, Culture, Evaggelos Venizelos, Macedonia-Thrace, Giorgos Paschalidis, and deputy Minister of Trasportation, Spyros Vougias. Decisions are expected to be made on pending issues on Thessaloniki works and the commitments made by Mrs. Papandreou during her recent trip to Thessaloniki, and the meeting she had with local body representatives.

[13] ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH MEDIATION IN THE CONFLICT BETWEEN THE CHURCHES OF SERBIA AND FYROM

The Skopje newspaper Utrinski Vesnik writes that FYROM President Trajkovski requested the recognition of the so-called Macedonian Orthodox Church in the meeting he had with Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos during his visit to Turkey.

According to FYROM Bishop Naoum, who was present in the meeting, the Ecumenical Patriarch stated that it is time for Orthodoxy to be united and insisted that efforts must be made for a solution to be reached between the FYROM Orthodox Church and the Serb Orthodox Church. The Ecumenical Patriarch also announced that a meeting will be held between the two Churches with the mediation of Archbishop Anastasios of Albania.

However, the Ecumenical Patriarch did not mention any possible names under which the FYROM Church could be recognized, stated the FYROM Bishop.

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