Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 02-04-17

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

CONTENTS

[01] SIMITIS' STATEMENTS AFTER THE MEETING ON SOCIAL POLICY

[02] SIMITIS-GEORGIEFSKI MEETING

[03] GREECE INSISTS IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE UN DECISIONS ON THE MIDDLE

[04] THE FYROM PRIME MINISTER IN FAVOR OF THE RETURN OF THE PARTHENON

[05] BIG GAINS IN THE ASE

[06] INFLATION AT 2.5% IN THE EURO-ZONE

[07] TURKISH TOURIST BUSINESSES SEEK PARTNERSHIPS IN GREECE

[08] AID TO AFGHANS

[09] GENOA INITIATIVE 2001 MEETING

[10] THE "15" ASK TURKEY TO SUPPORT CLERIDES-DENKTASH MEETING

[11] GERMANY BACKS THE BASIC AXES OF THE GREEK FOREIGN POLICY

[12] ATTORNEY- ELGIN DESCENDANT IN FAVOR OF MARBLES RETURN

[13] PAPANDREOU-PIQUE-SOLANA MEETING ON EUROARMY FRUITLESS

[14] GERMANS SUPPORT GREEK DEMAND FOR OCCUPATION INDMENITIES

[01] SIMITIS' STATEMENTS AFTER THE MEETING ON SOCIAL POLICY

The government gives a priority to social policy, stated Prime Minister Kostas Simitis and pointed out that the convergence of the Greek living standards with the rest European Union is the main goal of the country and the government.

Mr. Simitis stated that a special body will be formed to watch the government actions in the sector of social protection and underlined that the goal of the government is a society of prosperity and cohesion without exclusions. He said, however, that the government efforts are not enough and issued an appeal to social partners, the Church, and the non governmental organizations to contribute to the efforts. He pointed out that a social forum will be created for a permanent and structured dialogue between the state and the society of citizens.

Mr. Simitis stated that the society of tomorrow is a society of prosperity and cohesion, adding that social isolation is not accepted as a necessary evil.

[02] SIMITIS-GEORGIEFSKI MEETING

Prime Minister of FYROM Ljupco Georgiefski will meet with Prime Minister Kostas Simitis, Foreign Minister Giorgos Papandreou and Minister of Culture Evaggelos Venizelos. Mr. Georgiefski arrived in Athens last night in order to participate in The Economist Magazine conference.

The FYROM official is expected to ask the Greek government to speed up the procedure of putting the Greek restructure plan of Southeastern Europe into effect, with a budget of 550 million euro, of which 95 million is for projects to be materialized in FYROM. He will also ask Greece to take up initiative within the framework of NATO and the EU, for the development and stability of the Balkans.

Tomorrow Ljupco Georgiefski will speak at The Economist magazine conference. His speech will be concentrated on the situation of FYROM and the broader region.

[03] GREECE INSISTS IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE UN DECISIONS ON THE MIDDLE EAST

The government insists in the implementation of the UN decisions and the opening of consultations for the creation of a Palestinian state, reiterated today government spokesman Christos Protopapas condemning any form of violence.

Every attack leads to the reproduction of a circle of violence and blood, stated Mr. Protopapas, adding that yesterday Foreign Minister Giorgos Papandreou had a new telephone communication with his Israeli counterpart Simon Peres aimed at settling the details for his visit to Ramallah with his Turkish counterpart Ismail Cem.

Mr. Protopapas stated that the Greek government will be represented by the Ministry of Transportation and Communications General Secretary in the formal reception that will be given today by the Israeli ambassador to Athens on the occasion of the anniversary of the creation of the state of Israel.

He also condemned every form of vandalism targeting Israeli monuments and cemeteries characterizing it as an unacceptable and barbaric act, while he reminded that in difficult times the Greeks protected and took care of the Jewish people.

[04] THE FYROM PRIME MINISTER IN FAVOR OF THE RETURN OF THE PARTHENON MARBLES

FYROM Prime Minister Ljupco Georgievski in statements he made after the meeting he had with Greek Culture Minister Evangelos Venizelos expressed his support to the return of the Parthenon Marbles to Greece.

The FYROM Prime Minister, who is on a visit to Greece, stated that cooperation in the sector of culture has intensified in view of the 2004 Olympic Games.

Mr. Venizelos referred to the cooperation he had with Mr. Georgievski in the past and stated that he is happy because Mr. Georgievski referred to the big energy plans. He said that both the Skopje refinery and the Thessaloniki-Skopje oil pipeline are two big plans that are in full progress. The oil pipeline is a real axis of stability and peace, while culture is also a bridge of peace, said Mr. Venizelos.

[05] BIG GAINS IN THE ASE

Big gains were recorded in the Athens Stock Exchange today. The general index rose to +1.50% at 2.202,11 points, while the volume of transactions was 92 million Euro or 31.3 billion drachmas.

Of the stocks trading today, 281 recorded gains and 52 had losses, while the value of 44 stocks remained unchanged.

[06] INFLATION AT 2.5% IN THE EURO-ZONE

Inflation in the Euro-zone increased marginally in the month of March to 2.5% compared to 2.4% in February.

The consumer price index increased by 0.6% on a monthly basis, an increase which lies within the analysts' estimates.

The structural inflation increased to 2.5% on an annual basis and by 0.6% compared to February.

[07] TURKISH TOURIST BUSINESSES SEEK PARTNERSHIPS IN GREECE

Turkish tourist businesses have expressed an especially increased interest, both for deepening cooperation with corresponding Greek businesses, as well as for their participation in the organizing of the next international PHILOXENIA exhibition of HELEXPO.

These were the messages received by HELEXPO staff members during PHILOXENIA's participation in the EMITT Exhibition held from April 3-7 in Istanbul. PHILOXENIA's participation took place in the framework of the materialization of an extrovert programme for the promotion of tourist markets in Southeastern Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean.

During the four days of the exhibition, the agreement between EMITT and PHILOXENIA for exchange of exhibition grounds in future events was renewed. HELEXPO staff members had the opportunity to inform exhibitors and visitors about PHILOXENIA, which is the most significant tourism exhibition in the broader Eastern Mediterranean, as well as to promote tourism in Greece, especially it's new alternative forms.

The next PHILOXENIA will take place from October 31 to November 3, 2002. All interested parties can get information and apply until August 30 to Mrs. Chrysa Krassa, tel: 0310291293, fax: 0310291554, e-mail:philoxenia@helexpo.gr

[08] AID TO AFGHANS

Two military C-130 aircraft are leaving for Afghanistan today from the Elefsina airport, carrying humanitarian aid to Afghan refugees. The aid consists of food, medicine and clothes.

[09] GENOA INITIATIVE 2001 MEETING

A meeting of the European Social Forum is being organized by Genoa 2001, on Friday 19, at 6pm at the offices of the Journalists' Union of Athens Daily Newspapers in Athens.

In an announcement it is mentioned that the Genoa Initiative 2001 observed massive response of activists to a series of events in Athens, Thessaloniki, and Ioannina, on April 8,10, and 11. The activists adopted the resolution for the initiative of creating the Greek chapter of the European Social Forum.

[10] THE "15" ASK TURKEY TO SUPPORT CLERIDES-DENKTASH MEETING

Cyprus' course towards its accession was the main issue of the standing Connection Council of the EU-Turkey in Luxembourg.

The common position of the member-states of the EU towards Ankara, presented by the 15 Foreign Ministers to the Turkish side, was very satisfactory to Greece and Cyprus.

The 15 asked Turkey to actively support inter-community discussions on finding a solution to the Cyprus issue, based on UN resolutions.

Today, Turkey, as a candidate country, is being inspected through a political framework on a series of issues concerning the country's democratic functions, its interior reforms, human rights and issues concerning Greek-Turkish relations on resolving the Cyprus issue, stated Foreign Minister Giorgos Papandreou.

The 15 avoided committing themselves to when accession procedures for Turkey will commence, despite systematic and intense pressures from Ankara on EU capitals, so that the date of accession procedures may be announced at the Summit Meeting on the enlargement in Copenhagen this December.

The EU Foreign Ministers recommended move as quickly as possible to achieving the political criteria of Copenhagen.

They made it clear that the state of human rights in Turkey is still worrying and that it must improve.

[11] GERMANY BACKS THE BASIC AXES OF THE GREEK FOREIGN POLICY

German Deputy Foreign Minister Kristof Tsopel, in statements he made after the meeting he had yesterday with Minister of Macedonia-Thrace Giorgos Paschalidis in Berlin, expressed his full support to the three basic axes of the Greek foreign policy namely, Cyprus' EU accession, the Greek Balkan policy and the Greek-Turkish relations.

The German Deputy Foreign Minister stated that Greece is for Germany an EU partner with which the geopolitical future of the enlargement procedure should be discussed. He underlined his government's position that it is in favor of the Cyprus accession into the EU even in the case in which no solution is found to the political problem.

Referring to the Balkans, Mr. Tsopel stated that he agreed with Mr. Paschalidis that Greece's northern neighbors need economic support aimed at bringing them closer to the EU in the next 15 years and finally, become its members.

On the Greek-Turkish relations, Mr. Tsopel expressed his support to the Greek-Turkish rapprochement policy and stated that the German government is willing to contribute to this historic procedure. He also characterized as an important step the signing of an agreement a few days ago for the construction of a pipeline carrying natural gas from central Asia to Greece via Turkey.

Mr. Tsopel stated that the initiative on the Middle East undertaken by the Foreign Ministers of Greece and Turkey is useful, adding that it is also a pleasant surprise.

[12] ATTORNEY- ELGIN DESCENDANT IN FAVOR OF MARBLES RETURN

An attorney, a descendant of Lord Elgin, will represent Greek shipowners in court in the lawsuit they have filed against the UK government for the return of the Parthenon Marbles. Criminal attorney Bruce Tattersal, who is, according to the "Independant", a nephew of Lord Elgin's great-grandmother, supports that his ancestor illegally took hold of the Parthenon Sculptures.

The Greek shipowners' lawsuit is also supported by former judge Sir Louis Blom-Cooper, based on civil law, specifically the law pertaining to theft. The attorneys of the Greek shipowners support that Lord Elgin never acquired a title of ownership of the Parthenon Marbles from official authorities according to Ottoman, Greek and British legislature.

[13] PAPANDREOU-PIQUE-SOLANA MEETING ON EUROARMY FRUITLESS

The meeting of Foreign Minister Giorgos Papandreou and his Spanish counterpart Josep Pique and the representative on Joint Foreign Policy and Defense Issues Xavier Solana, in Luxembourg yesterday, was fruitless.

There was great difference of opinions at the meeting, as the Greek side continues not to accept the US-UK text on Turkey's relations to the Euroarmy, which was signed in Ankara.

Mr. Papandreou will meet with Mr. Solana and the Secretary General of NATO George Robertson in Athens tomorrow. Mr. Solana and Mr. Robertson will meet with Mr. Simitis on Thursday.

[14] GERMANS SUPPORT GREEK DEMAND FOR OCCUPATION INDMENITIES

A group of Germans took over the German Parliament on Saturday. The Germans, who had the permission of the police, symbolically seized the building to pay the damages claimed by the relatives of the slaughter victims of the Germans in Distomo in 1944.

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