Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 02-05-07

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

CONTENTS

[01] NEW ROUND OF TALKS ON CYPRUS

[02] SIMITIS CERTAIN OF ELECTORAL VICTORY

[03] TRAGIC DEATH TOLL FOR THE EASTER HOLIDAY TRAVELERS

[04] GREEK-TURKISH COOPERATION CONFERENCE

[05] ONE IN SIX GREEKS IS OVER 65

[06] GREEK INVESTORS IN ROMANIA

[07] AN AUSTRIAN IS MISSING IN CHALKIDIKI

[08] SIMEON IN THESSALONIKI MT. ATHOS

[01] NEW ROUND OF TALKS ON CYPRUS

A new round of direct talks on Cyprus will open in Nicosia this afternoon between Cypriot President Glafkos Clerides and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash in the presence of UN secretary-general special adviser on Cyprus Alvaro de Soto.

Mr. de Soto, who has arrived on the island, earlier had visited New York where he had briefed UN secretary-general Kofi Anan, the five permanent members of the UN Security Council and the council's plenary session on the course of the talks.

Meanwhile, Mr. Anan is also expected to visit Cyprus. The US government has expressed satisfaction for his intention because it is a proof of the importance attributed by the UN and the international community to the efforts for the solution of the Cyprus problem.

[02] SIMITIS CERTAIN OF ELECTORAL VICTORY

Prime Minister Kostas Simitis appeared certain of his victory in the 2004 elections, and he attacked New Democracy, during his speech at a party meeting in Rhodes last night.

The Greek people will renew its trust in PASOK, said Mr. Simitis, and he accused New Democracy of having no program, no positions, and no proposals. It is trying to cover up its lack of a program with insults, and has identified with deviation instead of convergence. He charged the Opposition with hypocrisy and audacity for characterizing PASOK as the establishment. He noted that it was PASOK that tore the conservative establishment down, prominent members of which, belong to and express New Democracy today.

He refuted scenarios concerning early elections once more, which he characterized as ridiculous, and he underlined that if Greece wants stability as a country, then elections should be held every four years.

The Prime Minister stated that the next sixth months will be crucial in achieving Greece's major goals, and he referred to the Greek Presidency of the EU, the Olympics, the social securities issue, and convergence with the EU average.

Concerning the municipal and prefectural elections, he appealed to all progressive citizens to consolidate.

The reaction from the Opposition came from New Democracy Press Spokesperson, Thodoris Roussopoulos, who laconically stated:

Even during Easter, the Prime Minister chose to send messages of division and from an area near the borders no less. We will not follow him. Let the Greek people judge him, he stated.

[03] TRAGIC DEATH TOLL FOR THE EASTER HOLIDAY TRAVELERS

The death toll for the Easter Holiday travelers in Greece was heavy again this year.

A total of 59 people were killed and 632 were injured, 83 seriously, in 480 traffic accidents recorded in a period of 10 days.

[04] GREEK-TURKISH COOPERATION CONFERENCE

The Greek-Turkish Business Cooperation Association and the Greek-Turkish Trade Chamber jointly organize the 5th Greek-Turkish Business Cooperation Conference that will take place in Istanbul on May 31-June 1, 2002.

During the conference, the Greek businessmen will have the chance to meet with their Turkish colleagues and brief each other on their markets, the products they represent and the existing prospects of cooperation.

[05] ONE IN SIX GREEKS IS OVER 65

A 17.2% of the Greek population is placed in the age group of over 65, while 3.5% is over 85. As a result, the elderly population problem in Greece is as a very serious one as it puts Greece at the third place among the European Union countries. It is estimated that a 20.6% of the population will be over the age of 65 in 2020.

In the rest of the EU, the situation has as follows regarding the elderly population percentage compared to the overall population. Namely, the elderly in Germany make up 15.8% of the overall population, in France 15.9%, Italy 18%, Holland 13.6%, Belgium 16.8%, Luxembourg 14.3%, Britain 15.6%, Ireland 11.2%, Denmark 14.8%, Spain 16.7%, Portugal 15.3%, Finland 14.8%, Austria 15.5% and Sweden 17.3%.

[06] GREEK INVESTORS IN ROMANIA

Romania is still at the top of the Greek investors' priority list as the specific country is placed at the top of the list of southeastern European countries where considerable Greek investments were made in the past few years.

In the first nine months of 2001, the Greek investments in Romania reached US$30 million further strengthening the Greek investment presence in the country. The registered Greek interest companies in Romania are 1.879, however, many of them are not active today.

Even though the official statistics figures place Greece sixth in the foreign investors list, with a 7% share in the overall invested capital, it is estimated that in reality is among the three top economic players.

[07] AN AUSTRIAN IS MISSING IN CHALKIDIKI

A 34yearold Austrian national is missing in the region of Limni in Kassandra, Chalkidiki northern Greece since yesterday. The missing man is Robert Launder, who was doing repair work on a boat.

In the search operation participate five Coastguard patrol boats, while a search is conducted by ground teams. A Greek Air Force plane also participates in the search efforts.

[08] SIMEON IN THESSALONIKI MT. ATHOS

Prime Minister of Bulgaria Simeon Saxe-Coburg Gotha, will make his first visit to Thessaloniki on Thursday May 9, in order to travel to Mt. Athos on Friday and Saturday.

At 9pm on Thursday he will meet with the Minister of Macedonia-Thrace, Giorgos Paschalidis, and they will discuss bilateral cooperation issues, continuing discussions they had a short while ago in Sofia, and in the framework of what was decided during the Prime Minister Simiti's visit to Bulgaria.

During the following two days, the Prime Minister of Bulgaria will take a tour of Mt. Athos, and he is mainly interested in the Holy Zografos Convent, where there are Bulgarian monks.

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