Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 02-06-03

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

CONTENTS

[01] KARAMANLIS AGAINST SIMITIS

[02] LOSSES IN THE ASE

[03] THE PARLIAMENT PRESIDENT MET WITH THE AMBASSADORS OF INDIA AND TURKEY

[04] THE JUSTICE MINISTRY GENERAL SECRETARY HAS RESIGNED

[05] SKARAMAGA SHIPYARDS IN GERMAN HANDS

[06] THE GREEK PRESIDENT IS IN SINGAPORE

[07] GREEK AND CHINESE DELEGATIONS SIGNED AN AGREEMENT AND TWO PROTOCOLS

[08] SIMITIS MEETS CHINESE PRESIDENT

[01] KARAMANLIS AGAINST SIMITIS

Right-wing main opposition party of New Democracy leader Kostas Karamanlis launched a verbal attack against the government and Prime Minister Kostas Simitis speaking in the meeting of his party parliament deputies.

The peculiar absence of government continues, said Mr. Karamanlis, and accused Prime Minister Simitis of following a tactic that brings division among the Greek people. The government does not operate in unity, while the government ministers are unable to communicate with each other and every day the Prime Minister is proved to be unable to govern.

Referring to his leading party members, he said that the roles they have today do not mean that they have secured specific government posts.

Mr. Karamanlis stated that unity on issues of national importance is given and launched an attack on the Prime Minister because he did not brief him enough on the changes that were made on the Euro-army text.

He also expressed concern on the course of the economy and spoke about a mismanagement in the materialization of the 3rd Community Framework of Support, stressing that New Democracy will begin to govern the country by making a fiscal inventory.

[02] LOSSES IN THE ASE

Losses were recorded in the Athens Stock Exchange today. The general index dropped to -0.79% at 2.279,5 points, while the volume of transactions was at 99.7 million Euro or 34 billion drachmas.

Of the stocks trading today, 105 recorded gains and 204 had losses, while the value of 64 stocks remained unchanged.

[03] THE PARLIAMENT PRESIDENT MET WITH THE AMBASSADORS OF INDIA AND TURKEY

Greek Parliament President Apostolos Kaklamanis met with the ambassadors of India and Turkey in Athens.

The latest developments in Kashmir were among the issues discussed in the meeting with the ambassador of India. The diplomat called on the international community to exert pressures on Pakistan to stop the tactic it follows, pointing out that for 20 years India is the victim of terrorism.

Mr. Kaklamanis also met with the Turkish ambassador to Athens, stressing that the Cyprus issue remains the thorn in the Papandreou-Cem efforts which are aimed at the Greek-Turkish rapprochement. The Turkish ambassador stated that the Papandreou-Cem effort must continue expressing the hope that the results will be positive. He also suggested a rapprochement of the two parliaments through Friendship Groups.

Mr. Kaklamanis stated that actions should be undertaken that will respect the feeling of the public opinion and will be effective. He also underlined that the Greek parliament has helped in the promotion of the Greek-Turkish relations through the immediate ratification of the low policy contracts that promote bilateral cooperation.

[04] THE JUSTICE MINISTRY GENERAL SECRETARY HAS RESIGNED

Justice Ministry General Secretary Prodromos Asimiadis submitted his resignation today after the escape last Monday of 31yearold American criminal Peter Sedom, who was serving a life sentence in Koridallos Prison.

Undersecretary of Press Tilemachos Hitiris stated that Mr. Asimiadis resigned in response to the escape and his resignation was accepted.

[05] SKARAMAGA SHIPYARDS IN GERMAN HANDS

The Skaramagas shipyards passed into German possession, after a contract was signed in the offices of ETBAbank on Friday, for the transfer of all of the company's stocks to the German HDW-Ferostaal joint venture.

The total amount of the transaction was 47.1 million euro specifically 6.1 million euro for the stocks' cost and 41 million euro for the increase of Hellenic Shipyards SA's stock capital and was paid to corresponding bank accounts in ETBAbank in cash.

Immediately after the signing, the German Group representatives, headed by CEOs Mr. Lederer and Mr. Von Menges, the CEO of ETBAbank, Iakovos Georganas, as well as the rest of the members of the departing Board of Directors of Hellenic Shipyards SA, visited the Skaramagas shipyards facilities, where they met with worker representatives.

Minister of Economy and Finance, Nikos Christodoulakis, and Development, Akis Tsohatzopoulos, joined the meeting later and expressed their satisfaction with the completion of the agreement, and wished it every success. At the ceremony following the signing, Mr. Tsohatzopoulos expressed his belief that the Skaramagas shipyards are entering a new era. He also stated the shipyards will support defense, as well as Greece's construction potential, in the marine construction sector.

The Minister of Development thanked Mr. Georganas for his contribution to the successful completion of negotiations, while he assured the German company representatives that they made a good choice. Here in Greece, a nautical repair, construction and technological base will be built, which will affect the entire Eastern Mediterranean and Eurasia regions, and will contribute to the dynamic promotion of European industry in this new era, he stressed.

Referring to the new plans and prospects of the shipyards, the new investors' representatives expressed their confidence in the prospects of Greece's economy, and their appreciation on major utilization of Greek technical potential in this new cooperation.

However, the Development shadow Minister of New Democracy, Athanasios Nakos, asked for the specifics of the terms by which the sale was made, while he made innuendoes concerning debts in the billions and made mention of a failed privatization.

Mr. Nakos called the Development Minister to tell him whether there are agreements apart from those in the declaration, for the repair of existing submarines or navy ships for example, and what will happen concerning the deficits from the initiation of the tender, as well as if there are consequences from the criminal provisions on the delays in delivering the OSE rail material.

In any case, the first investment programme for modernization and expansion to be put into effect immediately, will absorb more than 44 million euro in capital.

[06] THE GREEK PRESIDENT IS IN SINGAPORE

Greek President Kostis Stephanopoulos met today with President of Singapore S.R. Nathan within the framework of his two-day stay in the country on his way to Australia and New Zealand where he will be on a formal visit on June 4-11.

In the meeting with his Greek counterpart, Mr. Nathan expressed interest in the development of bilateral economic and cultural relations.

In statements to MPA, Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs Yiannis Magriotis, who is accompanying the President, stated that the talks focused on the economic cooperation potential as Singapore is the economic center of a wider zone. The two Presidents discussed the likelihood of joint actions for the promotion of investments from Singapore to Eastern Europe and from Europe to the region of Singapore, as well as cooperation issues in the sectors of culture and tourism.

President Stephanopoulos will depart for Australia tomorrow morning and he is expected in Melbourne later that afternoon.

[07] GREEK AND CHINESE DELEGATIONS SIGNED AN AGREEMENT AND TWO PROTOCOLS

An agreement to avoid double taxation and two bilateral cooperation protocols for the promotion of forest policy issues and the Greek olive oil in China were signed in Beijing today in the presence of Prime Minister Kostas Simitis and his Chinese counterpart. In an earlier meeting, the two Prime Ministers had underlined the traditional cultural relations shared by the two countries.

Mr. Simitis gave an emphasis to bilateral economic cooperation and stated that the sector of the economy will become a bridge between Greece and China.

The Chinese Prime Minister welcomed Mr. Simitis, pointing out that it is the first visit of a Greek Prime Minister to China in the last 16 years and stressed that it coincides with the 30th anniversary of the bilateral diplomatic relations. He also stressed that Greece's long history and ancient civilization as well as the successes of modern Greece in every sector have made a great impression to the Chinese.

[08] SIMITIS MEETS CHINESE PRESIDENT

Mr. Simitis will meet with Chinese President Jiang Zemin and Prime Minister Zhu Rongji today, in the framework of his six-day official visit to Beijing that started on Sunday. During these meetings bilateral agreements of cooperation will be signed and further cooperation potential in view of Greece's Presidency of the European Union and the Olympics in Athens will be discussed.

Tomorrow, Mr. Simitis will speak at the Chinese and Greek Businessmen Forum in Beijing and will then meet the President of the National People's Congress, Mr. Lee Peng in the People's House, where he will speak to teachers and students.

On Wednesday, he will visit the Xian Province and then Shanghai on Thursday, where on the following day, he will meet with the Forum of Greek and Chinese Businessmen. The Prime Minister will also visit the Shanghai development zone and the Latsis Group marble factory.

Mr. Simitis is accompanied by Foreign Minister Giorgos Papandreou and Minister of the Press Christos Protopapas, as well as Deputy Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Andreas Loverdos, and Development, Dimitris Georgakopoulos. There are also 50 Greek businessmen on the trip with them.

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