Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 02-11-13

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

CONTENTS

[01] RAPID PROCEDURES TO APPROVE THE ANNAN PLAN

[02] SUPPORT PROTEST FOR N17 SUSPECT

[03] THE GREEK PARLIAMENT PRESIDENT MET WITH THE OSCE PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY

[04] THE ND POSITION ON THE ANNAN PLAN

[05] SIMITIS: THE ANNAN PLAN IS A STARTING POINT FOR NEGOTIATION

[06] PRIME MINISTER SIMITIS DELIVERED THE ANNAN PLAN TO THE CABINET MEMBERS

[07] LOSSES IN THE ASE

[08] EUROPEAN COMMISSION: THE GREEK ECONOMY GROWTH RATE WILL SLOWDOWN

[09] CURRENT TRANSACTIONS BALANCE SURPLUS IN AUGUST

[10] THE ANNAN PLAN DOES NOT CREATE A NEW STATE IN CYPRUS

[11] GREEK AID TO BALKANS AND CUBA

[01] RAPID PROCEDURES TO APPROVE THE ANNAN PLAN

There are rapid procedures to discuss the plan presented by UN Secretary General Kofi Annan on the resolving of the Cyprus solution.

No later than February 28, 2003, the leaders of the two communities will finalize the Agreement Plan, which must be their first and foremost goal and that of their governments. They must limit their activities to works which are absolutely necessary for the functioning of their governments, taking into account the letter and the spirit of the Agreement Plan.

With this strict provision, the UN Secretary General gives the two sides the desirable time limit in which they must complete their negotiations, setting yet another landmark in the history of the Cyprus issue.

The time plan set by Kofi Annan's basis for the Agreement on the complete resolving of the Cyprus problem may not be committing, it is however related to EU works, and clearly sets the framework in which negotiations must move in view of Copenhagen and the agreement to sign the Accession Treaties for the 10 new EU candidate countries on April 16, in Athens.

[02] SUPPORT PROTEST FOR N17 SUSPECT

A support march has been organized to take place in Athens today, for Giannis Serifis, suspect in the November 17 case awaiting trial in Corydallos Penitentiary.

At 5pm, the Consolidation Against State Terrorism has programmed a motorcycle car protest drive against the holding conditions of the N17 suspects, which will start from the Mars Field and end at Corydallos.

The police will take measures in order to prevent incidents during the protest.

Meanwhile, within Corydallos, many of the suspects are still refusing to eat. The Xeros brothers have been refusing for several days, while Savvas Xeros, who has undergone surgery on his eyes and hands, refused to take his medication yesterday. Eight of the eleven suspects in the women's wing are also refusing to eat.

The only suspects to receive their meals regularly are Patroklos Tselentis, Dionysis Georgiadis and Kostas Tellios.

[03] THE GREEK PARLIAMENT PRESIDENT MET WITH THE OSCE PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT

Greek Parliament President Apostolos Kaklamanis expressed the hope that there will be serious, reliable and responsible negotiations that will lead to a fair solution for the Cyprus problem that will respect International Law and be operational. The statements were made by Mr. Kaklamanis in the meeting he had in Athens today with OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President and British Parliament Defense Committee Chairman, Mr. Bruce George.

Mr. George assured Mr. Kaklamanis that the OSCE will watch the issue closely and expressed the hope that there will be good and tough negotiations to reach an agreement that will satisfy both sides.

Mr. Kaklamanis discussed with the British official the issue of the return of the Parthenon Marbles to Greece, even on a temporary basis, so that visitors from around the world will have the opportunity to have a complete picture of the Parthenon at the Acropolis in Athens. Mr. George stated that he will convey this position to the board of directors of the British Museum where the Parhenon Marbles are kept.

In the meeting, they also confirmed the excellent cooperation between the OSCE and the Greek Parliament for stability, peace and security in Europe. They discussed the actions that will have to be undertaken, particularly in eastern Mediterranean where peace, stability and security are put at risk as a result of the multiple conflict hotbeds in the region.

[04] THE ND POSITION ON THE ANNAN PLAN

The proposal of right-wing main opposition party of New Democracy according to which, a meeting of the Political Party Leaders' Council should be held on the issue of Cyprus chaired by the President of the Republic, was reiterated by ND leader Kostas Karamanlis. Mr. Karamanlis made the statement after a meeting on the Annan plan held at the party offices in Athens this afternoon.

Mr. Karamanlis stated that the state structure and the system of government suggested by the plan are problematic which means that there will be a functional problem. He also said that certain points of the plan are not harmonized with the European standards.

The leader of New Democracy stated that a great effort and tough negotiations are needed to achieve a viable and operational solution harmonized with the European institutions.

Mr. Karamanlis stated that the solution of the Cyprus problem is not a precondition for Cyprus' EU accession and this means that even in the case that no solution is reached Cyprus will become a member of the European Union.

[05] SIMITIS: THE ANNAN PLAN IS A STARTING POINT FOR NEGOTIATION

The Annan plan is a starting point for negotiation and is not final, stressed Prime Minister Kostas Simitis speaking to the members of his cabinet today. According to government spokesman Christos Protopapas, the Prime Minister pointed out that the Greek side has displayed a sense of responsibility through the years and persuaded the International Community that Greece and Cyprus want the solution of the Cyprus problem.

By refusing dialogue this impression will be overturned, said Mr. Simitis and underlined that this is the last chance for a solution to the Cyprus problem. He reminded that ideas and proposals had been presented by the UN in the past but this is a complete plan. He also stated that this is an unusual move that will be hard to be repeated because the UN cannot put its prestige at risk through continuous dead end efforts.

The Prime Minister also stated that for the negotiation to be constructive attention should not be paid to symbolism of minor importance. He stressed that if the plan is rejected the International Community will have to be persuaded that the reasons on which the rejection of the plan was based were valid. He also stated that if there is no solution nothing can rule out that the occupation forces will become accepted by the International Community in 10 or 20 years.

Responding to questions by reporters, Mr. Protopapas stated that if the negotiations have an outcome it will be a positive development because it will strengthen security and have a positive effect on the Greek-Turkish relations.

[06] PRIME MINISTER SIMITIS DELIVERED THE ANNAN PLAN TO THE CABINET MEMBERS

Greek Prime Minister Kostas Simitis, who delivered the Annan plan to the members of his cabinet calling them to study it carefully, predicted that the negotiations will be tough. He reiterated that the Cypriot government and the Cypriot people will have the final word for the approval or the rejection of the plan. He also gave the assurance that Greece will offer its assistance and support during the negotiations with the other side and in the international campaign that is necessary in order to find a solution to the Cyprus problem.

Mr. Simitis referred to the current international situation and stressed that it is probably the last chance for the solution of the Cyprus problem through the UN, underlining that Greece and Cyprus have requested the activation of the international organization toward this direction. Mr. Simitis pointed out that there is a risk for the Cyprus problem to remain unsolved if it continues to be a pending issue. He also underlined that there are certain ones who do not want the negotiation and maintain that the solution will come at some point.

He reiterated that Cyprus' EU accession is not associated with the solution of the Cyprus problem and pointed out that the political decision for its EU accession will be reached in Copenhagen, while the process will be completed in Athens on April 16.

Foreign Minister Giorgos Papandreou briefed the cabinet members on the main points of the plan. The Foreign Affairs Parliamentary Committee will meet tomorrow and the Foreign Minister will brief the Parliament deputies on the Annan plan.

[07] LOSSES IN THE ASE

Losses were recorded in the Athens Stock Exchange today. The general index dropped to -1.49% at 1.800,98 points, while the volume of transactions was small at 66.6 million Euro.

The negative climate in the ASE was strengthened considerably by the publicizing of the European Commission fall report according to which, the growth rate will slowdown, while inflation will be maintained at high levels.

Of the stocks trading today, the overwhelming majority of 262 had losses and 59 recorded gains, while the value of 52 stocks remained unchanged.

[08] EUROPEAN COMMISSION: THE GREEK ECONOMY GROWTH RATE WILL SLOWDOWN

The European Commission economic analysts predicted that the growth rate of the Greek economy will slowdown to 3.5% this year, compared to 3.7% which was the initial prediction. The above are included in the European Commission economic analysts fall report that was issued today.

The European Commission estimates that the Greek economy will have a growth rate of 3.9% next year compared to 4.2% which was its initial prediction, while in 2004 it will be at 3.7%.

The fiscal deficit in Greece is estimated at 1.3% of the GDP in 2002 and at 1.1% of the GDP in 2003 and 2004. In addition, Greece's debt will drop to 105.8% of the GDP compared to 107% in 2001, while in 2003 it will drop even further to 102%. The European Commission also predicts that Greece's debt in 2004 will drop to 98.5% of the GDP.

Regarding inflation, the European Commission predicts that the Greek price index will be at 3.8%, compared to 3.6% it had predicted last spring, while for 2003 it reiterated its spring prediction for inflation of 3.2%.

On unemployment, the European Commission changed its prediction for 2003 maintaining that the unemployment rate will increase to 9.4% instead of 9.3% it had predicted earlier.

[09] CURRENT TRANSACTIONS BALANCE SURPLUS IN AUGUST

A surplus of 146 million Euro was recorded in the current transactions balance in August. However, the deficit in the first eight months of 2002 was increased by 422 million Euro compared to the same period last year a fact that proves the Greek economy's weakness in terms of competitiveness.

Based on a statement issued by the Bank of Greece, the current transactions balance had a surplus of 146 million in August compared to 26 million Euro in the same period last year.

[10] THE ANNAN PLAN DOES NOT CREATE A NEW STATE IN CYPRUS

Greek Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs Andreas Loverdos stated in Parliament today that the Annan plan for the solution of the Cyprus problem does not create a new state but it provides for the continuation of the old one.

From his side, right-wing main opposition party of New Democracy honorary President Konstantinos Mitsotakis wished that this assurance will be confirmed adding, however, that he is not absolutely certain about it.

Mr. Loverdos clarified that the plan follows the models adopted in Western Europe and specifically, in Belgium and Switzerland.

[11] GREEK AID TO BALKANS AND CUBA

The reconstruction of the Social Institutions building in Sarajevo, which is the first project to be funded by the Greek Plan for the Financial Reconstruction of the Balkan, was discussed yesterday by Deputy Foreign Minister Andreas Loverdos and the Ambassador of Bosnia-Herzegovina, L. Zukovic. The Ambassador thanked Greece for its help to his country and asked this help to extend to the health sector.

Mr. Loverdos also met with the Cuban Ambassador J. Quesada Cnception. They discussed the meeting of the Joint Ministerial Committee in the next three months for the promotion of 1.5 million euro worth of Greek aid to Cuba.

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