Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 03-02-07

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

CONTENTS

[01] DIPLOMACY FOR A PEACEFUL SOLUTION

[02] THE TOP OF ELA'S PYRAMID ARRESTED

[03] FROST BITING!

[04] THE PRESIDENT OF THE SWISS CONFEDERATION WILL VISIT ATHENS

[05] THESSALONIKI'S BID TO HOST EXPO 2008

[06] GAINS IN THE ASE

[07] SIMITIS' TELEPHONE COMMUNICATION WITH SCHROEDER AND JUNCKER

[08] GOV'T SPOKESMAN ON THE RESIGNATION OF GIORGOS PANTAGIAS

[09] EUROPEAN COMMISSION MEETING ON EMPLOYMENT IN GREVENA

[10] MPS APPEAL AGAINST WAR

[11] TWO ELA SUSPECTS TAKEN TO CORYDALLOS

[12] PAPANDREOU: STILL HOPE FOR A PEACEFUL SOLUTION IN IRAQ

[13] THE EUROPEAN UNION SOCIAL FACE

[01] DIPLOMACY FOR A PEACEFUL SOLUTION

G. Papandreou is in Egypt in the framework of the efforts to find a diplomatic solution to the crisis, while it was this country's Foreign Minister had convinced Saddam Hussein to accept the inspectors. Military installations, but no army will be disposed by Turkey. The inspectors are returning to Iraq, D. Rumsfeld is visiting Munich and Rome.

[02] THE TOP OF ELA'S PYRAMID ARRESTED

Chief of the Greek Police Fotis Nasiakos confirmed the completion of the arrests of ELA's leadership, while he did not rule out the arrest of further outside cooperators. All four suspect members are awaiting trial, although only Mr. Tsigaridas has admitted once being a member of ELA.

[03] FROST BITING!

Intense weather phenomena have been recorded all over the country, resulting in problems in transportations in mountain towns and villages in many prefectures, while travel is impossible in any mountainous region without skid chains. Temperatures are extremely low, while ship itineraries have been cancelled and flights are difficult.

[04] THE PRESIDENT OF THE SWISS CONFEDERATION WILL VISIT ATHENS

President of Swiss Confederation Pascal Couchepin will be on a working visit to Athens next Monday and Tuesday.

He will be received by Greek President Kostis Stephanopoulos and have meetings with Prime Minister Kostas Simitis, Public Order Minister Michalis Chrisochoidis, Finance Minister Nikos Christodoulakis and the ambassador of Switzerland to Athens.

[05] THESSALONIKI'S BID TO HOST EXPO 2008

Thessaloniki's candidature plan on EXPO 2008 was characterized by Exhibitions' International Office General Secretary Mr. V. Loscertales as an interesting plan that includes all necessary elements that could lead to its approval.

Specifically, Mr. Loscertales stated that Thessaloniki's candidature plan has the support of its people and the Greek government.

Greek Culture Minister Evangelos Venizelos met with Mr. Loscertales in Paris and pointed out that Thessaloniki has many advantages like the know-how from the Olympic Games and its geographic position.

[06] GAINS IN THE ASE

Gains were recorded in the Athens Stock Exchange today. The general index rose to +1.28% at 1.674,20 points, while the volume of transactions was at 59.7 million euros.

Of the stocks trading today, 233 recorded gains and 81 had losses, while the value of 57 stocks remained unchanged.

[07] SIMITIS' TELEPHONE COMMUNICATION WITH SCHROEDER AND JUNCKER

Greek Prime Minister Kostas Simitis had telephone communications with German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder and Luxembourg Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker to discuss the situation in Iraq.

Greek government spokesman Christos Protopapas stated that Prime Minister Kostas Simitis in the discussion he had with the two leaders had the opportunity to exchange views on the crisis in Iraq and assess the conditions created after the statements made by US Secretary of State Colin Powell.

[08] GOV'T SPOKESMAN ON THE RESIGNATION OF GIORGOS PANTAGIAS

Greek government spokesman Christos Protopapas refused to comment on the statement made yesterday by Mr. Giorgos Pantagias, former adviser of Prime Minister Kostas Simitis, and stated characteristically that we do not comment on statements made by simple citizens.

The government spokesman stated that the issue of Mr. Pantagias' resignation has been closed, while referring to whether he will run in the next parliamentary elections, he stated that this is an issue that will concern the party.

[09] EUROPEAN COMMISSION MEETING ON EMPLOYMENT IN GREVENA

The European Commission meeting on employment will take place in the prefecture of Grevena, northwestern Greece, on February 19-21 within the framework of the Greek EU Presidency. Greek Undersecretary of Labor Eleftherios Tziolas characterized the meeting as very important for employment issues both at a European and a Greek level.

Mr. Tziolas stated that the meeting in Grevena is regarded as very important because its conclusions and proposals will concern the European Employment Strategy revision and the evaluation of the Lisbon agreement implementation course.

The meeting will be held with the participation of about 60 representatives (undersecretaries, general secretaries, general directors) from the 15 EU member states.

[10] MPS APPEAL AGAINST WAR

An appeal to avert the war was made in a document signed by 66 MPs, from governing PASOK party and main opossition party of New Democracy, although the opposition. has not officially taken a position on the issue. The appeal was signed all 68 parliamentary editors.

Meanwhile, another document against the war in Iraq, signed by hundreds of Greeks and thousands of Europeans, will be delivered to the UN offices in Athens, by PASOK EuroMP Myrsini Zorba.

The PASOK EuroMP, escorted by director Thanasis Papageorgiou and authors Manos Kontoleon, Filomila Vakali and Loti Petrovic-Androutsopoulou, will meet with the Head of the UN offices in Athens, Maria-Luiza Chavez, whom she will ask to forward the demand of those who signed for no war to take place, and for a peaceful solution to be found.

[11] TWO ELA SUSPECTS TAKEN TO CORYDALLOS

Irene Athanasaki and Kostas Agapiou, two suspected members of the ELA terrorist organization, were taken to the Corrydallos Penitentiary at 11am, escorted by a strong police force, awaiting trial on charges of accession to and participation in the Revolutionary People's Struggle.

Athanasaki and Agapiou testified before Special Examiner Leonidas Zervobeakos yesterday, who deemed that they should be incarcerated and await trial. They spent the night in the holding cells of the General Police Direction of Attica and were taken to Corydallos in anti-terrorism service jeeps today, where Aggelatos Kanas and Christos Tsigaridas were already being held.

Irene Athanasaki and Kostas Agapiou were taken to the women's block, in the high security cells. According to information, Athanasakis' cell is next to that of Aggeliki Sotiropoulou, charged with participation in the November 17 terrorist group.

Meanwhile, DA Kyr. Karoutsos resigned from the ELA case yesterday, calling on the extreme amount of work, while he was about to decide on whether the suspects were to be incarcerated to await their trial. His position was taken over by Assistant DA Kon. Vompiris. According to version of the Avgi newspaper, Mr. Karoutsos believed that the offense of participating in ELA was not covered by the statute of limitations, that being the only offense for which the suspects were imprisoned, while three of the suspects denied participating in the organization.

In contrast to the N17 case, judicial authorities believe that there is not enough evidence for a strong case against ELA.

It is characteristic that Police Chief Fotis Nasiakos announced yesterday that the top members of ELA have been arrested, and that there will probably only be another two arrests of outside cooperators. But the authorities had described ELA as a multi-member organization following political procedures, in contrast to N17.A fact that confirms that the failure to arrest suspects is due to lack of evidence.

[12] PAPANDREOU: STILL HOPE FOR A PEACEFUL SOLUTION IN IRAQ

Greek Foreign Minister and EU Council of Ministers President Giorgos Papandreou and European Union envoy to the Middle East Miguel Angel Moratinos, stressed in Cairo on Friday that all options for avoiding a war in Iraq should be exhausted.

Mr. Papandreou, who is on a Middle East tour launched on February 2 for talks aimed at averting a possible war in Iraq, stated that all possibilities should be exhausted to avoid war, adding that there is still hope for a peaceful solution.

Moreover, in response to a question on whether he was afraid of a possible explosive reaction by the Arab world in the event of a war in Iraq, Mr. Moratinos said ''I am afraid about many things, but it is my wish to assist with stabilising the situation''.

Mr. Papandreou stated that efforts continue in support of a diplomatic solution, while peaceful efforts are being made toward a settlement in the Middle East problem. He added that the EU supports the Cairo talks calling also for the implementation of the Road Map between Israelis and Palestinians.

An Egyptian initiative led to a second meeting of all Palestinian organisations on Wednesday and Thursday in an effort to persuade them to denounce violence and condemn all terrorist actions. Their representatives asked for more time to reply.

Meanwhile, Mr. Papandreou also met with his Egyptian counterpart Ahmed Maher and Arab Association Secretary-General Amr Mousa.

[13] THE EUROPEAN UNION SOCIAL FACE

Today's decision by the European Assembly to include full-time employment, social protection and the cohesion between the basic EU principles and goals in the new EU Constitutional Treaty, is characterized as very important development within the framework of the strengthening of social Europe and the European Social Model.

Specifically, after the presentation made by the responsible Assembly Work Group and its President Giorgos Katiforis, the Assembly Plenary Session decided to mention social justice and solidarity in article 2 of the Treaty (European Union Values).

Article 3, in which the EU goals are outlined, includes full-time employment, sustainable development, the social economy of the market, social protection, economic and social cohesion, the protection of children's rights, equality of the sexes and the promotion of a high level public health system.

The proposals presented by Mr. Katiforis were accepted by the Assembly with an overwhelming majority a fact that proves, according to statements he made afterwards, that the peoples of Europe and their representatives want a new Europe with a social profile.

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