Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 04-02-18

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

CONTENTS

[01] THE ELDERLY AND 2004

[02] SOLUTION DISCUSSIONS BEGINNING

[03] NEW DEI UNIT

[04] A CONSTITUTION ON OUR OWN TERMS

[05] EURO-DEPUTIES CALL FOR THE RETURN OF THE PARTHENON MARBLES

[06] AGREEMENT IN PRINCIPLE ON THE TELEVISED DEBATES

[07] ACTRESS DESPO DIAMANTIDOU DIES

[08] ELENI KAZANTZAKI DIED TODAY

[09] GAINS IN THE ASE

[10] SIMITIS SPEECH AT DEI UNIT OPENING

[11] PAPANDREOU CONTINUES HIS VISIT TO CYPRUS

[01] THE ELDERLY AND 2004

Political leaders are intensifying their activities in view of the March 7 elections. G. Papandreou visited the Ilioupoli KAPI (Elderly Open Protection Center), where he announced measures for the elderly and in the afternoon he will speak to individuals with disabilities in the Olympic Stadium. Mr. Karamanlis visited the offices of the Athens 2004 Olympic Organizing Committee, where he stressed the need to organize better Olympics and he will later attend the meeting of the European People's Party to be held in Athens.

[02] SOLUTION DISCUSSIONS BEGINNING

The final phase of the dialogue between the two Cypriot communities on the resolving of the longest lasting international problem will begin in Nicosia tomorrow under the supervision of UN Secretary General Special Envoy Alvaro de Soto. The members of the National Council, with the exception of the New Horizons, support the efforts of the President of the Republic in order to achieve those changes that will make the solution functional and viable, stated the Government Spokesperson following the meeting of the National Council.

[03] NEW DEI UNIT

The new steam electricity plant in Florina was inaugurated today by Prime Minister Costas Simitis, who announced that among the plans of DEI (Public Power Corporation) is the creation of one more unit in the region. In his speech, Minister of Development Akis Tsochatzopoulos, stressed that this unit has helped the area out of its isolation.

[04] A CONSTITUTION ON OUR OWN TERMS

Greeks are the most fervent supporters of the creation of a European Constitution from among the citizens of the 25 EU member-states, while at the same time, they are also the least willing to give way in order to facilitate its adoption, according to the Eurobarometer, which was published today by Eurostat. Twenty-three member-states agreed on the European Constitution while only two disagreed. The glass is not just half full, it's almost filled to the brim, said PASOK's EuroMP, Professor D. Tsatsos.

[05] EURO-DEPUTIES CALL FOR THE RETURN OF THE PARTHENON MARBLES

A total of 208 Euro-deputies signed a letter addressed to British Prime Minister Tony Blair, at the initiative of Coalition of Radical Left Greek Euro-deputy Alekos Alavanos, calling for the return of the Parthenon Marbles to Greece.

The letter is signed, among others, by former European Commission President Jacques Sander, three European Parliament Presidents, three Presidents of European Parliament Groups, Olympic Games medallists Echerer and Mennea and Italian prosecutor Di Pietro.

In the letter it is stressed that high percentages of the British public opinion, 81% of those participating in an opinion poll and 90% of the British museum employees see positively the request for the return of the Parthenon Marbles to Athens this year.

[06] AGREEMENT IN PRINCIPLE ON THE TELEVISED DEBATES

An agreement in principle was reached on the televised debates between Socialist Party of PASOK leader Giorgos Papandreou and right-wing New Democracy leader Kostas Karamanlis. The agreement was reached in a two-hour meeting held in the Parliament Building today between PASOK communication secretary Nikos Athanasakis and New Democracy spokesman Thodoris Rousopoulos.

There was an agreement on the topics that will be discussed and the questions will concern economy, education, health, foreign policy, defense and public administration. Also, they agreed that journalists are going to be able to pose questions on other issues in a second round. If there is a need for clarifications journalists will be able to ask more questions in order to get answers. The number of the televised debates has not been decided yet, while no discussion was made on the names of the journalists who will participate.

[07] ACTRESS DESPO DIAMANTIDOU DIES

Despo Diamantidou, a great lady of the big screen and theater, died in an Athens hospital today.

She was born in Piraeus and her origin was from Russia. She never went to a Greek school and got her elementary and secondary education in a German school in Athens.

She studied at the Greek National Theater Acting School and her first appearance was as a chorus girl in Euripides' Medea in 1942.

Her first appearance in the big screen was in 1947 in the firm The children of Athens. Her international career was launched in the 60s.

Despo Diamantidou traveled to the United States in 1967 and stayed until the end of the Greek junta in 1974 expressing her opposition to the regime. She starred in many films and theater plays together with her best friend Melina Mercuri. She also played next to Woody Allen in the film The peacemaker.

She performed in over 40 Greek films and had been married to Andreas Filippidis, a famous Greek actor.

[08] ELENI KAZANTZAKI DIED TODAY

Eleni Kazantzaki, wife of world-famous writer Nikos Kazantzakis, died in an Athens hospital today at the age of 100.

She was born in 1903 and met Nikos Kazantzakis when she was 20 years old and he was 41. They lived together for 20 years before they got married in November 1945. Their best man was Angelos Sikelianos.

Since 1946 they went on a self-imposed exile and lived in south France.

She was a writer herself but she chose to promote the work of her beloved husband. Her most important book was Nikos Kazantzakis' biography based on unpublished letters and texts. She also wrote a book on Mahatma Gandhi and Panait Istrati, as well as a book on China. She worked as a journalist wrote many poems and gave a number of lectures and speeches in universities, as well as radio and television interviews on Kazantzakis and Greece.

After her husband's death she left France and moved to Geneva. During the seven-year junta in Greece she went to Cyprus and was arrested by the Turks when they invaded the northern part of the island.

Since 1989, after a serious accident in Geneva, Eleni Kazantzaki moved to Athens where she stayed with her adopted son in Voula, near Athens.

[09] GAINS IN THE ASE

Gains were recorded in the Athens Stock Exchange today. The general index rose to +0.42% at 2483.60 points, while the volume of transactions was at 144.1 million euros.

Of the stocks trading today, 98 had gains and 207 had losses, while the value of 81 stocks remained unchanged.

[10] SIMITIS SPEECH AT DEI UNIT OPENING

The DEI Steam-electricity Plant in Florina was inaugurated by Prime Minister Costas Simitis in a ceremony carried out in the presence of Minister of Development Akis Tsochatzopoulos and local body representatives.

The 330 Megawatt power plant is considered a model for European standards and has turned Florina into a main electricity contributor after Kozani.

In his speech, Mr. Simitis referred to the development works carried out over the last few years in the Florina Prefecture, in the broader Western Macedonia region, and the Greek periphery in general. He pointed out that after two 4-year tenures a new hopeful effort will begin on March 7, with the major democratic front and appeared certain of PASOK's electoral victory.

[11] PAPANDREOU CONTINUES HIS VISIT TO CYPRUS

Greek governing Socialist Party of PASOK leader Giorgos Papandreou addressed a bicommunal gathering of Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots in Cyprus this afternoon organized by the Association of Social Reform and appeared optimistic that a viable and operational solution can be reached in Cyprus.

Mr. Papandreou stated that the Greek Cypriots and the Turkish Cypriots have paved the way to a solution.

The PASOK leader also said that after the recent meetings in New York the solution of the Cyprus problem by May 1st is feasible. It can get underway in the following weeks and this opportunity should be seized, stressed Mr. Papandreou.

Referring to the Turkish Cypriots, he expressed the wish that they too will soon be members of the great European family. He also stressed that the Turkish Cypriot citizens have expressed their will for a common homeland and European prospect.

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