Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 04-04-13

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

CONTENTS

[01] THE POLITICAL PARTY LEADERS COUNCIL MEETS ON THURSDAY

[02] AN APOLOGY AFTER 800 YEARS

[03] THE GREEK MINISTER OF PUBLIC ORDER TO VISIT TIRANA

[04] GAINS IN THE ASE

[05] INTER-BALKAN COOPERATION DEFENSE MINISTERS MEETING

[06] KARAMANLIS-MOLIVIATIS MEETING ON CYPRUS

[07] MEETING OF GREEK AND BULGARIAN SCIENTISTS FOR THE PROTECTION OF NESTOS

[01] THE POLITICAL PARTY LEADERS COUNCIL MEETS ON THURSDAY

The Political Party Leaders Council will meet on Thursday under President of the Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos to discuss the UN Secretary General Kofi Annan Plan on Cyprus in view of the referenda scheduled to take place in Cyprus on April 24.

Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis has not announced his position yet. Government spokesman Thodoris Rousopoulos has stated that the government will announce its decision on the issue in the right time. Yesterday, Prime Minister Karamanlis received a telephone call from US President George Bush, who expressed interest in finding an immediate solution to the Cyprus problem. Opposition Socialist Party PASOK has already expressed its stance in favor of the Annan Plan, the Communist Party against it, while the Coalition of the Radical Left will meet tomorrow to decide.

Tomorrow, the AKEL party in Cyprus will hold a party congress in which a discussion will be held on the party Central Committee proposal to postpone the two referenda because in a different case the party will adopt a negative stance toward the Annan Plan.

The proposal made by AKEL, its rejection by the UN Secretary General and the US persistence in a solution based on the Annan Plan have created a new situation in Cyprus and Greece given the fact that with a no by AKEL it is certain that the Greek Cypriots will reject the Annan Plan in the referendum.

On the government's part, it is pointed out that the opposition Socialist Party of PASOK has rushed to say yes and now it has been left exposed, while PASOK accuses the government of hiding and avoiding taking a stance.

[02] AN APOLOGY AFTER 800 YEARS

On Tuesday April 13, 1204 the Crusaders seized Constantinople and the Catholic Church has issued an apology after exactly 800 years.

Specifically, in a letter to Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew on January 12, 2004 Archbishop Philippe Barbarin of Lyon requested to visit the Ecumenical Patriarchate and expressed the Catholic Church's shame for this sad day for Orthodoxy.

Cardinal Barbarin will attend the holy liturgy that will take place in the Agios Georgios Patriarchal church and will respond to the Ecumenical Patriarch's address.

[03] THE GREEK MINISTER OF PUBLIC ORDER TO VISIT TIRANA

Greek Minister of Public Order Giorgos Voulgarakis will be on a formal visit to Tirana tomorrow accompanied by Greek Police Chief Lieutenant General Foris Nasiakos, Greek National Information Agency Director Pavlos Apostolidis and other officials.

Mr. Voulgarakis will meet with Albanian Prime Minister Fatos Nano and Albanian Minister of Public Order Igli Toska.

They will discuss issues of bilateral interest as well as issues concerning security in the Olympic Games.

Mr. Voulgarakis will also meet with Archbishop Anastasios of Albania.

[04] GAINS IN THE ASE

Gains were recorded in the Athens Stock Exchange today. The general index rose to +0.97% at 2475.59 points, while the volume of transactions was at 91.8 million euros.

Of the stocks trading today, 209 had gains and 95 had losses, while the value of 94 stocks remained unchanged.

[05] INTER-BALKAN COOPERATION DEFENSE MINISTERS MEETING

The Inter-Balkan Cooperation Defense Ministers will meet in the Bosnia-Herzegovina capital city of Sarajevo on April 14-15.

In the Inter-Balkan Cooperation participate Greece, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia and Montenegro, Albania, FYROM, Bulgaria, Romania, Turkey and Croatia. It is a regional formation, which contributes effectively to mutual understanding and the cooperation of the region's countries. Deputy Minister of Defense Vasilios Michaloliakos will represent Greece in the meeting.

The meeting is the first at Defense Ministers' level and is aimed at examining the security situation in the region and the promotion of the Serbia and Montenegro bid for membership as well as Bosnia-Herzegovina in the Partnership for Peace initiative founded by NATO in the imminent summit meeting of the alliance to take place in Istanbul in June.

[06] KARAMANLIS-MOLIVIATIS MEETING ON CYPRUS

Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis discussed developments in Cyprus with Foreign Minister Petros Moliviatis.

They examined the new situation as it has been formed after the position adopted by the Cypriot party of AKEL (postponement of the two referenda or rejection of the Annan Plan) and the strong US interest in the adoption of a positive stance toward the Annan Plan.

According to press information, the postponement of the referenda in Cyprus is unlikely.

Tomorrow, Prime Minister Karamanlis will meet with the ambassadors of Cyprus and the US, while later at noon there will be a governmental committee meeting.

[07] MEETING OF GREEK AND BULGARIAN SCIENTISTS FOR THE PROTECTION OF NESTOS RIVER

A package of proposals for a more effective and complete management of the waters of Nestos River were presented by Greek and Bulgarian representatives of the Scientific Working Groups and the Advisory Committees of the European Program Transcat.

The pollution of the waters of Nestos River by urban and industrial wastes coming from Bulgaria was the main issue discussed in the meeting held in the northeastern Greek city of Kavala.

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