Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 04-05-28

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

CONTENTS

[01] ALVARO DE SOTO: THE ANNAN PLAN WAS A COMPROMISE

[02] THE 25TH WORLD CONGRESS OF THE INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF JOURNALISTS

[03] SIGNIFICANT GAINS IN THE ASE

[04] GREECE RANKS 2ND IN THE WORLD IN TERMS OF CLEAN COASTS

[05] THE GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN ON THE DEBATE

[06] THE SAE PRESIDING BOARD WILL MEET IN THESSALONIKI ON JUNE 1-3

[07] THE UN DEPUTY SECRETARY-GENERAL IN ATHENS

[08] THE MEETING OF THE HOLY SYNOD WAS COMPLETED

[09] GREEK-BULGARIAN CHAMBER OF TOURISM

[01] ALVARO DE SOTO: THE ANNAN PLAN WAS A COMPROMISE

It is too early to say if there will be another Annan Plan, stated UN Secretary-General special adviser on Cyprus, Alvaro de Soto, in a press conference he gave in Thessaloniki today. Responding to the question if the no of the Greek Cypriots in the referendum of April 24 will be taken under consideration in the case of a new Annan Plan, he stressed that he respects the views of the Greek Cypriot side and tries to understand them, adding that it is premature to say if there will be another Annan Plan.

Mr. De Soto stated that the UN Security Council backs the creation of a bi-communal, bi-zonal federation for the past 25 years and added that it will be assessed if this is the desirable solution. He stressed that the efforts for the solution of the Cyprus problem should never stop, adding that the Turkish Cypriots show that they want the reunification of the island and Cypriot President Tassos Papadopoulos has stated that he wants to help the Turkish Cypriots to overcome their problems and difficulties.

Responding to the question if the presence of Rauf Denktash is a thorn to the solution of the Cyprus problem, he said that the Turkish Cypriot leader has left things in the hands of Mehmet Ali Talat and Serdar Denktash and that he tried to impose his views to the Turkish Cypriots but they were not persuaded as 65% voted in favor of the Annan Plan.

Mr. De Soto pointed out that with the Annan Plan no side, neither the Greek Cypriots nor the Turkish Cypriots, was going to get everything it had asked for because the plan was a compromise.

He stated that it was disappointing that things did not come to a desirable conclusion but at the same time, he stressed that he does not believe that the efforts made for so long was a waste of time.

Commenting on the rumors according to which, the future of the UN forces in Cyprus is uncertain, he stated that the UN Secretary-General will present to the UN Security Council a report and will ask for a six-month extension to their presence on the island.

[02] THE 25TH WORLD CONGRESS OF THE INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF JOURNALISTS

The proceedings of the 25th World Congress of the International Federation of Journalists continue in Athens for a fourth day.

In today's proceedings, the delegates will decide on an action plan for the next three years and prepare the resolutions that will be issued. The world congress is organized in cooperation with the Association of the Daily Newspaper Editors in Athens.

The International Federation of Journalists will elect its institutional bodies tomorrow. For the first time this year there is a Greek candidate to the Executive Committee namely, Athens Association of Daily Newspaper Editors general secretary Nikos Megrelis.

[03] SIGNIFICANT GAINS IN THE ASE

Significant gains were recorded in the Athens Stock Exchange today. The general index rose to +1.71% at 2423.72 points, while the volume of transactions was at 272.1 million euros.

Of the stocks trading today, 202 had gains and 94 had losses, while the value of 89 stocks remained unchanged.

[04] GREECE RANKS 2ND IN THE WORLD IN TERMS OF CLEAN COASTS

A total of 378 award-winning coasts brought Greece to the 2nd place in the world regarding the number of clean coasts.

The island of Rhodes in southeastern Aegean has the most Blue Flag awards a total of 39, followed by Chalkidiki, northern Greece with 32 and Lasithi, Crete with 31.

Beaches and marines receive the Blue Flag award if the seawater is clean, the beaches are clean and well organized, the visitors are safe, and the environment is protected.

[05] THE GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN ON THE DEBATE

Government spokesman Thodoris Rousopoulos responding to a question by reporters on the issue of the political party leaders' televised debate in view of the June 13 Euro-elections, said that he will meet with Coalition of the Left representatives and on Tuesday will hold a meeting with the representatives of all the political parties.

The government spokesman also referred to the issue of the participation of journalists in the debate, stating that he does not support exclusions.

[06] THE SAE PRESIDING BOARD WILL MEET IN THESSALONIKI ON JUNE 1-3

The new 11member presiding board of the Council for Greeks Abroad, SAE, elected in the 5th World Assembly in December 2003 will meet in Thessaloniki on June 1-3 chaired by Andrew Athens.

In the meeting they will present the activities undertaken so far, while they will also draw up a strategic plan for the period 2004-2010. The SAE presiding board will also meet with government and local officials.

[07] THE UN DEPUTY SECRETARY-GENERAL IN ATHENS

UN Deputy Secretary-General Louise Frechette will be in Athens on May 29-30 to attend the 15th Conference of the European Foundation Center that will take place in Greece on May30-June 1.

Mrs. Frechette will make the opening speech and will refer to the UN cooperation with the European institutions to meet the Millennium Development Goals agreed upon by 189 countries in the UN Millennium Conference in 2000.

Mrs. Frechette will be accompanied by UN officials, among them UN Fund for International Partnership, UNFIP, Director Mr. Amir Dossal.

[08] THE MEETING OF THE HOLY SYNOD WAS COMPLETED

The Holy Synod of the Church of Greece approved the proposal made by Archbishop Christodoulos of Athens and All of Greece calling to respect the 1850 Patriarchal volume and the 1928 Patriarchal Act.

Archbishop Christodoulos submitted the specific proposal taking under consideration the risk for a split in the hierarchy and a social disruption.

The Archbishop also referred to the mediation undertaken by Minister of Education and Religion Mrs. Giannakou to find a way out of the deadlock between the Church of Greece and the Ecumenical Patriarchate. Archbishop Christodoulos clarified that the Ecumenical Patriarchate asked Mrs. Giannakou to call on the Hierarchy of the Church of Greece to accept the specific proposal.

[09] GREEK-BULGARIAN CHAMBER OF TOURISM

Deputy Minister of Tourism Anastasios Liaskos and Bulgarian Deputy Minister of Finance Dimitar Hadginikolov, responsible for tourist issues, decided in Sofia to proceed with the creation of a Greek-Bulgarian Chamber of Tourism to promote bilateral cooperation in the sector.

They also decided to hold a business forum in Thessaloniki on November 5 and 6 with the participation of businessmen active in the tourist sector. The forum will be held within the framework of the Philoxenia 2004 Exhibition.

Mr. Liaskos had also a meeting with Bulgarian Minister of Finance Milen Veltchev within the framework of the 1st Greek-Bulgarian Business Forum proceedings.

The Bulgarian minister briefed Mr. Liaskos and all the Greeks participating in the forum that starting on January 1, 2005 taxation on businesses in Bulgaria will be cut down to 15% from 19.5%, a fact that will facilitate the further development of business partnerships.

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