Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 04-06-08

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

CONTENTS

[01] INTENSIVE EFFORTS FOR THE REOPENING OF THE THEOLOGY SCHOOL OF HALKI

[02] SECOND TELEVISED DEBATE

[03] VENUS MOVES ACROSS THE DISC OF THE SUN

[04] METROPOLITE ARTEMIOS ON THE SITUATION IN KOSOVO

[05] ATHENS' "ELEFTHERIOS VENIZELOS" INT'L AIRPORT IS READY FOR THE VISITORS

[06] ATHENS MAYOR: THE OLYMPIC GAMES WILL BE SAFE AND SUCCESSFUL

[07] DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER VALINAKIS IN CROATIA

[08] LOSSES IN THE ASE

[09] THE GOV'T IS SATISFIED WITH THE NEW ERA IN THE ECUMENICAL

[10] THE "FATHER" OF IN VITRO FERTILIZATION AT THE UNIVERSITY OF THRACE

[11] THE KING OF NORWAY IS CERTAIN OF THE SUCCESS OF THE OLYMPIC GAMES

[01] INTENSIVE EFFORTS FOR THE REOPENING OF THE THEOLOGY SCHOOL OF HALKI

Intensive efforts appear to be in progress between Ankara and Washington for the reopening of the Theology School of Halki.

Yesterday, a letter by US Senator Hilary Clinton addressed to US President George Bush became public calling on the US President to exert pressures on Turkey for the reopening of the Theology School of Halki.

The US President's intention to do exactly that was confirmed, while the Turkish television channel NTV has broadcast that the coordination of the relevant efforts necessary to be made among the responsible Turkish government ministries for a permit to be issued has already been completed.

[02] SECOND TELEVISED DEBATE

The effect the second televised debate, to be held at 9pm this evening, will have on the final outcome of the Euro-elections is expected to be notable.

The debate will take place with the participation of the four political parties represented in the Greek Parliament who will respond to questions by five television station journalists. Journalist Yiannis Pretenteris will coordinate the debate.

The televised debate for the March 7 parliamentary elections had lasted over 2 hours and it was watched by a total of 3,7 million viewers. This evening's debate will last about 90 minutes.

[03] VENUS MOVES ACROSS THE DISC OF THE SUN

The transit of Venus across the disc of the sun is a very rare astronomical phenomenon. The last time it occurred was back in 1882.

Today it began at 8:20am (Greek time) and will last 6 hours until 2:24pm (Greek time).

Specialists warn that watching the phenomenon by naked eyes without protection can be dangerous as it can cause blindness and call on the people to use special filters.

The phenomenon will be visible from Europe, the Middle East and part of Africa and Asia. Planet Venus will be seen as a tiny black dot moving across the disc of the sun.

The black dot, with a diameter 30 times smaller than the sun's diameter, as it is seen from the Earth, will appear early in the morning over Western Europe, around noon over the Middle East and Russia and later in the afternoon over Asia.

The previous transit of Venus occurred on December 6, 1882 one of merely five events of its kind ever watched by mankind. The next visible transit will take place on December 11, 2117 while another transit of Venus will occur on June 6, 2012, which will not be visible from Europe.

[04] METROPOLITE ARTEMIOS ON THE SITUATION IN KOSOVO

Metropolite Artemios of Kosovo spoke about the continuous persecution targeting the Serbs in Kosovo, the destruction of their homes, and the desecration and destruction of the Orthodox Christian churches and monasteries in the region.

He pointed out that in the past five years a total of 250,000 Serbs were led to exile, 40,000 homes and 115 churches and monasteries were destroyed before last March's incidents in Kosovo that also ended up to the results mentioned above.

In a press conference he gave in Athens today, the Metropolite of Kosovo also said that in the three-day period of March 17-19, 2004 a total of 4,000 Serbs were forced to leave their homes, 12 were killed, and 800 Serb homes and 35 churches and monasteries were destroyed. He said that the continuing killings led the Serbs to become refugees again stating characteristically, they kill one, a thousand leave.

The Metropolite of Kosovo spoke of a failure on behalf of the international community to face the situation and accused the international forces, the KFOR included, that during their five-year long presence in Kosovo were unable to bring peace and freedom for the people in the region. He stressed that they brought freedom and rights only for the Albanians while tragedy continues for the rest.

Ambassador of Serbia-Montenegro to Athens Dusan Batakovic stated that there is an ethnic cleansing plan targeting the Serbs in Kosovo calling the region of Kosovo a terrible hotbed of crisis, while he presented his government's position in favor of the autonomy of the Serbs in the region.

He condemned the efforts made to falsify history, remove the Serb seal from the region and rename the Serb cultural heritage into Kosovar.

Metropolite Artemios backed a multiethnic Kosovo and condemned the efforts made by pseudo-historians aimed at reducing the significance of the Serb presence in Kosovo.

[05] ATHENS' "ELEFTHERIOS VENIZELOS" INT'L AIRPORT IS READY FOR THE VISITORS OF AUGUST

Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications Michalis Liapis visited Athens' Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport today and toured the Control Tower, the Civil Aviation Agency facilities, the Luggage Management area and the airport's Management Center.

The Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications stressed that the airport is ready to receive the large number of visitors expected to arrive in the month of August.

He said that the security measures are the best in the world, stressing that the airport is equipped with luggage and passenger control automated systems and its personnel is adequate and specialized. Mr. Liapis expressed the certainty that the airport will meet the challenge for successful and safe Olympic Games.

[06] ATHENS MAYOR: THE OLYMPIC GAMES WILL BE SAFE AND SUCCESSFUL

Athens Mayor Mrs. Dora Bakoyiannis is in Washington within the framework of her tour of US cities for the promotion of the Athens Olympic Games.

Mrs. Bakoyiannis addressed the Western Civilization Center on Monday paying homage to the deceased former US President Ronald Reagan, while she also extended the condolences of the people of Athens to his family and the American people.

Mrs. Bakoyiannis also met at the White House with Mr. F. Townsend President Bush's adviser on issues of domestic security, followed by a meeting at the US State Department with Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage.

Mrs. Bakoyianni stated after the meetings that they discussed the issue of the Olympic Games' security and the preparation of Athens for the Olympics, stressing that there was agreement that the Olympic Games are being prepared very well to be safe and successful.

[07] DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER VALINAKIS IN CROATIA

Deputy Foreign Minister Yiannis Valinakis, responsible for European affairs will be in Dubrovnik, Croatia tomorrow to attend the informal ministers' meeting on the European prospect of the Western Balkans organized under the auspices of Croatia's European Unification Ministry within the framework of the Wilton Park Forum.

On Thursday, Mr. Valinakis will be in Cairo, Egypt for contacts with the Egyptian government to discuss the further development of the Greek-Egyptian relations and cooperation, as well as issues of international interest such as, the Cyprus issue, the situation in the Middle East and the Euro-Mediterranean cooperation.

During his visit to Cairo, Mr. Valinakis will attend the ceremonies organized in the Egyptian capital on the occasion of the arrival of the Olympic Flame.

Mr. Valinakis will be received by Patriarch Peter of Alexandria and All of Africa and will meet with leading members of the Greek communities in Cairo and Alexandria.

[08] LOSSES IN THE ASE

Losses were recorded in the Athens Stock Exchange today. The general index dropped to -0.47% at 2411.63 points, while the volume of transactions was at 108.5 million euros.

Of the stocks trading today, 105 had gains and 183 had losses, while the value of 98 stocks remained unchanged.

[09] THE GOV'T IS SATISFIED WITH THE NEW ERA IN THE ECUMENICAL PATRIARCHATE-CHURCH OF GREECE RELATIONS

The government expressed satisfaction for the new era dawning in the Ecumenical Patriarchate and Church of Greece relations, stated government spokesman Thodoris Rousopoulos, adding that the two pillars of Orthodoxy displayed a consistent and moderate stance for the good of Orthodoxy and Hellenism.

A significant contribution within this framework was the zestful and systematic effort by Minister of Education Mrs. Giannakou aimed at observing legality and the holy rules.

Responding to relevant questions, Mr. Rousopoulos stated that the Church's Charter is in effect and reiterated that the government is not involved in the internal affairs of the Church and that the recent development brought to an end an eleven-month long period of tense relations.

[10] THE "FATHER" OF IN VITRO FERTILIZATION AT THE UNIVERSITY OF THRACE

Human Reproduction professor at Cambridge University Robert Jeffrey Edwards was declared honorary doctor at the Dimocration University of Thrace Medicine Department in the northeastern Greek city of Alexandroupolis.

Mr. Edwards is widely known for his significant contribution to the Medical Science and especially, to the area of human reproduction, as the father of in vitro fertilization. An important point in his career, which marked the history of mankind as well, was the first successful effort for in vitro fertilization of humans resulting to the birth of a healthy baby girl on July 25, 1978.

[11] THE KING OF NORWAY IS CERTAIN OF THE SUCCESS OF THE OLYMPIC GAMES

King Harald the 5th of Norway, who is visiting Greece with his wife Queen Sonja at the invitation of President Kostis Stephanopoulos, expressed the certainty that the Olympic Games in Athens will be successful.

The Greek President referred to the long shipping tradition of Greece and Norway, adding that Norway is a friendly and a peace loving country.

Norway's royal couple laid a wreath at the Monument for the Unknown Soldier and met with Parliament President Anna Psarouda-Benaki.

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