Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 04-11-22

Macedonian Press Agency: Brief News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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

CONTENTS

[01] EUROPEAN MILITARY UNITS

[02] ISABELLE HUPPERT RECEIVED THE GOLDEN ALEXANDER

[03] ARCTIC TEMPERATURES IN GREECE

[04] KIYOSHI KUROSAWA IN THESSALONIKI

[05] LOSSES IN THE ASE

[06] THE INTERIOR MINISTER TO VISIT BEIJING

[07] THE GOV'T SPOKESMAN ON THE PURCHASE OF FIGHTER JETS

[08] ROUSOPOULOS: THE GOV'T WAS NOT INFORMED ABOUT THE ARCHBISHOP'S LETTER

[09] AUSTRALIA'S POSITION ON THE FYROM NAME ISSUE IS UNCHANGED

[10] A TOTAL OF 53 MEMBERS OF THE US CONGRESS SUPPORT THE CEH POSITION ON

[01] EUROPEAN MILITARY UNITS

The EU Ministers of Defense decided in Brussels today the creation of EU military units that will operate in cooperation with NATO units but, at the same time, be independent.

Specifically, the EU Defense Ministers Council decided to form 13 rapid intervention units, the so-called Battle Groups. Each one of these units will be made up of 1,500 men coming from 13 EU countries and will be in a position to intervene in crises regions within 5 to 10 days.

The Dutch Defense Minister, who is currently holding the Council's Presidency, stated that starting next year these units will be ready to intervene when needed, while they will be in full operational readiness by 2007. By then, stated the Dutch Defense Minister, the EU will be able to intervene in two crises regions simultaneously.

[02] ISABELLE HUPPERT RECEIVED THE GOLDEN ALEXANDER

French actress Isabelle Huppert received the Golden Alexander Prize within the framework of Thessaloniki's 45th Film Festival in an event held in her honor before the world first screening of her latest picture under the title LES SOEURS FACHEES at the Olympion cinema theater in Thessaloniki.

The cinema is a tool for the search of truth and the actor has to participate in this tool giving depth to the roles he plays, stated Isabelle Huppert, who added that cinema has changed in the past few years and the actor has to go even further.

The awarded French actress stated that she chooses the pictures she plays in having as a criterion the film directors with whom she shares common concerns.

Yesterday evening, she received the Golden Alexander Prize in an emotional atmosphere and characterized Thessaloniki as the cradle of culture, stressing that the best writers were born in the city.

[03] ARCTIC TEMPERATURES IN GREECE

Arctic temperatures are recorded in many parts of Greece today. Temperature in Nevrokopi, in the prefecture of Dramas, dropped to -9 degrees Celsius.

In the city of Florina, northwestern Greece, temperature dropped many degrees below zero, while snow fell in the mountains of the island of Lesvos, northeastern Aegean, as well as, in the islands of Limnos, Samos and Ikaria.

Snow fell in the mountains around Athens, in Evia and in the mountains of Epirus and Macedonia, northern Greece. According to meteorologists, weather conditions will worsen on Wednesday when temperature will drop even more and north winds will become stronger.

[04] KIYOSHI KUROSAWA IN THESSALONIKI

Japanese filmmaker Kiyoshi Kurosawa stated that he is a fanatic fan of the European cinema and was influenced by European film directors among them, Greece's Thodoros Angelopoulos.

Kurosawa gave a press conference today within the framework of the 45th Thessaloniki Film Festival on the occasion of the special presentation of his work with the screening of 6 of his films.

The Japanese film director expressed satisfaction and surprise for the warm audience he found in Thessaloniki as opposed to his country where his work is not widely known.

He said that he does not regard himself to be a director of terror films and admitted that he is fond of the European cinema.

[05] LOSSES IN THE ASE

Losses were recorded in the Athens Stock Exchange today. The general index dropped to -0.90% at 2599.58 points, while the volume of transactions was small at 123,7 million euros.

Of the stocks trading today, 48 had gains and 257 had losses, while he value of 114 stocks remained unchanged.

[06] THE INTERIOR MINISTER TO VISIT BEIJING

Greek Interior Minister Prokopis Pavlopoulos will visit Beijing after spring next year within the framework of the Greek-Chinese cooperation in the sector of public administration.

Mr. Pavlopoulos made the statement today after the meeting he had with Chinese Minister of Supervision Li Zhilun, who is on a formal visit to Athens heading a large delegation of Chinese government officials.

The two ministers also discussed issues of mutual interest especially, issues concerning the operation and control mechanisms in public administration. A special reference was made to the Athens Olympic Games and bilateral cooperation aimed at offering experience and know-how to Beijing, the host city of the next Olympic Games.

[07] THE GOV'T SPOKESMAN ON THE PURCHASE OF FIGHTER JETS

The government has stated that it will turn its policy into action during its term in power, stated Greek government spokesman Thodoris Rousopoulos.

Mr. Rousopoulos made the comment during the press briefing today when he was asked whether the information on the purchase of new fighter jets is confirmed, in spite of the statements made by the government concerning military spending cuts.

[08] ROUSOPOULOS: THE GOV'T WAS NOT INFORMED ABOUT THE ARCHBISHOP'S LETTER

The government had not been informed about the initiative undertaken by Archbishop Christodoulos of Athens and All Greece, stated Greek government spokesman Thodoris Rousopoulos during the press briefing today.

Mr. Rousopoulos commented in response to a question on whether Archbishop Christodoulos had contacted the government before sending a letter on the issue of the FYROM name to the 24 EU leaders.

[09] AUSTRALIA'S POSITION ON THE FYROM NAME ISSUE IS UNCHANGED

The Australian government position on the issue of the FYROM name remains unchanged in spite of the recent decision by the United States, confirmed the Australian Prime Minister's office in response to a letter by World Council for Hellenes Abroad, SAE, Coordinator in the region of Oceania, Kostas Vertzagias.

In the letter by the Australian Prime Minister's office is pointed out that Australia will continue to use the FYROM name when relating or referring to the specific country, while Greece and FYROM are called to reach a mutually acceptable solution to the name issue.

[10] A TOTAL OF 53 MEMBERS OF THE US CONGRESS SUPPORT THE CEH POSITION ON THE FYROM RECOGNITION

A total of 53 US Senators and House Representatives have signed the two letters distributed by the Coordinated Effort of Hellenes, CEH, on the recent recognition of FYROM by the United States under the name Republic of Macedonia.

The letters are being distributed in the US Senate by Senator Paul Sarbanes and in the US House of Representatives by members of US Congress Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Shelley Berkley, Michael Bilirakis and Carolyn Maloney, within framework of the CEH campaign aimed at exerting more pressure and influence on the decisions and actions of the US government on the issue.

Macedonian Press Agency: Brief News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article