Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 05-09-21

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

CONTENTS

[01] PAPOULIAS TO SEND A CLEAR MESSAGE TO THE FYROM LEADERSHIP

[02] THE SERBIA-MONTENEGRO PRESIDENT VISITS GREECE

[03] CONTACTS ON THE OA ISSUE

[04] ROUSOPOULOS ON THE COREPER DECISION

[05] THE ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH MET WITH PRIME MINISTER KARAMANLIS

[06] PAPOULIAS-MAROVIC MEETING IN ATHENS

[07] GREECE RANKS 26TH ON THE LIST OF BUYERS OF POLISH AERONAUTIC PRODUCTS

[08] PASOK POLITICAL COUNCIL MEETING

[09] MOLYVIATIS: NEED FOR CHANGES IN THE UNITED NATIONS

[01] PAPOULIAS TO SEND A CLEAR MESSAGE TO THE FYROM LEADERSHIP

Hellenic Republic President Karolos Papoulias is expected to send a clear message to the FYROM leadership pointing out that the European prospect of the neighboring country is directly connected with the solution of the name issue.

According to information, President Papoulias will point out in the formal dinner given this evening in honor of visiting Serbia-Montenegro President Svetozar Marovic that the European Commission response on the FYROM EU accession prospect is being expected and will be examined by the European Council in December.

Mr. Papoulias is expected to point out that Greece firmly supports FYROM's European course that will contribute decisively to the region's stability and prosperity. However, this is a prospect directly connected with the solution of the FYROM name issue.

The President will also stress that the solution depends solely on the Skopje leadership and it must rise to the occasion and consider the consequences on the country's European course.

Mr. Papoulias is also expected to remind that after the rejection of the Nimetz proposal by the FYROM political leadership last spring and in spite of the multileveled support it had received from Greece FYROM's intransigence has increased offending the UN prestige.

Mr. Papoulias will state that the fact that the neighboring country insists in monopolizing the name Macedonia and even engages in hostile propaganda against Greece is a great concern.

Also, Mr. Papoulias will point out that Greece has exhausted all its goodwill and flexibility and ignored the political cost involved by making significant steps in the effort to reach a mutually acceptable solution on the name issue as dictated by the 1995 interim agreement signed by himself as the then Foreign Minister of Greece.

[02] THE SERBIA-MONTENEGRO PRESIDENT VISITS GREECE

Serbia-Montenegro President Svetozar Marovic is on a formal visit to Greece at the invitation of Hellenic Republic President Karolos Papoulias.

A few hours after his arrival yesterday, President Marovic gave an interview to ANA-MPA and among others he referred to the very good bilateral relations and the issue of Kosovo which he stressed that it has to be resolved in a democratic way.

Mr. Marovic stated that Greece will have a very important role to play in the solution of the problem in Kosovo being a non permanent member of the UN Security Council while, at the same time, being widely respected in the region. Regarding the likelihood concerning the break-up of the Serbia-Montenegro state entity, he stated that he backs the adoption of a compromise solution.

Mr. Marovic stated that his meetings with Mr. Papoulias and the political party leaders will take place at a very crucial moment for the European integration of Serbia-Montenegro given the fact that the talks with the EU on the association and stability treaty will begin in early October. At this phase of the Serbia-Montenegro European course Greece is seen as an important partner, stated Mr. Marovic.

He said that within the international framework, the relations shared by Greece and Serbia-Montenegro can set an example of how relations between friends and partners should be in a region where stability and economic development have a great importance for the whole Europe.

Mr. Marovic stated that economic relations are very good and Greece ranks second on the list of foreign investors in the country. He also said that bilateral cultural cooperation is intensive.

The Serbia-Montenegro President stated that his country's European integration will dominate in the Athens talks and Greece's support in the effort by Serbia-Montenegro to meet its European aspirations is very important. He added that in the past this support manifested many times stressing that his country is grateful for that.

He stated that in the 2003 Thessaloniki Summit when Greece held the EU Presidency the EU pledged on Greece's initiative that the doors for Serbia-Montenegro and other western Balkan countries will be open.

Also, recently Greece greatly affected the decision on the issuing of a positive criteria report with which a new phase in the Serbia-Montenegro EU accession process was launched, stated Mr. Marovic expressing the wish that Greece will have a similarly constructive stance in the future as well especially now with the talks on the association and stability treaty getting underway.

Mr. Marovic referred to the Greek investors who are still pondering over whether they should invest in Serbia-Montenegro and suggested that they should seek for the advice of their colleagues who have already invested and they will understand that Serbia-Montenegro offers great opportunities for investments.

According to the latest World Bank report, Serbia-Montenegro ranks first on the list of countries with the greatest momentum in the implementation of economic reforms, said Mr. Marovic. He added that in Serbia-Montenegro there is a legal framework that protects foreign investments, offers tax exemptions to investors and specialized personnel as well as something else that is hard to be measured with numbers but is equally very important namely, the positive stance of consumers toward the Greek businesses.

On the issue of Kosovo, he said that it must be solved in a democratic way, through dialogue, without exclusions and unilateral actions adding that only this way a viable solution can be found. The stability and the future of the whole region depend on how the Kosovo issue will be settled, said Mr. Marovic.

Serbia-Montenegro wants a stable Kosovo safe for all people while those who had to leave their homes must be allowed to return and violence targeting the minority population must end. For such a Kosovo to exist patience is necessary, as well as democratic action, stressed the Serbia-Montenegro President.

Greece is a non permanent member of the UN Security council, as well as a member of the EU and NATO, while it is widely respected in the region. Therefore, it will have a very important role to play in the process for the solution of the problem, said Mr. Marovic. He added that Greece is a Balkan country and understands what divisions and conflicts mean and how important it is to avert actions that cause tension and conflicts.

On the 2006 independence referendum in Montenegro and what will mean a possible break-up of the country, Mr. Marovic stated that the referendum as a democratic right is provided by the constitutional declaration. Montenegro has already stated that it will use this right. However, there is a precondition for dialogue among the political forces in Montenegro to ensure the implementation of the European criteria.

He stated that his personal view is that every chance for dialogue must be exploited before the referendum is held in order to support an agreement between Serbia and Montenegro and preserve cohesion on the basis of a union of independent and internationally recognized states. The solution would be a compromise between the existing state entity and the option of a referendum leading to the break-up of Serbia-Montenegro.

Such a solution would offer international status to every state-member while, at the same time, cohesion would be preserved in the form of a community of independent states for the benefit of Serbia and Montenegro, said Mr. Marovic. Of course, the final decision will be made by the legal representatives of the two states and the people, stated Mr. Marovic adding that he supports a compromise solution to secure peace, stability and prosperity.

[03] CONTACTS ON THE OA ISSUE

The meeting of Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis and Minister of Transportations Michalis Liapis with Coalition Party President Alekos Alavanos was held in an atmosphere of great skepticism regarding the future of Olympic Airlines, according to statements made afterwards by Mr. Alavanos.

Mr. Alavanos called on the Prime Minister to form an inquiry committee on the issue and underlined the need for a national airline with high quality standards.

The Prime Minister is also scheduled to meet with visiting Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and ruling New Democracy Party Central Committee Secretary Vangelis Meimarakis.

Yesterday, Mr. Karamanlis had a meeting at Maximos Mansion with Minister of Economy and Finance Giorgos Alogoskoufis, Minister of Development Dimitris Sioufas and Public Utility Company chairman Yiannis Paleokrassas.

[04] ROUSOPOULOS ON THE COREPER DECISION

It was a tough, long and laborious process. We have a happy conclusion which we regard as being very important, stated government spokesman Thodoris Rousopoulos responding to a question on the agreement reached by the Permanent Representatives Committee, COREPER, regarding the EU response to Turkey's statement on the non recognition of Cyprus and cited a relevant statement made by Greek Foreign Ministry spokesman Giorgos Koumoutsakos.

The Foreign Ministry statement mentioned, among others, that the text adopted makes Turkey's obligation to fully implement the Customs Union Protocol toward the Cyprus Republic, as a member-state of the European Union, clear and imperative.

The EU response can be characterized as a kind of birth certificate for the de facto recognition of the Cyprus Republic by Turkey while, at the same time, it lays the foundations for its de jure recognition as well.

[05] THE ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH MET WITH PRIME MINISTER KARAMANLIS

Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis had a 35-minute meeting with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew at Maximos Mansion in Athens today.

According to information, the Ecumenical Patriarch expressed satisfaction for the government moves that resulted to the settlement of the crisis in the Patriarchate of Jerusalem.

Based on the same information, the head of the Christian Orthodox Church expressed discontent over developments regarding the scheduled visit of the Pope to the Ecumenical Patriarchate at the Fener.

At noon today the Ecumenical Patriarch met with former Hellenic Republic President Costis Stephanopoulos and afterwards, he attended a luncheon given in his honor by Archbishop Christodoulos of Athens and All Greece and the Church of Greece Holy Synod in the presence of Education Minister Marietta Giannakou and Deputy Foreign Minister Panagiotis Skandalakis.

[06] PAPOULIAS-MAROVIC MEETING IN ATHENS

The Euro-Atlantic course of the Balkan states, the future of Kosovo, bilateral relations and international developments were the main issues under discussion earlier today during the meeting of Hellenic Republic President Karolos Papoulias with Serbia-Montenegro President Svetozar Marovic who is on a formal visit to Athens.

Responding to a question by a reporter on the FYROM name issue, Mr. Marovic pointed out the need for the interested parties to settle the dispute. The powerful come and go. We are the ones who stay here and must find a viable solution for the good of the region, stated Mr. Marovic.

On his part, Mr. Papoulias reiterated the Greek position characterizing the proposal tabled by mediator Matthew Nimetz as a proposal that can be discussed even though it needs to be corrected. He added that the FYROM political leadership must consider that is being offered a good opportunity to come to the negotiating table for the benefit of its efforts to establish a closer relation with the EU and this we know that it passes through Greece, he stressed.

A special reference was made by the two presidents to the efforts made by Serbia-Montenegro to become part of the Euro-Atlantic institutions. Mr. Papoulias stressed that Greece supports this course and believes that problems like Kosovo can be resolved inside the European family. He stressed that Kosovo is not a Serb but a Balkan problem. We cannot talk about peace without stability in the region, he added.

Mr. Marovic stressed the need for a lasting solution in Kosovo which can only be achieved if an agreement is reached between Belgrade and Pristina without unilateral decisions or solutions imposed by third parties. He also underlined the determination of the Serb leadership to continue its cooperation with The Hague Court of Justice and left open the likelihood for referenda in Serbia and Montenegro to determine the future of the union.

Referring to his country's relations with Greece, the President of Serbia-Montenegro stated that it is a model friendship and stressed that the opening of negotiations in October on the association treaty with the EU is a top priority issue for his country.

[07] GREECE RANKS 26TH ON THE LIST OF BUYERS OF POLISH AERONAUTIC PRODUCTS

Greece imported small Polish aircraft and spare parts worth US$ 2.97 million in the period 2000-2004 absorbing part of Poland's aeronautics production. Already, an estimated 100 companies and 16,000 people are occupied in the specific sector and during the past few years Poland has gradually evolved into a silicon valley of general aeronautics.

According to figures provided to MPA-ANA by Polish embassy in Athens Economic and Commercial Affairs adviser Maria Bienas, Greece was 26th last year on the list of foreign buyers in the sector of aeronautics and 19th in the purchase of aircraft spare parts.

In 2002, an agreement was signed with the Greek Ministry of Defense for the purchase of three Dromader, small training aircraft mainly used in firefighting efforts, as well as spare parts worth US$ 1.287 million. In the two-year period 2000-2001, the Polish aeronautic products' exports to Greece reached US$ 1.29 million, while in 2003 and 2004 they were at US$ 406,000 and concerned exclusively spare parts.

In 2004, the Polish exports in the specific sector were US$ 170 million in total. The Polish aeronautics sector is in the hands of four major companies with foreign shareholders but there are also some small and medium sized Polish companies.

According to figures provided by the Polish Information and Foreign Investments Office (PAIZ), the biggest foreign investors in Poland in the specific sector is General Electric (with an investment of US$ 400 million), United Technologies Holding (US$ 156.4 million), EADS CASA (US$ 31 million), Pratt & Whitney Canada (US$ 20 million), Goodrich (US$ 14.8 million).

[08] PASOK POLITICAL COUNCIL MEETING

The Political Council of the main opposition Socialist Party PASOK meets today presided over by its leader Giorgos Papandreou.

PASOK's slogan probably until the next elections will be that there is an alternative way.

In the meeting of the PASOK parliament deputies Coordinating Body yesterday, Mr. Papandreou, satisfied with his very good presence in Thessaloniki within the framework of the International Trade Fair, was clear.

PASOK has to promote the alternative way, a way other than that followed by the ruling party of New Democracy both on the overall policy and secondary issues, stressed Mr. Papandreou addressing the party's leading members.

[09] MOLYVIATIS: NEED FOR CHANGES IN THE UNITED NATIONS

Greece had an important presence in the UN Security Council Summit meeting, in the meeting of state leaders and heads of governments and in the plenary session of the 60th UN General Assembly where the role of the organization is being discussed in the prevention and combating of terrorism, the preservation and restoration of peace, and the security and cooperation among the peoples, according to Foreign Minister Petros Molyviatis.

Speaking to Greek-American reporters before his departure from the United States on his way back to Greece, Mr. Molyviatis reiterated the firm position of the Greek government concerning the need to reform the United Nations Organization and upgrade the role of the UN Security Council.

Mr. Molyviatis stated that the United Nations in their present form, and mainly the UN Security Council, represent the world as it was exactly 60 years ago. Everything has changed since then except from the UN Security Council. Therefore, there is an immediate need for reform, stressed the Foreign Minister.

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