Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 05-11-23

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

CONTENTS

[01] PARLIAMENTARY IMMUNITY TO BE LIFTED FOR DEPUTY PETROS MADOUVALOS

[02] FOREIGN MINISTER MOLYVIATIS BRIEFED THE PARLIAMENT ON MAJOR NATIONAL

[03] THE MINISTER OF TOURISM VISITS CHINA

[04] GREEK MASS MEDIA ON 24-HOUR STRIKE

[05] BURNS: AGREEMENT ON THE NAME CAN RULE OUT A VETO

[01] PARLIAMENTARY IMMUNITY TO BE LIFTED FOR DEPUTY PETROS MADOUVALOS

The parliament's ethics committee decided to unanimously propose the lifting of parliamentary immunity for independent parliament deputy Petros Madouvalos after a request by the examiner who was assigned the illegal judicial network case.

Mr. Madouvalos maintains that he is the victim of a plot and from the beginning he wanted his parliamentary immunity to be lifted.

The independent parliament deputy is allegedly accused of bribing judge Kalousis and of money laundering.

I want my parliamentary immunity to be lifted because for me immunity is like sentencing, stated Mr. Madouvalos while main opposition Socialist Party PASOK deputy Andreas Loverdos accused the examiner's office of sidestepping parliament when opening Mr. Madouvalos' bank accounts.

Meanwhile, the Appellant Court Judges Council decision was negative concerning the request to lift the detention of former First Instance Court presiding judge Evangelos Kalousis.

Court judges, lawyers and businessmen have been subpoenaed to testify on the case.

[02] FOREIGN MINISTER MOLYVIATIS BRIEFED THE PARLIAMENT ON MAJOR NATIONAL ISSUES

Foreign Minister Petros Molyviatis briefed the Parliamentary Committee on Defense today on the developments on major national issues.

On the issue of Kosovo, Mr. Molyviatis stated that Greece's position is that the price for stability in Kosovo cannot be the destabilization of the wider region.

He said that the solution should be European, should respect international law and be compatible with the EU principles and values, while the EU should have a meaningful role in forming the final status.

The solution, he stressed, must be the result of meaningful negotiations without pressing timetables and should not be an imposed one.

Foreign Minister Molyviatis stated that the goal is a safe, multiethnic and multicultural Kosovo and a special attention is given to the security conditions for the return of the non Albanian refugees and the protection of the Orthodox monuments.

On the issue of the FYROM name, Mr. Molyviatis stated that the goal is a mutually acceptable solution within the framework of the UN, adding that a brave step has been made. If the intransigence of the other side continues, said Mr. Molyviatis, Greece reserves to the fullest its right to block FYROM's participation in international organizations if it is attempted under any name other than FYROM.

On the Cyprus issue, Mr. Molyviatis stressed that the Annan Plan together with the UN Security Council resolutions, the European acquis, and the European principles and values constitute a basis for negotiation aimed at reaching a solution.

He pointed out that any attempt should be well-prepared without pressing time limits. There should be no other failure, stated the Foreign Minister, and stressed that Turkey should realize that in case no solution is found in Cyprus it will have, based on the obligations it has undertaken after October 3, to recognize today's Cyprus Republic during the period of its accession negotiations. Therefore, he added, Turkey can be motivated to contribute to a solution in order to recognize the product of that solution and not today's Cyprus Republic.

[03] THE MINISTER OF TOURISM VISITS CHINA

Minister of Tourism Dimitris Avramopoulos departed for the Chinese city of Kunming where the 7th International Tourist Exhibition Travel Mart takes place.

Mr. Avramopoulos will also visit Beijing and meet with Chinese Minister of Tourism Shao Qiwei and Olympic Games Organizing Committee President Liu Qi, who is also the General Secretary of the Communist Party.

Yesterday, Mr. Avramopoulos was on a one-day visit to Oman after an invitation by the country's Ministers of Culture and Tourism to attend the events in honor of the Sultan of Oman on the occasion of the 35th anniversary of the Sultanate's independence. Mr. Avramopoulos met with Sultan Sayyid Thuwainy Bin Shihab and conveyed a message by Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis.

During the contacts Mr. Avramopoulos had it was decided to hold a forum in Oman with the participation of investors from Greece and Oman representing the tourist and constructions sectors.

Mr. Avramopoulos invited the Minister of Tourism of Oman to visit Greece to attend the annual WTTC meeting on February 18, 2006 during which a memorandum of cooperation will be signed.

[04] GREEK MASS MEDIA ON 24-HOUR STRIKE

The mass media unions in Greece have declared a 24-hour strike for tomorrow starting at 6 am on Thursday, November 24 until 6am on Friday, November 25.

During the strike no news or information programs will be broadcast live, taped or reruns, while the electronic news pages will not be updated.

[05] BURNS: AGREEMENT ON THE NAME CAN RULE OUT A VETO

The United States support the talks between Greece and FYROM held in the UN for the solution of the name issue, stated US Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns, responsible for political affairs, speaking in the radio station Voice of America.

We believe that an agreement between Greece and Macedonia is feasible ruling out this way the likelihood for Greece to veto Macedonia's Euro-Atlantic pursuits, stated Mr. Burns.

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