Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 05-11-25

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

CONTENTS

[01] MORAL RULE THE RETURN OF THE MARBLES

[02] SUGAR SUBSIDIES CUT BY 36%

[03] IMMIGRANTS SHOULD BE CHARACTERIZED A MINORITY ACCORDING TO BERISHA

[04] DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER STILIANIDIS MET WITH THE GEORGIAN FOREIGN

[05] THE DEPUTY GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN ON THE EURO-MEDITERRANEAN CONFERENCE

[06] FORMER EMPLOYEE OF THE GREEK CONSULATE IN KIEV IS DETAINED IN

[07] MEETING IN THESSALONIKI TO ESTABLISH A MEDITERRANEAN COOPERATION

[08] GREEK-ALBANIAN AGREEMENT FOR THE RECOVERY OF THE REMAINS OF GREEK

[09] THE US PRESS ON GREECE'S REQUEST FOR THE RETURN OF ANTIQUITIES KEPT IN

[01] MORAL RULE THE RETURN OF THE MARBLES

Hellenic Republic President Karolos Papoulias expressed the wish that the world moral rule will prevail and some day will celebrate the return of the Elgin Marbles. He expressed the wish during the reception of the presidents and members of twelve International Committees for the return of the Elgin Marbles to Greece.

Not only the British Committee but all the Committees, through the Ministry of Culture, have achieved something that will be preserved this way for ever. A bond that will survive until we meet at the new Museum of the Acropolis to celebrate the return of the Marbles, stated British Committee vice-president Christopher Proce.

[02] SUGAR SUBSIDIES CUT BY 36%

The EU Ministers of Agriculture decided in Brussels to cut sugar subsidies in the European Union by 36%.

EU sugar producers who want to stop being involved in the sector will be compensated for up to 64.2% of their lost revenue resulting from subsidy cuts.

The agreement in question was reached after marathon negotiations that lasted three days.

Until now, the EU contributed about 1.5 billion euros annually to support sugar producers and industries.

[03] IMMIGRANTS SHOULD BE CHARACTERIZED A MINORITY ACCORDING TO BERISHA

The Albanian immigrants living and working abroad should be characterized a "minority", stated Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha addressing the proceedings of the 26th Black Sea Economic Cooperation Parliamentary Assembly meeting, according to Tirana newspaper Express.

The newspaper mentions that the Albanian Prime Minister stated that the problem of immigration will be solved only when immigrants win all minority rights that are rightfully theirs in the countries where they live and work.

[04] DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER STILIANIDIS MET WITH THE GEORGIAN FOREIGN MINISTER

Georgia is among the top priorities in Greece's development policy, stated Deputy Foreign Minister Evripidis Stilianidis after meeting with Georgia's Foreign Minister Gela Bezhuashvili.

Mr. Stilianidis briefed the Georgian Foreign Minister on Greece's efforts in international organizations, the OECD (DAC, donor countries) and the EU to keep the countries in the wider region, Georgia included, among the top priorities of the Development Cooperation Policy.

A joint decision by USAID and the Hellenic Aid to hammer out joint programs in Georgia was reached within the framework of this activity.

The Georgian Foreign Minister stated that he was satisfied with the talks he had with Mr. Stilianidis and the meetings with representatives of the Greek parliament and stressed that his country wants Greece's assistance in its rapprochement efforts with the EU.

[05] THE DEPUTY GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN ON THE EURO-MEDITERRANEAN CONFERENCE

There is no scheduled meeting between Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the sidelines of the Euro-Mediterranean Conference on Sunday, stated deputy government spokesman Evangelos Antonaros.

Mr. Antonaros added that the Euro-Mediterranean Conference schedule is very tight.

[06] FORMER EMPLOYEE OF THE GREEK CONSULATE IN KIEV IS DETAINED IN THESSALONIKI

A former employee of the Greek consulate in Kiev, Ukraine was detained in Thessaloniki today accused of receiving money to issue forged visas to Ukrainians who were planning to visit Greece.

The individual detained was the consulate's general secretary while in the period 1999-2002 he was acting consul general and under this authority he issued hundreds of forged visa papers to Ukrainians based on investigation conducted by the Greek Police internal affairs department and the Greek Foreign Ministry.

The Greek authorities came across the Kiev consulate employee during an investigation on illegal naturalization cases in Thessaloniki and other cities.

[07] MEETING IN THESSALONIKI TO ESTABLISH A MEDITERRANEAN COOPERATION NETWORK

The establishment of a cooperation network for the transfer of know-how in a number of sectors like the production of energy, the management of environmental issues, infrastructure, the management of water resources and economic cooperation through better exploitation of European programs and national resources was discussed today in the meeting of local government representatives from Milan, Valetta, Lisbon, Switzerland and Thessaloniki.

The delegations met at the Thessaloniki Commerce and Industry Chamber today to adopt a protocol on energy and environment to be signed tomorrow by the five sides.

Among the prospects of the cooperation is the creation of a wider network with regions in the Balkans, Cyprus and North Africa. To this end, a meeting will be held this afternoon with the participation of the five sides of the cooperation and representatives of embassies and consulates from Bulgaria, Romania, FYROM, Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Slovenia, Croatia, Turkey, Serbia-Montenegro and Cyprus.

[08] GREEK-ALBANIAN AGREEMENT FOR THE RECOVERY OF THE REMAINS OF GREEK SOLDIERS KILLED IN WWII

Minister of National Defence Spilios Spiliotopoulos met yesterday with his Albanian counterpart Fatmir Mediu who is on a formal visit to Athens.

They discussed issues on the Greek-Albanian military and defense-technical cooperation and reached an agreement for the recovery of the remains of Greek soldiers killed in Albania during WWII and the creation of military cemeteries in the country.

They also discussed the security situation in SE Europe, Albania's EU accession course to NATO and the European Union and the participation of the two countries in peace missions within the framework of international organizations.

Mr. Mediu invited Mr. Spiliotopoulos to formally visit Tirana next year.

[09] THE US PRESS ON GREECE'S REQUEST FOR THE RETURN OF ANTIQUITIES KEPT IN THE GETTY MUSEUM

The Los Angeles Times published an extensive article mentioning Greece's decision to claim in court the repatriation of four ancient objects currently exhibited in the Los Angeles-based Getty Museum, while it also refers to the negotiations currently in progress between the Italian authorities and the New York Metropolitan Museum Director for the return of 7 artefacts to Italy. The newspaper also publishes a photo of the gold funerary wreath claimed by Greece.

Regarding the Greek case, the Los Angeles Times mentions that putting an end to its long-drawn-out diplomatic efforts, the Greek Culture Ministry has decided to launch legal action against the Getty Museum claiming the repatriation of four ancient Greek findings exhibited in the museum dated back to the 4th century BC (a gold funerary wreath, a marble torso of a woman, an inscribed tombstone and a votive relief). According to Greece, the votive relief, purchased by J. Paul Getty himself in 1955, was stolen from a Greek archaeological site as recorded in a scientific magazine, while the only possible origin for the rest objects are specific Greek regions.

Meanwhile, the New York Times refers to the statement made yesterday by the Greek government according to which, it will launch legal action against the Getty Museum in Los Angeles claiming the return of four artifacts allegedly stolen before being purchased by the Museum in 1993.

The New York Times stresses that the Getty Museum is the first American museum facing legal action on behalf of Greece.

The newspaper mentions that US museums with large collections of antiquities such as, the Getty Museum, the Metropolitan Museum in New York and the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston are facing increased pressure from the antiquities' countries of origin calling them to reveal the details on the way such objects were obtained and open talks for their repatriation.

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