Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 05-12-29

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] MOLYVIATIS: KOSOVO A CRITICAL ISSUE, SOLUTION MUST STRENGTHEN BALKAN

[02] PM AND YANNAKOU DISCUSS UNIVERSITIES BILL, CONSTITUTION

[03] CAR SET ON FIRE OUTSIDE ATHENS ACADEMY

[04] PUBLIC GAS CORP. SIGNS NATURAL GAS PIPELINE CONTRACT

[05] HELLENIC PETROLEUM APPLIES FOR ELECTRICITY OUTPUT PERMIT

[01] MOLYVIATIS: KOSOVO A CRITICAL ISSUE, SOLUTION MUST STRENGTHEN BALKAN SECURITY

Kosovo was one of the most critical issues, and its solution should aim at strengthening security and stability in the Balkans, Greece foreign minister Petros Molyviatis said in an interview with the Serbian news agency BETA.

Molyviatis said that the Greek government, in all the discussions on Kosovo's future status, incessantly stressed that "the solution must be the result of negotiations and not the product of imposition, it must be founded on the European Union principles and values, and it must respect international leglaity, keeping in mind the UN Security Council resolutions".

Referring to his recent visits to Pristina and Belgrade together with his Croatian and Romanian counterparts, the Greek foreign minister stressed the need for continuous and substantive breifing of the neighbouring countries on the Kosovo issue.

"The role of the United Nations, the European Union, the US, Russia and the other countries of the Contact Group is indisputably important, but the neighbouring countries must also have a significant role, since they are the ones that will directly be affected by the consequences of the developments," Molyviatis stressed.

He said Greece had a particularly weighty role in the process for a Kosovo solution, given that it was the only country in the region that is a member of the EU and NATO, and given its non-permament seat on the UN Security Council "in this critical period".

On developments concerning the cohesion of the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro, Molyviatis said it was a "crucial matter that has serious repercussions on the entire Balkan region, particularly now that the process for deciding the future status quo of Kosovo is underway".

Molyviatis further spoke on bilateral relations between Greece and Serbia-Montenegro, noting that the two countries were bound by historic ties of friendship while, their political relations were excellent and their economic ties were being strengthened, as were their relations in the sectors of tourism and culture as well.

[02] PM AND YANNAKOU DISCUSS UNIVERSITIES BILL, CONSTITUTION

Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis received Education and Religious Affairs Minister Marietta Yiannakou on Thursday to discuss a draft bill concerning universities and their equivalents and a planned revision of the Constitution.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Yiannakou pointed out that New Democracy's programme included a position for private, non-profit universities, which will be proposed during the revision of the Constitution.

She said that public dialogue on the universities' bill had essentially begun with the proposals submitted by the expert committee and that the government was now waiting to hear the proposals of university deans.

Answering questions about the separation of Church and State in the framework of a Constitutional revision, Yiannakou said that certain issues could be settled without revising the Constitution.

As an example she listed cremation of the dead, saying that this will soon be discussed in Parliament and had been suggested by MPs of all parties.

[03] CAR SET ON FIRE OUTSIDE ATHENS ACADEMY

A car containing an empty propane canister in the back seat was set on fire early Thursday in central Athens, and its owner was wanted by police in connection with the incident. Firefighters, who quickly extinguished the flames, said the canister -- which was initially thought to contain 20 cubic litres of liquid gas but proved to be empty -- had posed no threat of exploding.

The car burst into flames shortly after 3:00 a.m. outside the Academy of Athens on Panepistimiou street in downtown Athens, and firefighters who rushed to the scene, alerted by the Academy's guard, quickly extinquished the blaze.

According to the firefighters, the inside of the car had been doused with an inflammable liquid, while the canister was found in the car, together with the remains of several plastic soda pop bottles believed to have contained the inflammable with which the interior was doused.

The car bore licence plates AXH-9453 belonging to retired Navy lieutenant Haralambos Seitanidis, 52, from Aigeira, Achaia prefecture, who is wanted by police for questioning, given that the car has not been reported as stolen, although the possibility of the car having been stolen and brought to Athens by the perpetrators was also being examined.

The car has been moved to the Attica Police General Headquarters (GADA) facilities for examination by experts.

According to eyewitnesses questioned by police, an unidentified man parked the car on the sidewalk outside the Academy shortly before the fire erupted and ran away, but did not cause suspicion as it was raining heavily at the time. A few minutes later the car was engulfed in flames.

Given that no theft report has turned up for the car, police are seeking its owner for questioning on the incident, as it is considered highly likely that the owner himself left the car at the spot and set fire to the interior before running off. Police also found, in the car's trunk, a satchel containing several notes apparently written by the owner of the car, which police specialists say indicated that the owner had intense family problems and possibly psychological problems, which would be clarified when the owner was found and examined.

[04] PUBLIC GAS CORP. SIGNS NATURAL GAS PIPELINE CONTRACT

Public Gas Corp. SA said on Wednesday that it had signed a contract with Stroytransgaz-Prometheus Gas, a Greek-Russian consortium, for construction of a natural gas pipeline between the northern towns of Komotini and Alexandroupoli.

The high-pressure pipeline, whose completion date is the end of 2006, will have a length of 54 kilometres and diameter of 36 inches.

The project has secured funding from the competitiveness operational programme under the European Union's Third Community Support Framework package.

The work is an extension to an existing pipeline from Kipi to Alexandroupoli, which has a length of 33 kilometres and connects with a Turkish pipeline across the border.

[05] HELLENIC PETROLEUM APPLIES FOR ELECTRICITY OUTPUT PERMIT

Athens-quoted Hellenic Petroleum SA said on Wednesday that it had filed an application with the Energy Supervisory Authority to obtain an electricity production licence and building permission for construction of a 390MW combined-cycle, natural gas-fired station at its plant in Megara, Attica.

The company said in a statement it was seeking a 30-year licence with a renewal option.

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