Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 2000-01-11
MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Thessaloniki, January 11, 2000
SECTIONS
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
NEWS HEADLINES
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] GREECE AND ITALY SIGN POLICE COOPERATION ACCORD
[02] BALKAN RECONSTRUCTION ORGANIZATION BOARD
TO MEET IN THESSALONIKI ON MONDAY
[03] SLIGHT TREMOR SHAKES EUBOIA, MEASURES 4.2 RICHTER
04] PARLIAMENTARY DISCUSSION ON REPATRIATION TO BE HELD TODAY
[05] DRAMATIC INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF VICTIMS OF TRAFFIC
ACCIDENTS
[06] THE CASES OF ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE ARE ON THE RISE WORLDWIDE
[07] STABILITY PACT CONFERENCE
[08] BIG LOSSES OF 3.04% IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE
[09] STATEMENTS BY MR. REPPAS ON THE REPORTS ON FAMAGUSTA
[10] SIMITIS-D' ALEMA STATEMENTS AFTER THEIR MEETING IN ATHENS
[11] DISTINGUISHED TURKISH AND GREEK JOURNALISTS IN THE GREEK-
TURKISH CONTACT GROUP CONFERENCE
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[12] ITALIAN PREMIER IN ATHENS, TO MEET WITH GREEK COUNTERPART
[13] OTE, KPN TO HOLD TALKS IN SOFIA THIS WEEK OVER BTC SALE
[14] GREEK FM EMBARKS ON VISIT TO CYPRUS TODAY
[15] GREEK COMMISSIONER MEETS WITH PORTUGUESE MINISTERS
[16] PAPANDREOU: THE SITUATION WILL BE ASSESSED IN CYPRUS
NEWS IN DETAIL
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] GREECE AND ITALY SIGN POLICE COOPERATION ACCORD
A police cooperation agreement signed between Greece and
Italy yesterday has laid the foundation for a shared policy on
matters related to security, order and crime combat, according to
Greece's Minister of Public Order Michalis Chrysochoides.
The police cooperation accord has established the
institutional framework necessary for dealing with mutual interest
issues, such as illegal immigration, smuggling and drug
trafficking.
The said agreement is expected to be followed by a trilateral
one between Greece, Italy and Albania, as Athens has proposed a
meeting to be held between officials from the three countries in
Corfu on February 18.
[02] BALKAN RECONSTRUCTION ORGANIZATION BOARD
TO MEET IN THESSALONIKI ON MONDAY
The Board of Directors of the Balkan Reconstruction
Organization will hold its first session in Thessaloniki on
Monday.
The board will convene at the CEDEFOP premises, where the
European Union and Greece will be represented by Foreign Affairs
Commissioner Chris Patten and the Minister of Macedonia-Thrace
Yiannis Magriotis, respectively.
[03] SLIGHT TREMOR SHAKES EUBOIA, MEASURES 4.2 RICHTER
A slight tremor measuring 4.2 on the Richter scale occurred
this morning in Euboia.
The earthquake took place at 9.45 a.m. with its epicenter located
at Edipsos. There were no damages reported.
[04] PARLIAMENTARY DISCUSSION ON REPATRIATION TO BE HELD TODAY
A draft bill concerning the issue of repatriation is to be
discussed in the plenary session of Parliament this evening, and
is expected to be voted upon tomorrow.
Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs Grigoris Niotis stated that
recent reports concerning unauthorized naturalizations are
"unacceptable".
Speaking to the Macedonian Press Agency, the secretary-
general of the Repatriated Greeks Christos Kamenides refuted the
reports of numerous unauthorized naturalizations taking place.
[05] DRAMATIC INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF VICTIMS OF TRAFFIC
ACCIDENTS
The number of traffic accidents has increased dramatically in
Greece as one out of 3 people has been or will be a victim of a
traffic accident, according to a research conducted by the
Association for the Support of Victims of Traffic Accidents.
The aim of the association is to keep the people informed as
the number of traffic accidents' victims in Greece has an annual
increase of 18% when in the rest European countries there is a
tendency for an annual decline of 4%.
The association is a non profit non governmental organization
member of the European Federation (FEVR) and has an advisory role
in the UN.
[06] THE CASES OF ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE ARE ON THE RISE WORLDWIDE
The cases of Alzheimer's disease are on the rise worldwide
and the scientific research is directed toward the preparation of
a vaccine for its prevention. However, for the time being there is
no full treatment for the disease that hits the brain having as a
main symptom the gradual decline of mental acuity leading to the
total collapse of the life and personality of the patient.
The Alzheimer's patients around the world are estimated to be
18-22 million while according to the Alzheimer's International
Society, that number is estimated to reach 34 million in the year
2025. In Greece, the patients are estimated at 60.000-100.000. The
disease appears mostly after the age of 65 and affects 4% of the
people, while it is estimated that in the year 2030 that age group
will make up 20% of the population in the developed countries.
The Alzheimer's disease usually is not hereditary, there are
no indications that it affects specific groups of people and there
are no tests that can predict if a person will be hit by it.
[07] STABILITY PACT CONFERENCE
A conference on democratization and the implementation of the
Stability Pact in south-eastern Europe will take place in
Thessaloniki on January 21 organized by the European Economic
Social Committee at the initiative of the Royaumont countries.
The goal of the meeting is the exchange of views among
representatives of different social and economic groups from the
countries participating in the Royaumont procedure.
The main issues for discussion will be the society of people
and social dialogue as the basis of the economic and social
development, the modernization procedure of the regional economic
and social structures and the means and procedures for the
strengthening of the economic and social organizations in the
countries of south-eastern Europe.
[08] BIG LOSSES OF 3.04% IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE
The general index closed at 3.04% today and the Athens Stock
Exchange was at 5.190,17 points. The volume of transactions
remained at low levels at 210 billion drachmas.
The rise of the index is being blocked by the massive
liquidation for quick gains while the atmosphere at the Athens
Stock Exchange remains negative because of the bad psychological
state of the investors.
[09] STATEMENTS BY MR. REPPAS ON THE REPORTS ON FAMAGUSTA
Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas called to comment
on the report published on the newspaper "Exusia", according to
which there is a joint United States, Britain and United Nations
plan for the reopening of the hotels in Famagusta in the Turkish
occupied northern part of Cyprus, stated that such ideas must not
be seen separately.
Mr. Reppas also stated that there is no formal proposal and
that such ideas are being placed within the framework of the
overall course for a fair and viable solution to the Cyprus
problem.
[10] SIMITIS-D' ALEMA STATEMENTS AFTER THEIR MEETING IN ATHENS
Greek prime minister Kostas Simitis met with his Italian
counterpart Massimo D' Alema in Athens and afterwards both leaders
responded to questions by reporters.
Mr. Simitis stressed that Greece's application for EMU
membership could be submitted in the second week of March and
expressed the belief that the outcome of the EU Summit meeting in
June will be positive, while the Italian prime minister underlined
that Italy favors Greece's participation in the EMU.
Responding to a question on the stance of the Greek
government regarding the recognition of Turkey as an EU candidate
state, Mr. D' Alema stated that it was a brave and an absolutely
correct choice. He said that peace was given a chance and now it
is up to Turkey to follow the road that has been opened.
Both leaders agreed that the materialization of the Stability
Pact in the Balkans does not proceed with a satisfactory pace,
while Mr. Simitis spoke of necessary moves that need to be made
based on the triptych democratization-stability-development.
They both stated that they support the proposal of the Serb
opposition for early elections and an end to the embargo and
issued an appeal to the international community and the United
States to pay attention to this proposal, also calling for a
humanitarian aid for the Serb people.
Finally, they announced the decision for a conference in
Ankona on the security in the region of the Adriatic Sea with the
participation of Italy, Greece, the European Union and the coastal
countries.
[11] DISTINGUISHED TURKISH AND GREEK JOURNALISTS IN THE GREEK-
TURKISH CONTACT GROUP CONFERENCE
Over 30 distinguished Turkish journalists and mass media
executives and over 50 of their Greek colleagues will take part in
the two-day Greek-Turkish Conference of the Greek and Turkish
journalists' work and contact group that will open in Athens on
February 5 during the talks between the foreign ministers of
Greece and Turkey Giorgos Papandreou and Ismail Cem.
The conference will be opened on behalf of the Turkish side by
press council president and "Hurriyet" commentator Oktai Eksi and
on behalf of the Greek side by Greek state radio, ERA, general
director Yiannis Tzanetakos.
On the first day of the conference there will be an
assessment of the positive and negative effects of the mass media
on the Greek-Turkish relations in the past decade. At the same
time, the pre-conditions under which the Greek and the Turkish
mass media can form a positive climate in bilateral relations will
also be examined.
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[12] ITALIAN PREMIER IN ATHENS, TO MEET WITH GREEK COUNTERPART
Italian Prime Minister Massimo D'Alema, presently on a two-
day visit to Athens, is to meet with his Greek counterpart,
Costas Simitis and the President of the Hellenic Republic Costis
Stephanopoulos today.
Addressing a conference themed "Progressive governance at the
start of the century" held at the University of Athens yesterday,
Mr. D'Alema stated that democracy and progressive governance
constitute the two basic aspects of the Left in the wake of
globalization.
"We are being called upon to square the circle, harmonizing
the logic of production-and therefore competitiveness- with social
justice, flexibility with guarantees regarding employment," he
said.
Mr. Simitis, also addressing the same conference, stressed
the importance of building a safety net for all citizens and
forming a a sound social security system.
"We believe that there is considerable room in socialism for
enlarging democracy," he stated, adding "democracy means
participation and joint action by all."
[13] OTE, KPN TO HOLD TALKS IN SOFIA THIS WEEK OVER BTC SALE
Officials from Greece's Hellenic Telecommunications
Organization (OTE) and the Dutch KPN are to continue negotiations
for the privatization of Bulgarian Telecommunications Company
(BTC) on January 13 in Sofia, as invited by Bulgaria's Transport
and Communications Minister Antoni Slavinski. Both OTE and KPN are
set to purchase a controlling stake in BTC.
"One of the first decisions of the new Government of the
Republic of Bulgaria was to establish a working group to carry out
the negotiations for the privatization of BTC, thus confirming its
commitment to bring the procedure to a successful end," Mr.
Slavinki's invitation letter to OTE noted.
[14] GREEK FM EMBARKS ON VISIT TO CYPRUS TODAY
Foreign Minister George Papandreou is embarking on a two-day
official visit to Cyprus today, where he will hold talks with
Cypriot officials.
Mr. Papandreou will also visit Turkey on January 20-21 where
he is expected to sign a series of agreements prepared within the
framework of Turkish-Greek dialogue. According to press reports,
the agreements cover terrorism, economy, trade, tourism, science,
technological cooperation, cooperation in the fields of culture,
environment, preservation of investments, maritime, and energy.
[15] GREEK COMMISSIONER MEETS WITH PORTUGUESE MINISTERS
Greece's EU Commissioner on issues related to Employment and
Social Affairs Anna Diamantopoulou met with three Portuguese
ministers in Lisbon yesterday, within the framework of Portugal's
resumption of the European Union Presidency.
Ms. Diamantopoulou met the ministers of Labor and Solidarity
Fero Rodrigez, Science and Technology Mariano Gango and Equality
Maria de Belemo with whom she discussed issues related to the
pension system in the European Union countries, employment through
the use of information systems and the coordination
for the creation of new jobs.
[16] PAPANDREOU: THE SITUATION WILL BE ASSESSED IN CYPRUS
Greek foreign minister Giorgos Papandreou met with his
Cypriot counterpart Yiannakis Kasoulides as soon as he arrived in
Cyprus and clarified with statements he made at the Larnaka
Airport that the policy line followed by the Greek and the Cypriot
government is placed within the framework of a two-zone and two-
community federation.
The statement made by Mr. Papandreou clears up the situation
created after the article by prime minister's press adviser
Giorgos Pantagias on Cyprus which had been published by the Athens
newspaper Sunday Eleftherotypia. Mr. Papandreou also stated that
very important decisions had been made in the Helsinki EU Summit
meeting which will be the keys for the permanent settlement of the
Cyprus problem and Cyprus' accession into the European Union to
the benefit of the people on the island.
Mr. Papandreou will have consultations in Cyprus with Cypriot
president Glafkos Clerides, foreign minister Yiannakis Kasoulides
and all the political party leaders. During those contacts an
assessment will be made on the outcome of the inter-communal talks
in New York in view of the resumption of those talks in Geneva on
January 31.
Upon the arrival of Mr. Papandreou at the Larnaka Airport
Cypriot foreign minister Yiannakis Kasoulides stated that the
weight of the assessment of all the positive points of the
Helsinki decision, both on the solution of the Cyprus problem and
Cyprus' EU accession course, will fall on the shoulders of the two
governments. He also added that the two governments already had a
consultation on December 20.
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