Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 2000-07-03
MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Thessaloniki, July 3, 2000
SECTIONS
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
NEWS HEADLINES
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] ABNA REAFFIRMS COOPERATION AND EXPANDS
[02] GREEK PRESIDENT TRAVELS TO IRELAND TODAY
[03] U.S. ARCHAEOLOGIST APPEARS IN COURT TODAY
[04] CONFERENCE ON EURO HELD IN ATHENS TODAY
[05] PM TO RECEIVE CYPRIOT PRESIDENT CLERIDES
[06] STRONG WINDS IMPEDE BRITISH MD's NOBLE EFFORT
[07] COOPERATION IN TURKISH, GREEK TOURISM SECTOR
[08] MINISTRY ON ALERT FOR IMMINENT HEATWAVE
[09] THE ECONOMIC GROWTH RATE FOR THE YEAR 2000 IS EXPECTED TO BE
AT 4%
[10] AN IMF DELEGATION WILL BE IN ATHENS ON JULY 6-7
[11] INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING CONFERENCE IN ATHENS ON SEPTEMBER 25-
26
[12] SERB MARATHON RUNNERS IN THESSALONIKI
[13] SIMITIS: TURKEY CONFIRMS ITS INTRANSIGENCE
[14] CLERIDES: CLOSE COOPERATION BETWEEN GREECE AND CYPRUS
[15] LOSSES OF 0.84% IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE
[16] REPPAS COMMENTED ON THE CONFISCATION OF GERMAN PROPERTY
[17] REPPAS COMMENTED ON THE MOVEMENT OF TURKISH OCCUPATION FORCES
TO THE DEMILITARIZED ZONE IN CYPRUS
[18] STATEMENTS ON TERRORISM BY US AMBASSADOR BURNS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[19] VICTORIA STATE PM TO ARRIVE IN ATHENS JULY 9
[20] US CONGRESSMEN PRESS CLINTON FOR CYPRUS
[21] THE GREEK AMBASSADOR TO BELGRADE MET WITH JUGANOVIC
NEWS IN DETAIL
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] ABNA REAFFIRMS COOPERATION AND EXPANDS
The Association of Balkan News Agencies (ABNA) concluded its
10th General Assembly in Athens yesterday, where the members vowed
to improve cooperation amongst them and to further expand their
activities in the sector of new technologies.
The two-day event was attended by the general directors of the
national news agencies of Albania (ATA), Bulgaria (BTA),
Yugoslavia (TANJUG), Greece (Macedonian Press Agency and Athens
News Agency), FYROM (MIA), Romania (ROMPRESS) and Turkey (AA).
ABNA approved the membership application of the Moldovan news
agency (MOLDPRESS) which up to date was holding observer status.
Among the decisions reached, ABNA agreed to establish two
groups -each comprising three members- one for the promotion of
the Athens 2004 Olympics throughout the Balkan region and the
other for dealing with ecological and environmental concerns in
the peninsula.
Moreover, the ABNA members reaffirmed its desire for the
pluralistic dissemination of information in the Balkans, as this
would contribute to a climate of peace, security and prosperity in
the region.
On administrative matters, ABNA decided to extend the terms
of the Association's rotating presidency to one year, from the
present six-month term, and its general secretariat to two years.
Also, the presidium's rotation order will now be based on the
alphabetical order of the news agencies, rather than the cities in
which they are headquartered. Presently holding the ABNA
presidency, the Athens News Agency will remain in that post for
another six months.
ABNA's secretary general Spyros Kouzinopoulos, the Macedonian
Press Agency's general director, was re-elected to the post and
will serve for another year and a half.
In his address before the Assembly, Mr. Kouzinopoulos stated
the ABNA developed cooperation between the Balkan news agencies,
but also played a vital role in their contribution to the
establishment of a climate of peace, security, good neighborliness
and cohesion in the sensitive Balkan peninsula.
Furthermore, he noted that ABNA was the first inter-Balkan
organization to be established in southeast Europe, "a feat
achieved during an arduous period for Balkan relations, a period
marked by phenomena of fanaticism, mistrust, nationalist and
territorial designs perilously emerging from some of the region's
countries."
The ABNA general secretary also presented the future plans
for the Association's Internet server, created by the MPA at the
www.abna.org site, featuring the transmission of news from the
member-agencies.
The assembly was also addressed by its president, the
Athens News Agency general director Andreas Christodoulides, who
referred to the need for more effective and far-reaching
cooperation between the Balkan news agencies in order to deal with
the increasing competition and radical changes taking place
internationally in the field of information.
The meeting was opened by Foreign Minister George Papandreou,
who spoke about Greece's basic foreign policy axes in the Balkans.
ABNA was established in Thessaloniki on June 26, 1995.
[02] GREEK PRESIDENT TRAVELS TO IRELAND TODAY
The President of the Hellenic Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos
embarked on an official visit to Ireland today at the invitation
of his Irish counterpart, Mary McAleese.
Mr. Stephanopoulos will address a joint Greek-Irish
business forum during his three-day visit.
Accompanying President Stephanopoulos will be Alternate
Foreign Minister Elisabeth Papazoi and Deputy National Economy
Minister Yiannis Zafiropoulos.
[03] U.S. ARCHAEOLOGIST APPEARS IN COURT TODAY
An American professor of archaeology who was detained for
antiquities smuggling at Athens' international airport yesterday
is to appear before the Athens magistrate today.
Michael Martin Kumpf, 55, from Iowa, was apprehended when
airport security discovered a nine-inch high, ancient amphorae in
his hand baggage before he boarded a plane to Chicago.
Mr. Kumpf could face a misdemeanor charge of antiquities
possession.
According to an initial estimate by the Archaeological Museum
of Athens, the amphorae belongs to the late Roman period, and
falls under the regulations regarding the protection of
antiquities.
[04] CONFERENCE ON EURO HELD IN ATHENS TODAY
An international conference on the transition from the
drachma to the euro is to begin in Athens today.
The two-day conference is being held under the aegis of the
Association for European Monetary Union and is sponsored by EFG
Eurobank.
Among speakers at the event are National Economy and Finance
Minister Yiannos Papantoniou and central bank governor Lucas
Papademos.
[05] PM TO RECEIVE CYPRIOT PRESIDENT CLERIDES
The President of the Republic of Cyprus Glafcos Clerides is
to conduct a working visit to Athens today where he will meet with
Prime Minister Costas Simitis, prior to traveling to Geneva for
the third round of proximity talks on July 5.
In a CNN interview, President Clerides warned that the
regional stability would be upset if the Cyprus issue remains
stagnant.
The Cypriot president also stated that even if the proximity
talks result in an impasse, international interest will continue
as such a deadlock would bear an impact on regional stability.
[06] STRONG WINDS IMPEDE BRITISH MD's NOBLE EFFORT
A British doctor's attempt to swim between two Aegean
islands, as part of a campaign for the return of the Parthenon
Marbles to Athens, was impeded by strong winds which prevented him
from finishing the 26-nautical mile distance and forced him to
give up a mere three miles away from the finishing line.
Dr. Stockdale, who has swum marathon distances for various
causes in the past, covered a formidable 23 nautical miles between
the islands of Delos and Paros. He started his effort at 10 a.m.
on Saturday from Delos, the island where, according to mythology,
Apollo was born. He covered 23 of the 26 miles distance to Paros
which was chosen because, according to history, the island was
used to keep the funds of the Athenian Alliance which were used to
build the Parthenon.
In spite of having been defeating by Aeolus, Dr. Stockdale
was given a hero's welocme by the locals, while Minister of the
Aegean Nikos Sifounakis welcomed him as "a victor in a struggle of
the good".
According to the Melina Mercouri Foundation, which organized
the swim, one of the event's objectives was to gather sponsorship
funds for the construction of a new Acropolis Museum in Athens to
house the Marbles.
[07] COOPERATION IN TURKISH, GREEK TOURISM SECTOR
The members of the Association of Turkish Tourism Investors
(TYD) and the Association of Greek Tourism Entrepreneurs (AGTE),
reaffirmed their cooperation during a meeting held in Bodrum,
vowing to turn the Aegean into a "Sea of Peace".
Moreover, both TYD and AGTE decided to form a six-member
joint committee comprising representatives from both associations,
and agreed to exchange tourism personnel and provide training for
them.
According to the Turkish news agency Anadolu, two tourism
fairs are being planned, one in Thessaloniki in the Fall and
another in Istanbul in February, 2001. Both associations will be
represented at the fairs.
As a part of the decisions they have reached, AGTE and TYD
will work to set up joint investments and the two countries will
inform each other about the tourism developments in their
countries.
Moreover, representatives from both associations will meet in
Crete in September to confirm their determination to continue the
cooperation.
[08] MINISTRY ON ALERT FOR IMMINENT HEATWAVE
Temperatures are expected to reach scorching levels this
week, exceeding 40 degrees Celsius on Wednesday and Thursday in
mainland Greece.
The state's Xenocrates plan has gone into effect, with all
air conditioned public facilities remaining open.
The Ministry of Health has issued advisories, especially
for the young and elderly, with pointers on how to stay cool,
such as staying in the shade, wearing light clothing, eating
lightly, avoiding alcohol and refraining from exerting
themselves.
[09] THE ECONOMIC GROWTH RATE FOR THE YEAR 2000 IS EXPECTED TO BE
AT 4%
The economy's growth rate, the drop of inflation and public
deficit and the promotion of structural changes are the macro-
economic targets of the Greek national economy ministry that are
included in the Stability Program for the 2001-2004 four-year
period.
The economic growth rate is the priority of the program and
the ministry of national economy points out that the Greek economy
can achieve a growth rate of 5% in 2003 while in the current year
the growth rate is expected to be at 4%.
However, in order for those targets to be met private
investments must accelerate by 6-7% until the year 2004.
Regarding inflation, it is expected to reach 2.1% of the GDP
in the year 2000 instead of 2.3%-2.4% as it was initially
predicted, while for the four-year period of 2001-2004 there are
two scenarios on the course of inflation which are related with
the oil prices.
According to the optimistic scenario, inflation in 2001-2004
will be at 2%, while another less optimistic scenario predicts an
average inflation rate of 2.5%. Keeping the price of oil at 8.120
drachmas per barrel is a factor that will play a decisive role in
maintaining inflation at 2% of the GDP.
[10] AN IMF DELEGATION WILL BE IN ATHENS ON JULY 6-7
The prospects of the Greek economy will be discussed during
the visit of an International Monetary Fund, IMF, delegation to
Greece on July 6-7. The delegation will meet with officials of the
ministries of national economy and finance and the Bank of Greece.
The IMF delegation will focus its attention on the planing of
structural changes mainly in the social security system, the
privatization process and the changes in public administration.
The delegation will be briefed on the Greek government's 2001
anti-inflation policy, and the policy aimed at tackling
unemployment. The ministry of national economy will also brief the
IMF on the policy aimed at cutting public spending and the course
of public debt.
[11] INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING CONFERENCE IN ATHENS ON SEPTEMBER 25-
26
The third international shipping conference on quality
management against funding risks in shipping will be held in
Athens on September 25-26 organized by the Mare Forum
organization.
The conference will be attended by 5 merchant marine,
transportation and trade ministers from EU countries and the
United States, as well as many leading personalities from almost
all the sectors of the international shipping industry to present
their views.
[12] SERB MARATHON RUNNERS IN THESSALONIKI
The marathon race that started in Novi Sad, Yugoslavia on
June 28 with the participation of 14 athletes, in the memory of
the children who were killed in the 1999 NATO bombings, will end
in Thessaloniki on Wednesday.
Thessaloniki's Committee for the International Detente and
Peace will organize the reception of the Serb marathon runners.
[13] SIMITIS: TURKEY CONFIRMS ITS INTRANSIGENCE
Turkey confirms its intransigence and defiance of all the
existing agreements and UN decisions stated Greek prime minister
Kostas Simitis, after the meeting he had in Athens today with
Cypriot president Glafkos Clerides, referring to the issue that
arose in the past few hours when Turkish occupation forces moved
to Cyprus' buffer zone that separates the free from the occupied
part of the island.
Mr. Simitis stated that the Turkish side decided to change
the status quo in the region which exists since the ceasefire
agreement and underlined that the Greek side condemns this action
and will take all necessary measures to underline the need for the
restoration of the status quo in the region.
Mr. Simitis also stated that in view of the proximity talks
the Cyprus issue is in a phase of likely developments and
underlined that there is a coincidence of views between Greece and
Cyprus, adding that efforts will be made for those developments to
be speedy and positive. He said that the whole of Europe discusses
the need for the consolidation of regulations for peace and
cooperation and the Cyprus problem can not remain open. He said
that those who keep the problem open have an obligation to make
steps toward peace. Mr. Simitis spoke of the positive developments
in the Helsinki Summit meeting that opened the way to a peaceful
coexistence of all the people living in Cyprus, reiterating that
in the meeting with Cypriot president Glafkos Clerides were
examined issues concerning bilateral relations, while the
bilateral cooperation on issues of defense was reaffirmed within
the framework of the joint defense doctrine.
Mr. Simitis characterized Cyprus' course toward the EU as
satisfactory, pointing out that Cyprus is in a better position
compared to all the rest candidate states for EU membership.
[14] CLERIDES: CLOSE COOPERATION BETWEEN GREECE AND CYPRUS
Cypriot president Glafkos Clerides stated that Greece and
Cyprus have a close cooperation in statements he made after the
meeting he had in Athens today with Greek prime minister Kostas
Simitis.
Referring to the issue that arose in the past few hours when
the Turkish occupation forces moved to a demilitarized zone in the
region of Strovilia in Famagusta in Cyprus, Mr. Clerides stressed
that the measures taken by Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash
regarding the peace-keeping force lead him to a confrontation with
the UN Security Council because it has decided to extend the
presence of UNFICYP in Cyprus.
Mr. Clerides stressed that Mr. Denktash blocks this force
that has the authority by the UN Security Council to act on the
basis of avoiding tensions, expressing the belief that the Turkish
side will not be able to maintain those measures for a long time.
[15] LOSSES OF 0.84% IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE
Losses of 0.84% were recorded in the Athens Stock Exchange,
while the general index was at 4.020,29 points. The volume of
transactions was at 62 billion drachmas which is a new record low.
Of the stocks trading today, 56 recorded gains, while 273 had
losses and 33 remained unchanged.
[16] REPPAS COMMENTED ON THE CONFISCATION OF GERMAN PROPERTY
There can be no confiscation of foreign public property
without a permission by the justice minister according to article
923 of the political economy code, clarified Greek government
spokesman Dimitris Reppas responding to a question on the occasion
of the confiscation of the German property in Greece promoted by
the relatives of the Distomo Nazi massacre victims who have
brought their case to the Greek courts.
The government spokesman stressed that this issue is being
handled by the Greek government to achieved the best possible
result based on the Greek national interests.
[17] REPPAS COMMENTED ON THE MOVEMENT OF TURKISH OCCUPATION FORCES
TO THE DEMILITARIZED ZONE IN CYPRUS
Illegal and unacceptable was characterized by Greek
government spokesman Dimitris Reppas the new provocation by
Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash who moved the Turkish
occupation forces to new positions in the demilitarized zone
cutting off Greek Cypriot families.
Mr. Reppas stated that this action is in defiance of the
United Nations and in violation of the agreements reached, adding
that it is a trick by Debktash in an attempt to shift the interest
of the international public opinion away from the essence of the
talks on Cyprus that resume in Geneva on Wednesday.
Mr. Reppas concluded by saying that the UN must ask Mr.
Deenktash to comply not only with older agreements but to be
consistent with the commitment he has undertaken to settle the
Cyprus issue.
[18] STATEMENTS ON TERRORISM BY US AMBASSADOR BURNS
US ambassador Nicholas Burns in a press conference he gave in
Thessaloniki today expressed the view that the problem of
terrorism is an international problem found not only in Greece but
in every country in world, including the United States.
Mr. Burns stated that in the past few weeks the United States
backed Greece on the issue of terrorism both through the
statements made by US president Bill Clinton and through those
made by US secretary of state Madeleine Albright and himself.
"Every time I am in Greece I feel welcomed and safe and the
precautions I take for my protection are the regular ones taken in
any country. That is why we encourage both the US tourists and the
US artists to come to your country to enjoy the Greek reception
and hospitality", stated Mr. Burns.
The US diplomat also clarified however, that the problem of
terrorism exists in Greece and affects the US diplomats and
especially the military attaches, adding that "it is widely known
that we have already lost 5 people from terrorist attacks while
several others have been injured", said the US ambassador to
Athens.
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[19] VICTORIA STATE PM TO ARRIVE IN ATHENS JULY 9
The premier of Australia's Victoria State, Steve Bracks, will
conduct a brief visit to Athens on July 9 where he will meet with
the ministers of transport and communications and culture.
Among the topics to be discussed is the future of the Olympic
Airways flights to Melbourne, the Museum of Greek Antiquities in
Melbourne, and the prospect of a formal agreement with Greece on
exhibition exchanges.
Mr. Bracks will also discuss matters related to the teaching
of the Greek language in Victoria.
[20] US CONGRESSMEN PRESS CLINTON FOR CYPRUS
United States congressmen have expressed their strong support
for the proximity talks set to begin in Geneva tomorrow over the
Cyprus issue, and urged President Bill Clinton to step up his
efforts to promote a settlement.
"We believe that the current Cyprus settlement talks, having
reached a critical stage, now call for your utmost attention and
involvement," 81 U.S. senators and more than 225 members of the
House of Representatives (both Republicans and Democrats) said in
two separate but identical letters addressed to President Clinton.
"A Cyprus settlement, in accordance with long-established
U.S. policy and United Nations resolutions, will benefit all the
people of Cyprus...as well as serve the interests of America and
our allies, Greece and Turkey," they said.
[21] THE GREEK AMBASSADOR TO BELGRADE MET WITH JUGANOVIC
The backing of the Greek government to the policy followed by
Montenegro which is oriented toward democratization and reforms
was conveyed to Montenegro president Milo Juganovic by Greek
ambassador to Yugoslavia Panagiotis Vlassopoulos who visited
Podgorica.
According to a statement issued by the presidential office in
Podgorica, Mr. Juganovic briefed Mr. Vlassopoulos on the current
political situation and positions of Montenegro and asked him to
convey his thanks to the Greek prime minister and the foreign
minister.
Mr. Vlassopoulos from his side underlined that the political
cooperation between Greece and Montenegro is at a very good level
and stressed that efforts must be made for the promotion of the
economic and any other kind of cooperation.
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