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Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 2000-09-15
MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Thessaloniki, September 15, 2000
SECTIONS
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
NEWS HEADLINES
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] CROP OF WORLD CLASS TALENT AT MILLENNIUM GAMES
[02] MPA PROVIDES FULL OLYMPICS COVERAGE ON ITS SITE
[03] STATE RATIFIES 3rd CSF ABSORPTION, GRD 17.5 TRILLION
[04] GREEK GYMNASTS VIE FOR ENCORE AT SYDNEY
[05] GREEK GOLD MEDALIST READY TO SAIL IN MISTRAL
[06] GREEK FM ADDRESSES UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY AT NY
[07] POLL: OVER HALF WILLING TO SIGN CHURCH PETITION
[08] GOODY'S - TELEPIZZA DEAL
[09] THE NOVA BANK WILL OPEN ON SEPTEMBER 20
[10] EUROBANK-DEUTSCHE BANK TALKS ON THE EXPANSION OF THEIR
COOPERATION
[11] LOSSES OF 1.00% IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE
[12] INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF WONDER STUDENTS IN THESSALONIKI
[13] REPPAS COMMENTED ON THE CYPRUS ISSUE
[14] THE GREEK GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN ON THE YUGOSLAV ELECTIONS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[15] THE PUBLIC DEFICIT IN THE EURO-ZONE IN 1999 WAS 1.3% OF THE
GDP
[16] SEARCH FOR THE LOCATION OF A SHIP BRINGING JEWS TO PALESTINE
IN 1942
[17] PAPANDREOU-CEM MEETING IN NEW YORK
NEWS IN DETAIL
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] CROP OF WORLD CLASS TALENT AT MILLENNIUM GAMES
The Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, where every participating
world class athlete yearns for a medal during the 17-day sports
extravaganza, are set to get underway today, with a ceremony
euphorically heralded as "phantasmagoric".
As it is customary, the Greek Olympic Team, comprising a
record number of 150 athletes, will lead the opening of the Games
procession, with sailing champion Nikos Kaklamanakis serving as
flag bearer.
Greece's traditional strengths such as sailing, windsurfing
and weightlifting are now backed up by a clutch of track-and-field
and rhythmic gymnastic hopefuls who create a real sense of
momentum around the Greek team and their Olympic mission. The
Greek hopefuls can certainly count on a loud and partisan support
from the vibrant Greek-Australian community who will make the
Greek athletes feel right at home.
As for viewer turnout, almost every person on the planet with
access to a television set is expected to watch the Sydney Games
at some time over the next two weeks - a whopping 3.7 billion
people out of the potential 3.9 billion, according to the
International Olympic Committee (IOC) marketing commission.
[02] MPA PROVIDES FULL OLYMPICS COVERAGE ON ITS SITE
The Macedonian Press Agency is to provide round-the-clock
news briefs on the 2000 Olympic Games held in Sydney, through a
specially-created site at http://www.mpa.gr .
The said site was made possible through the significant
contribution of OTENET and the assistance of Alpha television
station, Alpha News and alpha sports radio stations and the
Metrosport daily.
The MPA's site will feature vast news packages, photographs,
video and other resources on the Olympic games, their history,
past Games, as well as athlete profiles.
As the Internet is expected to be the most favored
information format, given the time difference between Australia
and Europe, the MPA will provide continuous coverage of the
sporting events on its site, which -as of yesterday- has been
upgraded from 1Mbit to 2Mbit.
[03] STATE RATIFIES 3rd CSF ABSORPTION, GRD 17.5 TRILLION
The National Economy Ministry's bill on the absorption of the
third Community Support Framework (CSF), which amounts to 17.5
trillion drachmas, was unanimously ratified by the Cabinet
yesterday.
According to government spokesperson Dimitris Reppas, the
3rd CSF will enable the state to conduct a plethora of regional
development projects.
Specifically, the funds will be allocated (by the year 2006)
to boosting human resources, infrastructure and transportation,
business competition, agriculture (which will get a share of
GRD1.3 trillion from the CSF, with another ten pouring in from
other programs), as well to new economy (one trillion), and the
public sector, such as environment, education, health, welfare
(600 billion).
[04] GREEK GYMNASTS VIE FOR ENCORE AT SYDNEY
Greek gymnast Ioannis Melissanides, who won the gold medal
in the Atlanta-held 1996 games in the men's floor exercise, and
Demosthenes Tabakos are both vying for one of the nine medals to
be awarded in the Sydney Olympics gymnastics competition, the
qualifying round of which get underway tomorrow morning.
Melissanides, who will not be taking part in the floor
exercise this year due an earlier injury, will compete in the
final vault, while Tabakos will race in the rings segment.
[05] GREEK GOLD MEDALIST READY TO SAIL IN MISTRAL
Greek sailing champion Nikos Kaklamanakis, gold medalist in
the Atlanta-held 1996 Games in the Men's Mistral, is going into
Sydney's Games as a favorite for an encore, although his fiercest
competition is from his Australian and New Zealand counterparts.
In addition to the Mistral race, which gets underway on
Sunday, Kaklamanakis will also be the Greek team's flagbearer in
the opening ceremony of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.
Olympic sailing is a grueling competition that features at
least 10 races per class. It spans from September 17-24 and will
take place on Sydney Harbour.
[06] GREEK FM ADDRESSES UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY AT NY
Foreign Minister George Papandreou addressed the United
Nations General Assembly in New York yesterday, where he referred
extensively to globalization, the oncoming Athens 2004 Olympic
Games, Greek-Turkish relations, as well as the Cyprus issue.
"I pledge to you today that when the Olympic flame of our
ancestors rises over the Athenian sky, it will light up more than
a shiny stadium" Mr. Papandreou stated, adding "it will light up a
whole aea fighting for peace, democracy and justice."
The Foreign Minister stressed that "our work in the next four
years will start in the context of international organizations",
which will set the stage upon which future global events will
unfold.
The globalization of the economy, the increased power of the
media, rapid developments in information technology,
communications and biotechnology are just some of the challenges
that will set the stage, he stated, adding that "for the next four
years, Greece will take an active role in international fora to do
its part in dealing with globalization."
Regarding the Balkan region, Mr. Papandreou said that
stability in this area is the pre-requisite for Greek security
"and we define stability to mean the practice of democracy, the
strengthening of institutions that provide transparency and
accountability, the reduction of economic inequalities and the
rule of law in our societies and between our countries."
He further stressed the significance of Greece's EU and NATO
memberships in influencing the neighboring countries.
As for Turkey, the Foreign Miniister stressed the uniting
effect borne by last year's earthquakes that devastated both
neighbors, "which generated a genuine feeling of human warmth
between two peoples involved n historic strife."
Referring to the ensuing dialogue between the two neighbors,
he stressed that Greece and Turkey have signed ten agreements
"that will radically change the environment in which we interact,"
which he termed as "the beginning of a long process that will
radically affect our lives in the coming years."
As for Cyprus, Mr. Papandreou stressed that "it is not a
bilateral issue" and said that a solution to the Cyprus problem
Scan and should be seen as a win-win situation.
Furthermore, he added that UN resolutions pertaining to the
divided island are not only important for Cyprus, they are
"important for the moral standing of this all-important
organization".
Double standards and inaction only serve to undermine the
credibility of this organization, he said.
[07] POLL: OVER HALF WILLING TO SIGN CHURCH PETITION
More than half of respondents to a recent survey are willing
to sign the church's ongoing petition calling for the listing of
religion on public identification cards, according to a poll
conducted by V-PRC on behalf of "Flash.gr".
Specifically, 50.5 percent of those polled responded that
they are "very" or "quite" likely to sign the informal referendum.
Moreover, 48.7% are favoring an optional listing of religion
on id cards, i.e. the bearer would decide if he or she wished to
state religious affiliation, while 28.7 percent are in favor of
making the listing of religion compulsory and slightly over 20
percent (20.2) are opposed to the listing.
As for the referendum in itself, 48.9% are in favor of the
petition, while 42.1% are against.
[08] GOODY'S - TELEPIZZA DEAL
The Greek fast-food restaurant chain Goody's, which is
trading in the Athens Stock Exchange, has made a dynamic entry in
the pizza market after signing a deal with Spanish TelePizza Ltd.
to found a joint venture which, starting in 2001, will undertake
to open TelePizza fast-food restaurants in Greece, Cyprus and
Bulgaria.
In the new Athens based company, Goody's will participate
with 40% and TelePizza, which is the biggest European pizza chain,
will have the rest 60%. The infiltration of Goody's in the pizza
market will be quick as the business plan for the five-year period
2001-2005 provides for the creation of 50 stores.
The TelePizza stores specialize mainly in the delivery and
take away market. The company started its activities in Madrid in
1988 and occupies a leading place in the fast-food market in Spain
with a 25% share. On December 31, 1999 it had a network of 767
stores, 512 of them in Spain and 225 in different countries.
Specifically, 44 in Portugal, 40 in Poland, 28 in France, 13 in
Britain, 18 in Chile, 111 in Mexico and 1 in Morocco.
[09] THE NOVA BANK WILL OPEN ON SEPTEMBER 20
"Nova Bank", the new bank of the Interamerican Group and the
Portuguese Banco Comercial Portugues Group will open on Wednesday,
September 20 with a presentation of its plans. The initial share
capital of the new bank will be 50 billion drachmas.
It will initially open 45 branches, 37 of which will be in
Athens and the rest in Thessaloniki with a personnel of 300
people.
The strategic goal of the bank for the next year is to expand
its network while in the next three years it aims at the creation
of a network of 120 branches.
[10] EUROBANK-DEUTSCHE BANK TALKS ON THE EXPANSION OF THEIR
COOPERATION
EFG Eurobank Ergasias and Deutsche Bank senior executives
will focus on the sectors of electronic banking and real estate in
their talks held in Berlin today on the prospects of the expansion
of their cooperation.
The international stock markets, the electronic payment
systems and training issues will be the main points on which the
senior executives of the two banks will focus their attention
aimed at expanding their cooperation on those sectors.
Meanwhile, the basis for their cooperation in the sector of
real estate management has already been set through the founding
of the affiliate EFG Eurobank Properties.
[11] LOSSES OF 1.00% IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE
The week ended for the Athens Stock Exchange with
considerable losses of 1.00%. The general index dropped to
4.204,49 points, while the volume of transactions was at 155.3
billion drachmas.
Of the stocks trading today 92 recorded gains, 259 had losses
and 27 remained stable.
[12] INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF WONDER STUDENTS IN THESSALONIKI
Two hundred gifted high school students from 13 countries,
among them students from 14 Greek schools, will attend the
international conference that will be held in Thessaloniki on
September 18-25. The conference is organized by the municipality
of Thessaloniki and the ministry of education in Victoria,
Australia.
Among the issues that will be presented by the groups of
students, who communicate with each other through the Internet, is
genetic engineering, sports opportunities, development and
heredity, social problems, personal life and personal data, etc.
[13] REPPAS COMMENTED ON THE CYPRUS ISSUE
The Greek government backs the efforts of the Cypriot
government for the solution of the Cyprus problem, stressed Greek
government spokesman Dimitris Reppas. He also added that the
Cypriot government awaits for the response of UN secretary-general
Kofi Annan to the letter it has addressed to him in order to
determine its stance.
Mr. Reppas also denied that Greek foreign minister Giorgos
Papandreou exerts pressures on Cypriot president Glafkos Clerides.
The Greek government spokesman stated that the only legal
entity is the Greek Cypriot and no one will allow the recognition
of the Turkish Cypriot regime.
[14] THE GREEK GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN ON THE YUGOSLAV ELECTIONS
The presence of Greece as an observer in the Yugoslav
elections is an issue that will be dealt with through
consultations, stated Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas,
while responding to a question on whether Greek former foreign
minister Karolos Papoulias has been invited to Belgrade as an
observer, he stated that he is not aware of such a thing.
Mr. Reppas referred to the trip of foreign minister Giorgos
Papandreou to the neighboring country stressing that he was the
only foreign minister who visited Yugoslavia and reminded that Mr.
Papandreou has urged for elections that will be held in the best
possible way.
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[15] THE PUBLIC DEFICIT IN THE EURO-ZONE IN 1999 WAS 1.3% OF THE
GDP
The public deficit in the Euro-zone countries in 1999 was at
1.3% of the GDP of those countries displaying a 2.1% drop compared
to the previous year, according to figures provided by the
European Union statistics agency, Eurostat.
Based on the same figures, the public debt in 1999
corresponded to 72.2% of the GDP of the Euro-zone countries
compared to 73.5% a year ago.
For the total of the EU member-states, the public deficit
dropped to 0.7% in 1999 from 1.5% in 1998.
[16] SEARCH FOR THE LOCATION OF A SHIP BRINGING JEWS TO PALESTINE
IN 1942
Campaign for the location of the ship named "Struma", which
was sunk by a Soviet torpedo outside the Istanbul port on the
night of February 23, 1942 with 768 Jewish refugees from Romania
on board, has been undertaken for the past few weeks, according to
an article by Maryland University professor Lawrence M. Lesser
published by the US newspaper "Baltimore Sun".
The sponsors of the search for the location of the shipwreck
are the Turkish government and the US Holocaust Museum which has
scheduled to hold an exhibition on the tragic ship, while a
Canadian company has undertaken to film a documentary that will be
aired in the United States, Canada and Europe.
According to the article, Britain had refused to give visas
to the 768 Jews and Turkey did not allow the ship to continue its
voyage to Palestine.
[17] PAPANDREOU-CEM MEETING IN NEW YORK
Greek foreign minister Giorgos Papandreou will meet in New
York today with his Turkish counterpart Ismail Cem. It is a
scheduled meeting that will last half an hour. A second meeting of
the two men will be held tomorrow when the Greek foreign minister
will give a formal dinner in honor of Mr. Cem and the Turkish
delegation at a Greek restaurant in Manhattan. Mr. Cem is
scheduled to address the UN general assembly tomorrow morning,
while the Greek foreign minister has already delivered his speech
yesterday afternoon.
Meanwhile, the National Council of Cyprus meets in the
presence of president Glafkos Clerides and the Cypriot political
leaders to reach a final decision on whether the Cypriot
government will attend the fourth round of talks on Cyprus held
under the UN auspices.
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