Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 02-03-26

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

CONTENTS

[01] MINISTER OF MACEDONIA-THRACE MEETING WITH THE AFGHAN DEPUTY PRIME

[02] THE GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN ON THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC

[03] THE NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR RADIO-TELEVISION CHAIRMAN HAS RESIGNED

[04] LOSSES AGAIN IN THE ASE

[05] THE MONETARY POLICY BIANNUAL REPORT

[06] MILITARY AIRCRAFT CRASHES-PILOT SAFE

[07] TSOHATZOPOULOS IN TURKEY TODAY

[08] LATVIA PRESIDENT IN GREECE TODAY

[09] HUMANITARIAN AID TO AFGHANS

[10] COOPERATION MEMORANDUM BETWEEN THE STOCK MARKETS OF ATHENS AND SKOPJE

[11] ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH: DIALOGUE AGAINST VIOLENCE

[12] OVER 100 GREEK-ORIGIN POLICE OFFICERS WILL BE 2004 OLYMPIC GAMES

[01] MINISTER OF MACEDONIA-THRACE MEETING WITH THE AFGHAN DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Minister of Macedonia-Thrace Giorgos Paschalidis met yesterday evening with Deputy Prime Minister of Afghanistan Sima Samar. The meeting took place in Thessaloniki just before the opening of Dimitris Maniatis' photo exhibition on Afghanistan.

In his speech in the opening of the exhibition, Mr. Paschalidis referred to the situation in Afghanistan and underlined that the road to democracy means among others that more women should be at the decision-making centers namely, the Parliament and the government. He also said that in the Tokyo meeting the donors agreed to collect a total of US$4 billion in the next 8 years for the reconstruction of the country.

[02] THE GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN ON THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC

There is no issue with the President of the Hellenic Republic, stated government spokesman Christos Protopapas. He made the comment referring to press reports according to which, President Kostis Stephanopoulos was allegedly displeased over the fact that the TV reporters did not ask him to make a statement on the occasion of the national holiday of March 25.

When the President wants to say something he says it to every direction. We will not dictate to him what he should do, said Mr. Protopapas and added that the government honors and respects the President.

[03] THE NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR RADIO-TELEVISION CHAIRMAN HAS RESIGNED

National Council for Radio-Television Chairman Vasilios Lambridis submitted his resignation to Parliament President Apostolos Kaklamanis.

For the record, the resignation had to be submitted by Mr. Lambridis to Minister of Press Christos Protopapas. His decision to submit it instead to the Parliament President has raised questions regarding the reasons behind it.

According to information, Mr. Lambridis based his decision to resign on the disagreement he had recently with the rest council members regarding his decision to interrupt temporarily the broadcast of the reality television shows Bar and Big Brother.

[04] LOSSES AGAIN IN THE ASE

Losses were recorded again in the Athens Stock Exchange today. The general index dropped to 0.95% at 2.294,85 points, while the volume of transactions was at 92.0 million Euro.

Of the stocks trading today, just 25 recorded gains, while the overwhelming majority of 314 had losses and the value of 34 stocks remained unchanged.

[05] THE MONETARY POLICY BIANNUAL REPORT

The biannual report on monetary policy, drawn up by Bank of Greece Governor Loukas Papadimos, was published today.

Mr. Papadimos appeared optimistic that inflation will drop but he was cautious regarding the GDP growth rate which will slow down slightly but still it will be higher compared to the EU. Mr. Papadimos predicted that there will be a gradual economic recovery.

Based on the report, inflation in the EU will drop gradually under 2%, while for the Greek economy it is predicted that inflation will drop slightly in 2002 and after April it will slow down. It is estimated that the average annual rate will be around 3%.

On the growth rate of the GDP, he pointed out that it will be slightly slowed down but it will be considerably higher than the EU average.

For the record, inflation in February dropped to 3.4% compared to 4.4% in January, while in March it is expected to be higher due to the international oil price increase.

[06] MILITARY AIRCRAFT CRASHES-PILOT SAFE

An air reconnaissance A-7 Corsair type aircraft, crashed this morning in the Krestena region, in Ilia.

According to information, the 32-year-old pilot of the aircraft, Ilias Karanteris, was on a test flight and had taken off from the 116th Wing in Araxos. Fortunately, the emergency eject system was used successfully, and the pilot ejected safely. An Air Force helicopter left to retrieve Karanteris, shortly after the aircraft crashed.

The Chief of the General Air Force Staff, Lieutenant Wing Commander Panagiotis Papanikolaou, confirmed that the plane crashed, underlining that only one pilot was aboard.

[07] TSOHATZOPOULOS IN TURKEY TODAY

Minister of Development Akis Tsohatzopoulos will travel to Turkey today, to sign the agreement between the Greek DEPA and the Turkish BOTAS on the construction of a natural gas pipeline connecting Ankara to Alexandroupoli.

The agreement to be signed in Ankara foresees the construction of 85 km of pipeline on the Greek side and 200 km on the Turkish side.

[08] LATVIA PRESIDENT IN GREECE TODAY

The four-day official visit of Latvian President, Vaira-Vike Freiberga, to Greece is beginning tonight.

According to the schedule of her visit, Mrs. Vaira-Vike Freiberga will have meetings with the President of the Republic, Mr. Kostis Stefanopoulos, Prime Minister Kostas Simitis, the President of the Parliament, Apostolos Kaklamanis, the Head of the Opposition, Kostas Karamanlis, the Secretary General of the Greek Communist Party, Aleka Papariga, and the President of the Coalition of the Left, Nikos Konstantopoulos, during which bilateral agreements will be signed.

The President of Latvia will also meet with ministers, Archbishop Christodoulos, and Athens Mayor Dimitris Avramopoulos, while she will lay a wreath at the monument of the Unknown Soldier, and visit the Acropolis and the Army Cadet School.

[09] HUMANITARIAN AID TO AFGHANS

Peaceful humanitarian assistance is to be sent to Afghan refugees on a military C-130 aircraft, which is to leave the Elefsina airport on April 2. The aid consists of medicine, food, and clothing.

[10] COOPERATION MEMORANDUM BETWEEN THE STOCK MARKETS OF ATHENS AND SKOPJE

A memorandum of cooperation between the Stock Exchanges of Athens and Skopje will be signed next Thursday.

According to the Skopje newspaper Vetser, this move will be the first step toward the exchange of information on the two capital markets.

[11] ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH: DIALOGUE AGAINST VIOLENCE

Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos received in the Fanar in Istanbul Greek Undersecretary of Transportation and Communications Spiros Vougias, Ministry of Press and Mass Media General Secretary Dimitra Spiliopoulou and delegations representing Macedonian Press Agency and Themeliodomi Group. The visit took place within the framework of events on the occasion of the Sunday of Orthodoxy celebrations.

The Ecumenical Patriarch thanked the management of MPA and Themeliodomi Group for the live television broadcast on the Internet of the holy liturgies and events launched on Sunday and organized by the Patriarchate. He also stressed that those who can assist in the work of the Church are regarded as partners and brothers-in-arms.

The head of the 300 million Orthodox Christians around the world referred to the wide and multifaceted work of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and especially, to the leading role it plays in the dialogue between religions and Churches for the peaceful coexistence, friendship and cooperation of all people. He underlined that dialogue is the only means available to sensible people in their effort to persuade their fellow human beings about the rightness of their views.

[12] OVER 100 GREEK-ORIGIN POLICE OFFICERS WILL BE 2004 OLYMPIC GAMES VOLUNTEERS

Over 100 Greek-Australian police officers from Melbourne declared their readiness to do volunteer work within the framework of the 2004 Olympic Games Police and Operational Security.

General Secretary Dimitris Dollis, responsible for the Greeks Living Abroad, welcomed the proposal and pledged to bring the issue to the responsible government ministry. He underlined that this initiative deserves to be praised and it is a proof of the love the second and third generation Greeks have in their hearts for the homeland of their ancestors.

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