Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 04-05-17

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

CONTENTS

[01] A VISIT OF GREAT IMPORTANCE

[02] THE OLYMPIC GAMES SECURITY MEASURES INCREASE

[03] THE INTERNATIONAL ROUTE OF THE OLYMPIC FLAME WILL BE LAUNCHED ON JUNE 4

[04] BIG LOSSES IN THE ASE

[05] TSIARTSIONIS: GREECE IS AN INTER-BORDER BUSINESS COOPERATION CENTER

[06] FREDERICK W. DE KLERK IN ATHENS FOR THE OLYMPIC TRUCE

[07] PAPANDREOU-OMIROU MEETING

[08] THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF PUBLIC ORDER VISITS BUCHAREST

[09] POSITIVE ATMOSPHERE IN THE MEETING OF THE DEFENSE MINISTERS OF GREECE

[01] A VISIT OF GREAT IMPORTANCE

The visit of Greek Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis to the United States is characterized as being of decisive importance for the course of the Greek-US relations and is expected to help in overturning the unfavorable atmosphere created by the international mass media concerning the Olympic Games' preparations.

Mr. Karamanlis departs for the US today to have contacts with US President Bush and US Vice-President Cheney, as well as the UN Secretary General. The issues under discussion will be developments in Cyprus, the Olympic Games with an emphasis on security, the Greek-Turkish relations, Turkey's European course, Iraq and the Middle East, as well as Greece's role in the Balkan region.

State Minister Thodoris Rousopoulos, Foreign Minister Petros Moliviatis and Deputy Foreign Ministers Valinakis and Skandalakis will accompany Mr. Karamanlis in his visit to the United States.

[02] THE OLYMPIC GAMES SECURITY MEASURES INCREASE

The security measures in the Olympic venues in Athens gradually increase after the incidents involving foreign journalists.

Starting today, an additional 1,300 police officers will be used to guard the Olympic Games' facilities compared to the 800 police officers used until now.

For the record, 25 of the 36 Olympic venues have been completed and are ready for use.

Beginning on July 1, the Olympic security measures will be put in full effect, while earlier special detectors will be used in the facilities to remove everything that will be regarded as suspicious.

[03] THE INTERNATIONAL ROUTE OF THE OLYMPIC FLAME WILL BE LAUNCHED ON JUNE 4

The international route of the Olympic Flame expected to be watched by millions of people in the five continents will begin from Sydney, Australia on June 4 where the previous Olympic Games were held.

The 2004 Olympic Games mark the return of the Games to the country of their birth and to the city of their modern revival. To celebrate the Games' history, the ATHENS 2004 Olympic Torch Relay�will unite all five continents. People from around the world will have for the first time the opportunity to participate, experience and celebrate such an event.

The Olympic Flame began its journey�from Ancient Olympia and after traveling across the globe will return to the Athens Olympic Stadium on August 13th, where it will signal the beginning of the great celebration of the 2004 Olympic Games.

The journey will last some�78 days. Outside Greece the Flame will travel for 35 days, covering a distance of approximately 78,000 km, 1,500 of which in the hands of 3,600 Torchbearers. A total of 260 million people will have the opportunity to see the Flame in their city. For the first time in history, the Olympic Torch Relay will bring the Flame to Africa and Latin America.

The Flame will reach all past Olympic cities, bringing them once again the light and joy of the Olympic celebration. It will also pass through cities with special symbolic meaning, such as Brussels, heart of the European Union, Lausanne, seat of the International Olympic Committee, and Beijing, host city of the next Olympiad.

The Olympic Torch Relay is the Torch Relay of all cultures. The ATHENS 2004 Olympic Torch Relay embraces all cultures and all five continents symbolized by the five Olympic rings; its light will remind the world of the Olympic ideals. It will spread the Olympic values of participation, brotherhood and peace. It will reaffirm the message that the Olympic Games are performed by people for people, regardless of language, race or color.

[04] BIG LOSSES IN THE ASE

Big losses were recorded in the Athens Stock Exchange today. The general index dropped to -1.43% at 2431.63 points, while the volume of transactions was at 127.3 million euros.

Of the stocks trading today, 57 had gains and 252 had losses, while the value of 74 stocks remained unchanged.

[05] TSIARTSIONIS: GREECE IS AN INTER-BORDER BUSINESS COOPERATION CENTER

The broadening and widening of cooperation with neighboring countries and the support of their European prospect is the main target for Greece, stressed Minister of Macedonia-Thrace Nikos Tsiartsionis opening the proceedings of the international business symposium taking place in Thessaloniki.

The symposium is being held within the framework of the European program BORDER which is financed by the EU aimed at strengthening business opportunities and cooperation in view of the EU enlargement.

Greece, said Mr. Tsiartsionis, is among the European countries playing a leading role in the promotion and materialization of the idea concerning the Balkan and Black Sea cooperation in every sector and praised the role the Association of Industries in Northern Greece plays toward this direction.

[06] FREDERICK W. DE KLERK IN ATHENS FOR THE OLYMPIC TRUCE

Nobel Peace Prize laureate Frederick W. de Klerk, the last leader of South Africa in the period of apartheid, will be in Greece on Monday, May 24 to give a lecture on Peace and the Olympic Truce at the National Research Institute in Athens.

Mr. de Klerk is the man who put an end to apartheid and contributed to the velvet transition to democracy for South Africa, a fact that won him and Nelson Mandela the 1993 Nobel Peace Prize.

With his speech in Athens he wishes to contribute to the peaceful spirit of the Olympic Games on the occasion of them being held in Athens.

For the record, Mr. de Klerk has withdrawn from active politics for the past 5 years and lives between Cape Town and Athens with his Greek wife.

[07] PAPANDREOU-OMIROU MEETING

PASOK President Giorgos Papandreou met today with Cypriot Socialist Party of EDEK President Yiannakis Omirou and agreed to cooperate and coordinate their moves in view of the June 13 Euro-elections

On the course of the Cyprus issue, Mr. Papandreou pointed out the need for Athens and Nicosia to undertake coordinated initiatives and Mr. Omirou pointed out that the no of the Greek Cypriots to the Annan Plan should not be interpreted as a no to the solution of the Cyprus problem.

[08] THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF PUBLIC ORDER VISITS BUCHAREST

Deputy Minister of Public Order Christos Markoyiannakis visits Bucharest accompanied by ministry officials to attend the Ministerial Summit of the South Eastern European Cooperation Process (SEECP) that takes place in the Romanian capital today and tomorrow.

The SEECP is a regional initiative in which participate southeastern European countries that have signed the Charter on Good Neighborly Relations. The goal of the specific cooperation is to preserve peace, stability and security in the Balkan region, mutual assistance and the promotion of democracy and human rights.

A discussion on the adoption of a draft Joint Statement against organized crime and corruption will also be held in the meeting.

[09] POSITIVE ATMOSPHERE IN THE MEETING OF THE DEFENSE MINISTERS OF GREECE AND TURKEY

The meeting of Greek Defense Minister Spilios Spiliotopoulos with his Turkish counterpart Vecdi Gonul, held within the framework of the EU Council of General Affairs and Foreign Relations in Brussels, took place in a positive atmosphere.

They discussed issues of mutual interest and the Turkish Defense Minister announced his government's decision to proceed with the revision of the country's armaments' program and cut down certain defense programs.

Mr. Spiliotopoulos underlined Greece's wish also to cut down defense spending if security conditions in the wider region allow for that.

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