Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 05-01-26

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

CONTENTS

[01] INSPECTIONS BROUGHT RESULTS

[02] CYPRIOT PRESIDENT PAPADOPOULOS IN ATHENS

[03] THE PARLIAMENT PRESIDENT MET WITH THE AMBASSADORS OF US AND TURKEY

[04] THE ACTING GOV'T SPOKESMAN ON THE HUMANITARIAN AID FOR THE TSUNAMI

[05] THE PRIME MINISTER IS CONCERNED WITH THE PROBLEMS OF THE FARMERS

[06] THE ACTING GOV'T SPOKESMAN ON THE ECONOMY

[07] GAINS IN THE ASE

[08] THE ACTING GOV'T SPOKESMAN ON THE KARAMANLIS - PAPADOPOULOS MEETING

[09] CYPRIOT PRESIDENT PAPADOPOULOS MET WITH THE PARLIAMENT PRESIDENT

[10] EVENTS IN MEMORY OF THE 50,000 JEWS KILLED IN NAZI CAMPS

[01] INSPECTIONS BROUGHT RESULTS

An increase in subsidies by 5-6 cents per kilo was the result of the inspections conducted by the Ministry of Agriculture on the declared quantities of cotton but producers do not regard the sum as adequate and request a meeting with the Prime Minister, a demand rejected by the government.

Acting government spokesman Vangelis Antonaros stated that Minister of Agriculture Evangelos Basiakos is handling the issue exclusively.

On Saturday, opposition Socialist Party of PASOK leader Giorgos Papandreou will be in Larisa, while all PASOK deputies cosigned a question in Parliament on the farmers' issues. Mr. Papandreou stated we are opening a responsible dialogue with the farmers on the present and the future of the Greek agriculture. Apart from the region of Tempi, the farmers have lined up their farm equipment and tractors in Promachonas Serres, Almiros in Volos, the Thessaloniki-Edessa national motorway at the junction of Chalkidona, Paralimni in Giannitsa, at the Chalastra Bridge, Alexandria in Imathia and at the squares of Kimina and Malgara.

The farmers in Thessaly and northern Greece have adopted a wait-and-see stance and appear ready to escalate their mobilizations in case the government does not meet their demands.

[02] CYPRIOT PRESIDENT PAPADOPOULOS IN ATHENS

Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis and Cypriot President Tassos Papadopoulos confirmed in Athens their common stance for the reunification of Cyprus through an agreed, functional and viable solution of the Cyprus problem based on the Annan Plan.

Opposition Socialist Party of PASOK leader Giorgos Papandreou stated, after his meeting with Mr. Papadopoulos, that his party will support every effort for the solution of the Cyprus problem.

A solution to the Cyprus problem on the basis of a bi-zonal federation with one state and sovereignty was suggested by Communist Party General Secretary Aleka Papariga.

Mr. Papadopoulos also briefed former Coalition President Nikos Konstantopoulos because Coalition President Alekos Alavanos is in Porto Alegre. Mr. Konstantopoulos stated that the Cypriot Republic should exploit the European acquis.

The United States are not aware of a new UN initiative in Cyprus but believe that the interested parties should find ways to accept the Annan Plan, stated US State Department spokesman Richard Boucher.

[03] THE PARLIAMENT PRESIDENT MET WITH THE AMBASSADORS OF US AND TURKEY

Greek Parliament President Anna Psarouda-Benaki had separate ceremonial meetings at her office today with the ambassadors of US and Turkey to Athens, Charles Ries and Tahsin Burguoglu respectively.

Ms. Benaki discussed with the US ambassador the Cyprus issue, the Greek-Turkish relations and the issue of the FYROM name on which Mrs. Benaki expressed the wish for objective support by the United States to reach a desirable outcome.

Mrs. Benaki also pointed out the inflexible stance adopted by Skopje, which is not in step with the very good relations of the two countries in a number of sectors.

On his part, Mr. Ries referred to the elections in Iraq and their significance in the country's course toward democratization and independence.

He also characterized 2004 as a very good year for Greece while referring to the Olympic Games in Athens he pointed out that they have won great respect for Greece.

In her meeting with the Turkish ambassador, Mrs. Benaki reiterated Greece's warm support to Turkey's European prospect.

Mr. Burguoglu also stated that a five-member Turkish General Assembly delegation will visit the Greek Parliament next month headed by former Foreign Minister Yasar Yakis. He stressed that this will be the first stop of a major tour of EU Parliaments displaying this way the great importance attributed by Turkey to bilateral parliamentary contacts.

[04] THE ACTING GOV'T SPOKESMAN ON THE HUMANITARIAN AID FOR THE TSUNAMI VICTIMS

Acting government spokesman Vangelis Antonaros referred to the letter sent by UN humanitarian aid coordinator for the tsunami victims in SE Asia Jan Egeland to deputy Foreign Minister Evripidis Stilianidis.

Mr. Antonaros pointed out that the contribution of the people to the suffering communities is being praised while the effort of the government is being encouraged, stressing that it proved its ability to play a significant role in the global humanitarian cooperation.

[05] THE PRIME MINISTER IS CONCERNED WITH THE PROBLEMS OF THE FARMERS

The Prime Minister is concerned with the problems of the farmers, but the dialogue with the farmers, which is constant, is conducted by the responsible minister, stated acting government spokesman Vangelis Antonaros responding to a relevant question.

He reiterated that the government will not break the law and added that checks and crosschecks bring results, as irregularities have been established. He stressed that the government policy is a policy for the support of the many and not the few. He referred to an estimated 17,000 irregularities, pointing out that the priority is to establish the irregularities because this way the money will go to the farmers that deserve to receive it and then an investigation will get underway concerning those involved in irregularities.

[06] THE ACTING GOV'T SPOKESMAN ON THE ECONOMY

The government found the economy in a bad state, has undertaken initiatives recognized by the EU and will undertake even more within the framework of its plan on the economy. Continuity and consistency are necessary to meet the goals set for the economy, stated acting government spokesman Vangelis Antonaros responding to a question on the occasion of the European Commission Report that notes serious problems in the Greek economy.

Responding to relevant questions, Mr. Antonaros stressed that it is impossible to reverse the adversities of so many years in just 9 months and cited the response letter by the EU addressed to the architects of the numbers' manipulation.

[07] GAINS IN THE ASE

Gains were recorded in the Athens Stock Exchange today. The general index rose to +0.69% at 2964.58 points, while the volume of transactions was smaller compared to yesterday at 185,8 million euros.

Of the stocks trading today, 270 had gains and 46 had losses while the value of 105 stocks remained unchanged.

[08] THE ACTING GOV'T SPOKESMAN ON THE KARAMANLIS - PAPADOPOULOS MEETING

The two leaders discussed all issues in a cordial atmosphere and stated that they share a spirit of close cooperation while they move on the same wavelength on issues concerning bilateral relations, the relations with the EU and those developing in the triangle of the region (Greece, Cyprus, Turkey), stated acting government spokesman Vangelis Antonaros when asked to comment on the meeting of Cypriot President Tassos Papadopoulos with Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis.

Asked to comment if there is a likelihood of a hot incident in the region of the Aegean Sea, Mr. Antonaros responded that there is no reason for scaremongering adding that the armed forces are ready for any eventuality.

[09] CYPRIOT PRESIDENT PAPADOPOULOS MET WITH THE PARLIAMENT PRESIDENT

The firm and uninterrupted support of the Greek Parliament to the efforts of the Greek Cypriots to achieve the best possible result in the solution of the Cyprus issue as well as the close cooperation between the two Parliaments within the framework of the EU and international organizations were confirmed in the meeting Cypriot President Tassos Papadopoulos had with Greek Parliament President Anna Psarouda-Benaki.

Mr. Papadopoulos and Mrs. Benaki discussed issues of national interest with an emphasis on the Cyprus problem.

[10] EVENTS IN MEMORY OF THE 50,000 JEWS KILLED IN NAZI CAMPS

Events in memory of the 50,000 Jews of Thessaloniki killed in the Nazi concentration camps will be held in Thessaloniki tomorrow on the day declared by the Greek Parliament as a Memorial Day for the Jewish Heroes and Martyrs of the Holocaust.

A public discussion will be held in the German School tomorrow morning with main speakers German ambassador to Athens Dr. Albert Spiegel, Aristotle University Pedagogy Department dean Giorgos Tsiakalos and Thessaly University professor Rika Benveniste.

A memorial service will be held at the Holocaust Monument at noon tomorrow at the initiative of the Jewish Community and wreaths will be laid.

An event will be held at the Music Megaron Building later in the evening organized by the Jewish Community. The main speakers will be German Foreign Minister Yoshka Fischer, Minister of Macedonia-Thrace Nikos Tsiartsionis, Central Jewish Council President Moses Konstantini and Jewish Community President David Saltiel. An honorary title will be bestowed on the Greeks who saved the lives of Jews during WWII by Israeli ambassador to Athens Ram Aviram.

The events will attend the ambassadors of the United States, Germany and other countries as well as representatives of the government, political parties and local authorities.

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