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Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 99-11-21Macedonian Press Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Macedonian Press Agency at http://www.mpa.gr and http://www.hri.org/MPA.Last Update: 23:27 GMT+2SECTIONS
NEWS HEADLINES[A] GREECE[B] EUROPENEWS IN DETAIL[A] GREECE[01] US EMBASSY TO HOLD INTERNATIONAL TOURISM EVENT IN ATHENSWeb Posted: 17:27 GMT+2Athens, 21.11.1999 (MPA) Delegates from 31 countries are expected to attend an international tourism infrastructure conference to be held by the United States embassy in Athens on December 1-3.The conference aims at bringing closer US companies and firms from Armenia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, France, Germany, Georgia, Greece, Estonia, FYROM, Spain, Israel, Italy, Croatia, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Great Britain, the Netherlands, Uzbekistan, Ukraine, Palestine, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Sweden, Turkey and Finland. The US delegation will include representatives from the Commerce and State Departments, Export-Import Bank, the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) and US ambassadors from around the world. Originally to be held in Thessaloniki, the conference was postponed earlier in the year due to the crisis in Yugoslavia. US ambassador to Athens Nicholas Burns has stated that Greek-American economic relations were steadily expanding after starting from a low level. He said that US companies were soon expected to show their interest in the Greek market, which they viewed as fast growing and with a healthy outlook linked to its anticipated entry into the euro zone. A.F. [02] GREEK MILITARY CHIEF TO CONDUCT OFFICIAL VISIT TO KOSOVOWeb Posted: 17:27 GMT+2Athens, 21.11.1999 (MPA) National Defense General Staff Chief Gen. Manousos Paragioudakis will conduct a one-day official visit to Kosovo on November 24.Among others, Gen. Paragioudakis will be visiting the Greek battalion at Urosevac. A.F. [03] FIRST LADY OF THE UNITED STATES OFFERS OLIVE TREEWeb Posted: 17:27 GMT+2Athens, 21.11.1999 (MPA) In a meeting held at the Athenaeum Intercontinental Hotel, the First Lady of the United States Hillary Clinton met with a group of fourteen distinguished Greek women who turned the discussion to matters of national interest, such as the Greek- Turkish relations, the Cyprus issue, and the Balkan region.The group included Daphne Simiti, wife of Prime Minister Costas Simitis; Natasha Karamanlis, wife of New Democracy leader Costas Karamanlis; Greek EU Commissioner Anna Diamantopoulou; arts patron Dolly Goulandris; Unesco ambassador Marianna Vardinoyianni; entrepreneur Marianna Latsi; Athens 2004 Games organizing committee deputy chairman Niki Tzavella; New Democracy جر Fani Palli-Petralia; Eleni Kokkali, wife of telecommunications magnate Socratis Kokkalis; and Vana Lavida, wife of pharmaceutical company owner Athanassios Lavidas, who is also the chairman of the Hellenic-American Business Council. Mrs. Clinton presented an olive tree sapling to be planted in the Greeks Abroad Forest near Sounion, where the organization "Plant Your Roots in Greece" is sponsoring a reforestation project. "I would like to plant may trees in this wonderful and important country," Mrs. Clinton said, and expressed regret that she did not have time in this brief visit to plant the sapling herself. A.F. [04] GREEK, BRITISH AMPHIBIAN EXERCISE BEGINS TODAY IN IONIAN SEAWeb Posted: 17:27 GMT+2Athens, 21.11.1999 (MPA) Greek and British forces embarked on an amphibian, five-day exercise in areas of the Ionian Sea and the Bay of Kyparissia today, including a landing operation in Kyparissia.Greece is taking part with the frigate Limnos, the torpedo boat Deyannis, the tank carrier Samos, a unit of frogmen, a troop of marines and air force planes. The British navy is taking part with the helicopter carrier HMS Queen, the frigate HMS Cumberland and six other vessels. A.F. [05] GREEK PRESIDENT GREETS BILL CLINTON WITH POLITICAL ADDRESSWeb Posted: 17:27 GMT+2Athens, 21.11.1999 (MPA) In an address more direct than is customary, the President of the Hellenic Republic Costis Stephanopoulos greeted his US counterpart Bill Clinton with a detailed outline of Greece's national matters and positions."Welcome to Greece," President Stephanopoulos stated, "we greet you and Mrs. Clinton with feelings of sincere friendship and great respect towards your person, as well as towards your great country, with which Greece is connected by strong past and present ties. "We greet you as a distinguished president of the United States; who with his policy reinforced even more the prosperity of his country, and as president of the leading country of the western world, (a country) that aspires to express and support the grand principles of freedom, democracy and respect of human rights," he added. "Greece today is a peaceful nation, fully respecting its international obligations, with an impeccably functioning democratic system of government, with a strong and growing economy , a member of the European Union and many other international organizations, an important factor of stability in the Balkan region. We do not like war, nor do we project it as a means for resolving differences, we accept and support United Nations resolutions, we respect international law and international treaties, and maintain friendly relations with all our neighbors, not having problems other than those caused against us by Turkey's aggressive policy," he said. Referring to the Cyprus problem, Mr. Stephanopoulos said it should be resolved according to the principles of justice and democracy. "It is not possible to be resolved through the acceptance of military force and accomplished facts. It is not conceivable for the bi-communal system of government being studied to disregard the overwhelming majority of Greek Cypriots, as it is not conceivable for the rights of all Cypriots to be disregarded... The entry of the Republic of Cyprus in the EU cannot be permitted to depend on a previous solution of the Cyprus problem. This problem, I believe, is of primary importance," he said. "Greece has proposed to all sides and, of course, to Turkey, the (adoption of the) procedure of the International Court at The Hague, which bears the guarantees and the binding nature of the rulings of this court. The international community also concurs to this proposal." A.F. [06] US PRESIDENT SALUTES GREECE'S REMARKABLE ECONOMIC GROWTHWeb Posted: 17:27 GMT+2Athens, 21.11.1999 (MPA) United States President Bill Clinton said Greece's economic growth will render the country as one of the most attractive places in Europe, and noted that the Americans were impressed by the rapprochement between the Greek and Turkishpeople after the earthquakes in both countries. Earlier, the US president called Greece the "economic powerhouse in SE Europe, the country with the highest growth rate in the EU" and one with a "booming stock market." Referring to Greek-Turkish differences, Mr. Clinton said they could be resolved through recourse to "the International Court of Justice at The Hague or a mutually agreed upon and internationally-recognized mechanism for the resolution of disputes." "We look to Ancient Greece for inspiration, modern Greece for leadership," he said. A.F. [07] GREEK PM, US PRESIDENT AGREE, RELATIONS ARE ON GOOD TERMSWeb Posted: 17:27 GMT+2Athens, 21.11.1999 (MPA) Bilateral relations between Greece and the United States are on very good terms, according to Prime Minster Costas Simitis and the visiting President of the United States Bill Clinton.Speaking in a joint press conference yesterday afternoon, Mesrs. Simitis and Clinton said they had an open and friendly discussion on all issues ranging from bilateral relations to developments in the Balkans, to Greek-Turkish affairs, Turkey-EU relations and the Cyprus issue. "We reaffirmed the historic relations of friendship that bind our two countries and peoples, a relationship that has been kept alive by the Greeks living in the United States, by our common struggles in the past, our partnership in NATO, by the political solidarity and cooperation we have for our common goals," Mr. Simitis said, adding that they also agreed there is significant room for improvement of cooperation between the two countries. "Greece, due to economic growth of recent years, is creating new worthwhile opportunities for investments, trade, technological and other collaborations, " he said. "On the Balkans, it is our conviction that the present state entails dangers. There is need for stability in the region, respect of existing borders, and intensification of the initiatives for reconstruction of the area and materialization of the Stability Pact," he said. Referring to Turkey, Mr. Simitis said he stressed the need for adherence to international law, adding that, while steps had been made recently for rapprochement, a "more convincing" response was needed on Ankara's behalf to Greece's initiatives. President Clinton stated that "the more Turkey is integrated into Europe, and has the kind of dialogue we have seen recently with Greece; the more the climate improves, the more you can resolve these issues, the brighter the future for both countries will be. And as I told the Turks... I do not think that bright future is achievable until there is a resolution of the Cyprus issue. "These two countries need to go hand in hand into the future, and the festering disputes have to be resolved in order for that to happen," he added. A.F. [08] CYPRIOT PRESIDENT CLERIDES TO MEET WITH PREMIER TOMORROWWeb Posted: 17:27 GMT+2Athens, 21.11.1999 (MPA) The President of the Republic of Cyprus Glafcos Clerides will be received by Prime Minister Costas Simitis in Athens tomorrow where talks are to focus on the upcoming dialogue to be held in New York over the Cyprus issue.President Clerides, who flew to Athens from Istanbul, Turkey, where he attended the OSCE summit, is accompanied by Foreign Minister Yannis Kasoulides. [09] CEDEFOP'S NEW BUILDING INAUGURATED TOMORROWWeb Posted: 17:27 GMT+2Thessaloniki, 21.11.1999 (MPA) The European Center for the Development of Vocational Training (CEDEFOP) will open its new premises in Thessaloniki tomorrow, in an inaugural ceremony to be attended by the Minster of Education Gerasimos Arsenis.Ninety people from all EU countries, plus Iceland and Norway, currently work in the center whose function is to provide the European Commission, the member states, and the social partners - employers and unions - with basic information on developments in vocational training. CEDEFOP publishes numerous periodicals and publications in several languages, notably a first- ever report of its kind called Key Data on Vocational Training in the European Union. It manages several projects, including study visits funded by the Leonardo da Vinci program for vocational training specialists. A.F. [10] GREEK ARMED FORCES CELEBRATED TODAYWeb Posted: 17:27 GMT+2Thessaloniki, 21.11.1999 (MPA) In celebration all sectors of Greece's armed forces, a doxology was held today in Thessaloniki's Church of Panagia Dexia, with the Metropolite of Thessaloniki Panteleimon officiating, where the government was represented by the Minister of Macedonia and Thrace Yiannis Magriotis.A reception was given at the Grand Bretagne Hotel in Athens last night, attended by the President of the Hellenic Republic Costis Stephanopoulos, the President of the Republic of Cyprus Glafcos Clerides, Minister of National Defense Akis Tsochatzopoulos, as well as the leaders of the armed forces. A.F. [11] ATHENS REPORTEDLY SATISFIED OVER CLINTON'S STATEMENTSWeb Posted: 17:27 GMT+2Athens, 21.11.1999 (MPA) Greece's political leadership is reportedly satisfied with US President Bill Clinton's statements concerning the Greek- Turkish differences, regarding which he said that they should be referred to the International Court of Justice at The Hague.Noting the impressive course of Greece's economy, Mr. Clinton stated that if there were gold medals to be given for economic recovery, Greece would certainly be entitled to one. Referring to Thessaloniki, the US President said that the northern city is the center of the Balkans and announced that the United States will establish a local bureau that will assist in the Balkan reconstruction process. A.F. [B] EUROPE[12] US PRESIDENT IN ITALY, TO ATTEND WELFARE REFORM CONFERENCEWeb Posted: 17:27 GMT+2Florence, 21.11.1999 (MPA) United States President Bill Clinton completed his 22-hour visit to Athens yesterday afternoon, when he departed at 5:30 p.m.Mr. Clinton is presently in Florence, Italy, to attend a conference on welfare reform and progressive governance. He will depart for Bulgaria this evening. A farewell ceremony was held at the presidential mansion after talks between President Clinton and the President of the Hellenic Republic Costis Stephanopoulos. A.F. Complete archives of the Macedonian Press Agency bulletins are available on the MPA Home Page at http://www.mpa.gr/ and on the U.S. mirror at http://www.hri.org/MPA/Macedonian Press Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |