Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 2000-03-21
MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Thessaloniki, March 21, 2000
SECTIONS
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
NEWS HEADLINES
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] THE ROAD OPENS FOR GERMAN WAR REPARATIONS
[02] MEMBERS OF A BRITISH PARLIAMENT SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON THE
PARTHENON MARBLES WILL VISIT ATHENS
[03] TURKISH BUSINESSMEN IN THESSALONIKI'S COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
CHAMBER
[04] SPECIAL OLYMPICS GAMES IN ATHENS
[05] THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE HAD LOSSES OF 1.93%
[06] INTRACOM IS LIKELY TO TRADE IN THE WALL STREET
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[07] PAPANDREOU AND CEM ARE "THE FACES OF THE YEAR"
[08] GREEK-YUGOSLAV JOINT VENTURE
[09] GREEK SURGERY CLINIC IN GRACANICA
[10] INTERNATIONAL STUDENT EVENT IN ANKARA AND ATHENS
NEWS IN DETAIL
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] THE ROAD OPENS FOR GERMAN WAR REPARATIONS
The Greek Supreme Court is expected to reach a historic
decision on the issue of the German war reparations. According to
information, Supreme Court judge Nikos Georgilis suggested to the
Supreme Court plenary session to overturn the appeal made by the
German state against the decision issued by a court in the central
Greek city of Livadia granting a 9 billion drachmas compensation
to the relatives of the victims of the Distomo massacre in World
War II.
Based on information, Supreme Court judge Nikos Georgilis
suggests that all allegations made by the German state that the
Greek courts have no authority to try the case should be rejected.
According to judge Georgilis, an international demand has been
formed based on which the Greek courts have the international
authority to try cases of war crimes committed against the Greek
citizens.
[02] MEMBERS OF A BRITISH PARLIAMENT SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON THE
PARTHENON MARBLES WILL VISIT ATHENS
The members of the British parliament special committee which
investigates property issues as well as, illegal trade cases of
cultural treasures are expected in Athens.
The committee has received the file with the Greek arguments
for the return of the Parthenon Marbles backed by "Melina Mercuri
Institute" president film director Jules Dassen and the British
and Australian committees for the return of the marbles.
Greek minister of culture Elisavet Papazoi stated that the
decision by the British parliament special committee to deal with
the issue could signal the beginning of a dialogue which curiously
enough has not started yet.
The Greek arguments are based, among others, on the
uniqueness of the monument and the internationally recognized
maintenance and restoration works taking place at the Acropolis in
the past 25 years.
[03] TURKISH BUSINESSMEN IN THESSALONIKI'S COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
CHAMBER
A formal business delegation from Turkey will visit
Thessaloniki's Commerce and Industry Chamber on Thursday to
contact local businessmen and sign agreements.
In the event will be present Turkish parliament deputies,
mayors and political personalities, while the Greek side will be
represented by government ministers, parliament deputies and
representatives of Thessaloniki's business community.
[04] SPECIAL OLYMPICS GAMES IN ATHENS
The Special Olympics Millennium Games "Athens 2000" will be
hosted in Athens on March 26-31. The ceremony for the formal
opening of the games is scheduled to take place on March 27 in the
presence of president Kostis Stephanopoulos.
President Yianna Despotopoulou and the members of the event's
Organizing Committee will give a press conference in a central
Athens hotel tomorrow to present the program and the sponsors of
the games.
[05] THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE HAD LOSSES OF 1.93%
The Athens Stock Exchange had losses of 1.93% today in spite
of the optimistic predictions for a steady upward course of the
main index toward the 5.000 points.
The main index was at 4.755,44 points and the volume of
transactions reached 185 billion drachmas. As a result of the
strong pressures exerted on the parallel market and the
constructions shares, 280 stocks had losses, 30 remained stable
and 55 recorded gains.
[06] INTRACOM IS LIKELY TO TRADE IN THE WALL STREET
Positive predictions on the course of the Athens Stock
Exchange were made by INTRACOM president Socratis Kokkalis in
response to relevant questions by reporters, while he also
referred to the likelihood for his company to trade in the Wall
Street.
On the occasion of the strategic agreement between INTRACOM
and Cisco, Mr. Kokkalis underlined among others, that this
cooperation can lead INTRACOM to very important economic
developments and therefore, it will have all the necessary
preconditions a company trading in the Nasdaq or the New York
stock market must have.
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[07] PAPANDREOU AND CEM ARE "THE FACES OF THE YEAR"
The US East-West Institute will honor the foreign ministers
of Greece and Turkey Giorgos Papandreou and Ismail Cem with the
political figure of the year award, according to the Turkish news
agency Anadolu.
A ceremony will take place in New York on May 2 and the
awards will be delivered by former Finnish president Maarti
Ahtisaari. The award is delivered each year to politicians who
contribute to the creation of a united and peaceful Europe.
According to the Turkish news agency sources, Mr. Cem and Mr.
Papandreou are likely to travel together to Washington to attend
the award ceremony.
[08] GREEK-YUGOSLAV JOINT VENTURE
A cooperation agreement to jointly undertake the construction
of projects in Yugoslavia and third countries was signed recently
by the Yugoslav JUGOIMPORT SDPR and the Greek "Athens-Hellenic
Engineering Industrial & Tourist Co.".
The agreement provides for the formation of a joint business
that will undertake the materialization of programs in Yugoslavia
and the participation in construction works in third countries.
[09] GREEK SURGERY CLINIC IN GRACANICA
UNMIK head Bernard Kuschner inaugurated the surgery clinic in
the Kosovo city of Gracanica that was constructed with the joint
effort of the Greek government, the Doctors of the World, the Serb
Church and the Serb National Council.
Mr. Kuschner stressed that the clinic was created within the
framework of a co-existence program through which the protection
of all ethnic minorities in Kosovo is safeguarded aimed at
creating a climate of trust.
Bishop Artemios thanked Greek ambassador Mr. Spinelis and the
Greek foreign ministry adviser Mr. Rontos, who represented the
Greek government in the inauguration ceremony and pointed out that
the clinic is a symbol of the eternal friendship between the Serb
and the Greek people. The bishop also underlined that the clinic
is of vital importance for the Serbs and the gypsies in Gracanica
and stated that it will be in cooperation with medical centers
across Europe.
In the surgery clinic, named "Simonida", will work 50 Serbs
and it will have a capacity of 20 beds.
[10] INTERNATIONAL STUDENT EVENT IN ANKARA AND ATHENS
A cultural event aimed at the consolidation of the good
relations that exist between Turkey and Greece will be held by the
delegations of the European Students Forum (AEGEE), one of the
largest student organizations in the world.
According to the Turkish newspaper "Milliyet", in the
cultural exchanges event that will be held on the occasion of the
declaration of the year 2000 as the year of culture and peace will
participate 22 students from Greece and an equal number from
Turkey.
Within the framework of the event, the students will meet in
Ankara on April 22 to discuss the common culture points between
the two countries, while the meeting will be repeated in Athens on
May 15.
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