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Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 2000-11-09
MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Thessaloniki, November 9, 2000
SECTIONS
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
TITLES
[01] "TRAIN OF CIVILIZATION" ARRIVES IN THESSALONIKI
[02] PREMIER SIMITIS CONDUCTS WORKING VISIT TO ROME
[03] BALKAN PARTNERSHIP 2000 IN THESSALONIKI TODAY
[04] PM TO ATTEND HEALTH CONFERENCE IN THESSALONIKI
[05] DIPEK EVENT:ECONOMIC TIES, PROSPECTS IN BALKANS
[06] THESSALONIKI FILM FESTIVAL BEGINS TOMORROW
[07] TIF TO HOLD GREEK PRODUCTS EXHIBITION IN ISTANBUL
[08] CULTURE MINISTER AT GREEK-CANADIAN CONFERENCE
[09] DRUGS LINKED TO BRAIN HEMORRHAGING RECALLED
[10] GREECE TO BUY ELECTRICITY FOR YUGOSLAVIA
[11] GERMAN FIRMS DONATE MEDICAL EQUIPMENT TO PAROS
[12] SIFOUNAKIS WILL HONOR THE HEADS OF BRITISH TOUR OPERATORS
[13] 3.450 ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS WERE ARRESTED BY THE GREEK COAST
GUARD THIS YEAR
[14] GAINS RECORDED IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE
[15] REPPAS ON THE EU-TURKEY PARTNERSHIP RELATION TEXT
[16] BEGLITIS: THE EU TEXT ON THE PARTNERSHIP RELATION WITH TURKEY
IS SIGNIFICANT FOR GREECE
[17] THE GREEK FOREIGN MINISTRY IS SATISFIED WITH THE ANNAN TEXT
[18] THE GREEK INVESTORS ARE EXPECTED IN YUGOSLAVIA NEXT SPRING
[19] PAPANDREOU'S STATEMENTS ON THE EU-TURKEY PARTNERSHIP RELATION
AND THE US ELECTIONS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[20] SIMITIS-AMATO MEETING IN ROME
[21] THE FRENCH SENATE RATIFIED THE DRAFT BILL ON THE ARMENIAN
GENOCIDE
[22] THE SIMITIS-AMATO MEETING WAS HELD IN A VERY GOOD CLIMATE
[23] TSOCHATZOPOULOS' VISIT TO BERLIN
NEWS IN DETAIL
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] "TRAIN OF CIVILIZATION" ARRIVES IN THESSALONIKI
"The Train of Civilization" is to arrive in Thessaloniki
tomorrow, transporting members of various groups supporting
friendship with Balkan countries, Turkish parliamentarians,
representatives of Balkan leagues and associations active in
Turkey, as well as an array of artists, journalists and local
authorities.
Aiming to strengthen the ties of friendship among the Balkan
peoples, the Train's voyage will last until November 12, and its
stops include Plovdiv, Sofia, Skopje. In Greece, the train will
visit Thessaloniki, Drama, Xanthi and Komotene.
Every stopover will be met with festivities and cultural
activities, while upon its arrival inThessaloniki on November 10,
the day Kemal Ataturk died, the delegates will attend a ceremony
to be held at the home where the founder of the Turkish Republic
was born.
[02] PREMIER SIMITIS CONDUCTS WORKING VISIT TO ROME
Prime Minister Costas Simitis is presently on a two-day
working visit to Rome, where he will hold talks with his Italian
counterpart Giuliano Amato.
The issues to be discussed include the European Union's
expansion, bilateral relations, the Balkan region and world
economy.
Mr. Simitis will also meet with Rome Mayor Francesco Rutelli,
the center-left coalition's (Olive Branch) candidate premier.
The Premier, who is accompanied by a delegation of government
officials, is expected to return to Athens this evening.
[03] BALKAN PARTNERSHIP 2000 IN THESSALONIKI TODAY
An event that aspires to result in numerous business
cooperation agreements, the Balkan Partnership 2000 will begin in
Thessaloniki today and will feature the participation of over 300
firms from Greece, the European Union and the Mediterranean
region.
The two-day event will be officially inaugurated by the
Minister of Macedonia-Thrace George Paschalides and will feature
the attendance of Greece's undersecretary of National Economy
Yiannis Zafiropoulos and FYROM's Minister of Finance Borko
Andreev.
The event will be held at the city's exhibition-conference
center Helexpo and is organized by the Inter-Balkan & Black Sea
Business Centre (DIPEK) in co-operation with the Exporters'
Association of Northern Greece (SEVE) and the International Trade
Fair of Thessaloniki (TIF SA).
The Balkan Partnership will host 127 companies, representing
the sectors of construction, building materials, foods, drinks,
pharmaceuticals and hospital supplies.
Fifty of these companies will be Greek, 27 Bulgarian. 18
Romanian, 20 from FYROM and ten Albanian. An additional 200
companies will be featured from Austria, Belgium, Germany, Italy,
Spain, the Netherlands, United Kingdom, Cyprus, Israel, the Czech
Republic, Russia and Croatia.
The project is financed by the INTERREG Program of the
European Union, through the Greek Ministry of National economy. T
The objective of INTERREG Program is to promote the creation and
development of networks of co-operation across internal borders of
the European Union and to assist such internal border areas to
overcome development problems arising from their isolation. The
second aim is to provide interconnections with wider European
networks.
[04] PM TO ATTEND HEALTH CONFERENCE IN THESSALONIKI
Prime Minister Costas Simitis is to arrive in Thessaloniki
tomorrow, November 10, in order to address the ruling PASOK
party's nationwide conference on Health and Welfare.
In addition to Mr. Simitis, the conference will feature
keynote addresses from Health Minister Alekos Papadopoulos and the
secretary of PASOK's Central Committee Costas Skandalides who will
outline the state's health and welfare policies. Other issues to
be discussed include the planned reforms of the National Health
System.
[05] DIPEK EVENT:ECONOMIC TIES, PROSPECTS IN BALKANS
"Economic Ties and Prospects in the Balkan Region" will be
the theme of a one-day presentation held today in Thessaloniki by
the Interbalkan and Black Sea Trade Development Center (DIPEK),
held within the framework of the Balkan Partnership 2000
conference.
Following the presentation, addresses will be given in
regards to investment opportunities in the Balkan region, with
speakers such as the representative of the Yugoslav Industry and
Commerce Chamber Jadranka Zenic Zeljkovic and the officer of the
World Bank's liaison bureau in Greece.
[06] THESSALONIKI FILM FESTIVAL BEGINS TOMORROW
The 41st Thessaloniki Film Festival, which gets underway
tomorrow, November 10, will include a tribute to film director
Theodoros Angelopoulos and his work.
Angelopoulos, winner of the Cannes film festival award in
1998, will be honored during the festival with the screening of 14
of his movies along with nine documentaries of his filming
techniques.
Featuring the screening of about 167 films, the ten-day
festival's program will include two concerts by Eleni Karaindrou
at the Concert Hall (on November 16-17), as well as photography
and book exhibitions.
According to festival director Michel Dimopoulos, the cost of
the festival totaled 500 million drachmas, with half of its funds
granted by the ministry of culture and the other half acquired by
private sponsors.
[07] TIF TO HOLD GREEK PRODUCTS EXHIBITION IN ISTANBUL
The Thessaloniki International Fair (TIF) is to hold the
first exhibition of Greek products in Istanbul this month,
representing the sectors of tourism, transportation, food and
beverage, juices, dairy products, olive oil, agro-chemicals,
fertilizers, agricultural machinery, etc.
With about 100 of the most dynamic Greek businesses, as well
as agencies and organizations, participating in the event, TIF
hopes hopes that with this initiative another positive step will
be taken in efforts at rapprochement between the two neighbors.
According to TIF's board "whatever misunderstandings at
political level cannot constitute an obstacle for the development
of cooperation at business and economic level."
To be held between November 16-19, the exhibition will be
hosted at the installations of the Hannover Messe International in
Istanbul, at the region of Maslak.
[08] CULTURE MINISTER AT GREEK-CANADIAN CONFERENCE
Addressing a Greek-Canadian conference that got underway in
Thessaloniki yesterday, Culture Minister Theodoros Pangalos
stressed that Canada can provide Greece with valuable lessons on
the coexistence and cooperation of different cultures.
Focusing on the issue of coexistence between different
cultures in the two countries, the three-day conference is titled
"Multiculture: A developing dialogue. The Greek and Canadian
example" and is held under the auspices of Greece' Culture
Ministry.
In his address, Mr. Pangalos stressed that Canada has a multi-
cultural society, that comprises diverse ethnicities, and is a
democratic and prosperous country, the smallest member of the G-
8.
The Culture Minister also referred extensively to Canada's
200,000-member strong and vibrant Greek community.
Other speakers included Thessaloniki's Deputy Mayor Nikos
Makrantonakis and the Canadian Ambassador to Greece David Hatton.
The event is organized by the Canadian embassy and the Aristotle
University of Thessaloniki.
[09] DRUGS LINKED TO BRAIN HEMORRHAGING RECALLED
A Greek pharmaceutical supplier has recalled all medicines
under the brand names of Ornade and Rhinopront-S, after the US
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ordered a halt in production
for all drugs containing phenylpropanolamine, a substance
suspected of causing brain hemorrhaging to users who suffer from
cardiovascular problems.
Wyeth Hellas, which supplies the aforementioned drugs to
Greece, has recalled them from pharmacy shelves nationwide.
Meanwhile, Greece's National Drug Organization (EOF) has
stated that no problems should arise from using medication
containing phenylpropanolamine as long as the prescriptions are
followed.
[10] GREECE TO BUY ELECTRICITY FOR YUGOSLAVIA
In an effort to support Yugoslavia, which is facing enormous
energy shortages, Greece will purchase electricity for Yugoslavia
from Romania, Bulgaria and the Ukraine.
Foreign Minister George Papandreou met yesterday with the
leader of Yugoslavia's Democratic Party Zoran Djindjic who
expressed his gratitude for Greece's support, adding that Europe's
economic aid is a precondition for peace and stability.
[11] GERMAN FIRMS DONATE MEDICAL EQUIPMENT TO PAROS
In appreciation of the heroic efforts exerted by the
residents of Paros in rescuing German nationals during the Samina
Express ferry disaster, several German companies have donated
medical equipment valued at more than ten million drachmas to the
island's health center.
The medical equipment include a respirator, a blood analysis
machine, and an oxygen tent.
The residents of Paros carried out rescue operations after
the Express Samina ferry sank outside the island's port on
September 26, killing 80 people.
There were 19 German tourists aboard the ferry, including a
delegation of 12 physicians, all of whom were rescued.
[12] SIFOUNAKIS WILL HONOR THE HEADS OF BRITISH TOUR OPERATORS
The British special tourism offices that contribute to the
economic growth of the small islands in the Aegean will be honored
by Aegean minister Nikos Sifounakis on Monday.
The awards will be given within the framework of the
inauguration of the Greek pavilion in the international tourism
exhibition "World Travel Market" that will be held in London on
November 13-16.
[13] 3.450 ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS WERE ARRESTED BY THE GREEK COAST
GUARD THIS YEAR
The Greek Coast Guard arrested 3.450 illegal immigrants since
the beginning of the year, while 135 slave-traders were also
arrested and 38 ships were confiscated.
It should be noted that at dawn today Coast Guard officers
located a ship with 40 illegal immigrants, among them one child,
in the sea region of Saronikos Bay, off the coasts of Athens. The
two-member crew was also arrested.
[14] GAINS RECORDED IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE
Gains of 0.46% were recorded in the Athens Stock Exchange
today, while the volume of transactions was very small at 33.5
billion drachmas.
Of the stocks trading today 177 recorded gains, 149 had
losses and 56 remained unchanged.
[15] REPPAS ON THE EU-TURKEY PARTNERSHIP RELATION TEXT
Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas stated that one
can not say that Greece is satisfied with the European Commission
text on the partnership relation between the EU and Turkey even
though it is consistent with the Helsinki decisions. He said that
the text should not be simply in harmony with the Helsinki EU
Summit meeting decisions but it has to coincide with them as well.
On the Cyprus problem, he stated that it is placed within the
framework of the Euro-Turkish relations.
[16] BEGLITIS: THE EU TEXT ON THE PARTNERSHIP RELATION WITH TURKEY
IS SIGNIFICANT FOR GREECE
Greece's negotiating weight on the issue of the EU-Turkey
partnership relation has now moved to the diplomatic level in view
of the Council of Ministers meeting on November 20 when the final
text will be drawn up to be made official in the EU Summit meeting
in December.
The above were stated by Greek foreign ministry spokesman
Panos Beglitis, who characterized the text on the EU-Turkey
partnership relation as very satisfactory and significant for the
Greek-Turkish relations, referring especially to the part that
deals with the political criteria and Ankara's commitments.
The basic goal of the Greek government, stressed Mr.
Beglitis, is the incorporation of the Helsinki conclusions in the
partnership relation with Turkey, adding that Cyprus is now a
reality in Turkey's European course as well as an international
problem and those facts must be used for the solution of the
problem.
[17] THE GREEK FOREIGN MINISTRY IS SATISFIED WITH THE ANNAN TEXT
The Greek foreign ministry appears especially satisfied with
yesterday's text that was delivered by UN secretary-general Kofi
Annan to the Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots.
According to Greek foreign ministry spokesman Panos Beglitis,
the text brings back the balance in the negotiations on Cyprus
that appeared to be overturned after a statement made by Annan in
New York on September 13, 2000.
Mr. Beglitis also stressed that the interventions made by
Greek foreign minister Giorgos Papandreou contributed greatly to
this outcome, adding that in the Annan text is included the firm
demand of the Greek Cypriot side namely, the implementation of the
UN Security Council resolutions for a fair solution of the Cyprus
problem.
The Greek foreign ministry spokesman declined to comment on
the details of the text, pointing out that the Cypriot Republic is
responsible for its evaluation.
[18] THE GREEK INVESTORS ARE EXPECTED IN YUGOSLAVIA NEXT SPRING
The strong interest of the Greek businesses in the Yugoslav
market is expected to start becoming concrete in the second
trimester of 2001. For the time being, Yugoslavia remains "terra
incognita" for many companies, while the absence of an
institutional framework, the collapse of the banking system and
the strict price controls discourage potential investors.
According to Mr. Haris Haldoupis, in charge of the Inter-
Balkan Black Sea Business Center, there is already strong mobility
on behalf of the Greek companies that want to become active in
Yugoslavia, adding that those companies are mainly active in the
sectors of food and beverages, energy and constructions.
Most of the interested companies are expecting the results of
the crucial parliamentary elections of December 23 and the
stabilization of the political and economic scene before they
materialize their investment plans.
[19] PAPANDREOU'S STATEMENTS ON THE EU-TURKEY PARTNERSHIP RELATION
AND THE US ELECTIONS
Regardless of whether Turkey accepts this or not, Europe's
position is that Turkey's European prospect is directly related
with the solution of the Cyprus problem, underlined Greek foreign
minister Giorgos Papandreou referring to the EU-Turkey partnership
relation text that was approved by the European Commission
yesterday.
In statements he made to the Athens radio station "Flash",
Mr. Papandreou stated, when he was asked to characterize the
European Commission text on the partnership relation between the
EU and Turkey, that it was a self-evident development.
Referring to the US presidential elections and the fact that
48 hours after no winner has been declared, the foreign minister
pointed out that it is the first time that such a phenomenon is
recorded in the history of the United States, adding that the
facts themselves confirm that every vote counts even in a country
like the United States with a population of over 200 million
people.
When asked to comment on the likelihood of election fraud in
the United States, Mr. Papandreou stated that there are no such
indications but wider political issues could be raised for the
possible amendment of the US constitution.
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[20] SIMITIS-AMATO MEETING IN ROME
Prime minister Kostas Simitis, who is on a formal visit to
Italy, is scheduled to meet in Rome with his Italian counterpart
Giuliano Amato. At the center of this meeting, will be the agenda
of the inter-governmental conference that will be held in December
as well as, issues concerning the Greek-Italian relations.
The EU enlargement procedures will be raised in the inter-
governmental conference as well as the issue of the partnership
relation between Turkey and the European Union.
Mr. Simitis will also meet with mayor of Rome Mr. Ruseli, who
will be the government coalition candidate for the post of the
prime minister in Italy.
[21] THE FRENCH SENATE RATIFIED THE DRAFT BILL ON THE ARMENIAN
GENOCIDE
The French Senate ratified the draft bill that recognizes the
Armenian genocide committed by the Turks in 1915 with an
overwhelming majority of 164 votes in favor and 40 against.
The specific draft bill had been approved by the French
parliament on May 29, 1998 but the French presidency and
government had expressed their opposition to a likely recognition
of the Armenian genocide under the threat of the deterioration of
the French-Turkish relations.
About 1.5 million Armenians were killed by the Ottoman Turks
and militia forces that were formed in eastern Asia Minor in the
period 1915-1923.
[22] THE SIMITIS-AMATO MEETING WAS HELD IN A VERY GOOD CLIMATE
Greek prime minister Kostas Simitis, who is on a formal visit
to Italy, met in Rome with his Italian counterpart Giuliano Amato.
Their meeting focused on the agenda of the inter-governmental
conference that will be held in December, the situation in the
Balkans, the Greek-Italian relations and the issue of the illegal
immigration.
Referring to the European Union enlargement procedure, prime
minister Kostas Simitis pointed out that the EU must clarify
certain issues that have been raised.
On the EU-Turkey partnership relation, Mr. Simitis stressed
that no one wants to exclude Turkey, stressing that on the
contrary it was decided in Helsinki that it will be a candidate
state, adding that this is to the interest of Turkey and the EU.
Mr. Simitis stressed that it is clear that Turkey has to proceed
with the solution of the Cyprus problem based on the UN decisions
and international law.
The two prime ministers agreed to expand the cooperation
between their countries aimed at creating a climate of stability
in the region of the Balkans.
The Greek prime minister also had a meeting with Rome's mayor
Mr. Francesco Ruteli, who will be the government coalition
candidate for the post of the country's prime minister.
[23] TSOCHATZOPOULOS' VISIT TO BERLIN
Greek minister of defense Akis Tsochatzopoulos speaking in an
event in Berlin yesterday, where he was invited by the "Initiative-
Berlin-Capital" group on the occasion of the anniversary of the
fall of the Berlin Wall, referred to all the issues that are of
direct interest for Greece, especially, the Cyprus issue, the
Greek-Turkish relations, the Balkans, NATO and the European Union.
Paralleling Berlin with Cyprus, Mr. Tsochatzopoulos pointed
out that now the Nicosia Wall must fall and blamed Turkey for the
existing situation in Cyprus and the Greek-Turkish relations,
stressing that the climate will not change if Ankara will not
accept that the only way to solve the differences is to appeal to
the International Court of Justice in The Hague.
Mr. Tsochatzopoulos said that now Yugoslavia needs Europe's
assistance more and spoke of the importance of the US presence in
the region for the consolidation of peace. He was also critical of
the persistence of the European Commission and the EU member-
states in economic issues and the Euro, expressing the view that
what is important is the social solidarity and the handling of the
problems faced by the European citizens.
During his visit to Berlin, the Greek minister of defense
also met with his German counterpart and discussed armaments'
issues given the Greek order for the purchase of "Leopard-2"
armored tanks.
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