Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 2000-11-14
MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Thessaloniki, November 14, 2000
SECTIONS
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
TITLES
[01] THE 2ND MEETING OF BALKAN FILM ORGANIZATIONS OPENED IN
THESSALONIKI YESTERDAY
[02] BALKAN STATE THEATERS ARTISTIC DIRECTORS' MEETING IN
THESSALONIKI
[03] THE BALKAN COMMUNIST PARTIES WILL MEET IN THESSALONIKI
[04] SPANISH DISTINCTION TO ANDREAS SEFIHA
[05] THE LOSSES CONTINUE IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE
[06] KAKLAMANIS MET IN ATHENS WITH JOURNALISTS OF GREEK ORIGIN
[07] GOVERNMENT INITIATIVES ON THE ENVIRONMENT
[08] REPPAS: THE THREAT BY THE TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTER WAS
"UNFORTUNATE"
[09] THE 1ST EXHIBITION OF GREEK COMPANIES IN TURKEY
[10] THE SOLUTION OF THE CYPRUS PROBLEM IS A PRECONDITION FOR THE
IMPROVEMENT OF THE GREEK-TURKISH RELATIONS
[11] PASCHALIDIS: THE BALKANS ARE EUROPE
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[12] JOINT PRESS CONFERENCE BY STEPHANOPOULOS AND HAVEL
NEWS IN DETAIL
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] THE 2ND MEETING OF BALKAN FILM ORGANIZATIONS OPENED IN
THESSALONIKI YESTERDAY
The 2nd meeting of Balkan Film Organizations, that opened in
Thessaloniki yesterday at the initiative of the Greek Cinema
Center, continues and it is expected that decisions will be
reached on the structure and operation of the film organizations'
network in south-eastern Europe.
The network will contribute to the adoption of a common
policy by the national film organizations, the encouragement of
film co-productions, the more effective promotion of films in the
region's market and the development of artistic and technical
cooperation.
The meeting that opened yesterday will be completed tomorrow
and it is a follow-up to the meeting that was held 7 months ago in
the island of Hydra in which the decision for the creation of the
specific network was reached. In Thessaloniki's meeting
participate film organizations' representatives from 11 countries
namely, Albanina, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, Greece, Croatia,
Cyprus FYROM, Romania, Slovenia and Turkey.
[02] BALKAN STATE THEATERS ARTISTIC DIRECTORS' MEETING IN
THESSALONIKI
The artistic directors of the Balkan state theaters will meet
in Thessaloniki on November 17 to discuss the establishment of a
Balkan Theaters Union aimed at promoting program exchanges, co-
productions and programs for artistic and technical training.
In the meeting that will end on November 19 will be
represented the state theaters of Tirana (Albania), Sarajevo
(Bosnia-Herzegovina), Sofia (Bulgaria), Belgrade Yugoslavia),
Zagreb (Croatia), Skopje (FYROM), Bucharest (ROmania), Ljubljiana
(Slovenia) and Istanbul (Turkey).
[03] THE BALKAN COMMUNIST PARTIES WILL MEET IN THESSALONIKI
Representatives of Balkan Communist Parties and organizations
will meet in Thessaloniki on November 18-19.
The meeting is organized at the initiative of the Greek
Communist Party and it will be held on the grounds of
Thessaloniki's Aristotle University.
According to a statement issued by the organizers, the meeting
will be an opportunity for the exchange of experience and
conclusions reached by the large anti-NATO movements that were
created in all the Balkan states during the war in Yugoslavia.
[04] SPANISH DISTINCTION TO ANDREAS SEFIHA
In an emotional ceremony that was held in a central hotel in
Thessaloniki, Spanish ambassador to Athens Javier Jimenez Ugarte
honored Thessaloniki's Jewish Community president Andreas Sefiha
with the Order of Political Value.
Mr. Sefiha was honored after a decision by the Spanish
government and King Juan Carlos. Most of Thessaloniki's Jews come
from the Spanish Jews called Sefaradites, who were expelled from
Spain in 1492.
[05] THE LOSSES CONTINUE IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE
Losses of 0.77% were recorded in the Athens Stock Exchange
and the general index dropped to 3.558,80 points, while the volume
of transactions was very small at 42.3 billion drachmas.
Of the stocks trading today 112 recorded gains, 221 had
losses and 46 remained unchanged.
[06] KAKLAMANIS MET IN ATHENS WITH JOURNALISTS OF GREEK ORIGIN
Greek parliament president Apostolos Kaklamanis met with 33
journalists of Greek origin, who are visiting Greece within the
framework of the 4th meeting of Greek-origin journalists working
in mass media abroad. Mr. Kaklamanis stated that there is no
tension in the Greek-US relations, adding that their views
sometimes coincide and other times they do not. However, he said
that Greece believes that the United States have not responded to
the degree they had to both in the case of Cyprus and the Greek-
Turkish relations based on their declarations and their
commitments as a UN Security Council member.
On the Cyprus problem, Mr. Kaklamanis stated that the
negotiations gave less than few meaningful results. He also added
that Turkey's policy is to create the impression that a war with
Greece is imminent and this works as a suspending factor. On
Cyprus' EU course, he said that the efforts are at a very good
point, while on the Greek-Turkish differences he pointed out that
Greece recognizes only the problem of the continental shelf. He
also said that Turkey continues the provocation in the Aegean
within the framework of its expansionist policy.
When he was called by a "Washington Post" Greek-American
journalist to comment on NATO's expansion to central and eastern
Europe, Mr. Kaklamanis stated that it is a dynamite at the
foundations of Europe because its goal is the isolation of Russia
stressing, however, that these are his personal views.
Mr. Kaklamanis also stated to a Greek-Austrian reporter
working for the Austrian television that the Greek society has no
xenophobic tendencies and beliefs toward the economic immigrants.
Finally, responding to a question by a Greek minority
reporter in Albania on the recent municipal elections in Himara
and the situation that was created there, he stated that these are
nationalist views and practices in a country that makes its first
steps toward democracy.
[07] GOVERNMENT INITIATIVES ON THE ENVIRONMENT
Greece will be fully harmonized with the decisions that will
be reached in The Hague Conference on the Environment, stated
Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas today.
He said that the government will deal with his issue with a
sense of responsibility and sensitivity and will undertake all
necessary initiatives.
[08] REPPAS: THE THREAT BY THE TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTER WAS
"UNFORTUNATE"
The threat launched by Turkish foreign minister Ismail Cem
according to which, the Cyprus issue could lead to a new Bosnia or
Kosovo was characterized as an "unfortunate" one by Greek
government spokesman Dimitris Reppas, who pointed out that such
statements offer negative services to the solution of the Cyprus
problem.
The government spokesman stated that Cyprus is closer to the
EU accession criteria compared to other countries and underlined
that it must become an EU member as a united state with an
international personality and find its way to the future.
[09] THE 1ST EXHIBITION OF GREEK COMPANIES IN TURKEY
About 100 Greek businesses, which are among the most dynamic
in Greece, will take part in the 1st Exhibition of Greek Companies
in the Hannover Messe International facilities in Istanbul on
November 16-19. The exhibition, which is organized by
Thessaloniki's International Trade Fair, will cover an area of
2.500 square meters and it will be inaugurated by Ecumenical
Patriarch Vartholomeos in the presence of minister of Macedonia-
Thrace Giorgos Paschalidis.
The presence of the Greek companies in Istanbul is a follow-
up to Turkey's formal state participation in Thessaloniki's 65th
International Trade Fair which ended a long absence of that
country from Thessaloniki's trade exhibition.
Most of the companies that will present their products and
services in Istanbul come from northern Greece.
[10] THE SOLUTION OF THE CYPRUS PROBLEM IS A PRECONDITION FOR THE
IMPROVEMENT OF THE GREEK-TURKISH RELATIONS
The solution of the Cyprus problem is a precondition for the
improvement of the Greek-Turkish relations, said prime minister
Kostas Simitis in statements he made after the meeting with
Cypriot president Glafkos Clerides in Athens today.
The Greek prime minister reiterated that any solution to the
Cyprus problem must be based on the UN decisions that provide for
a united state and the creation of a two-zone, two-community
federation.
Cypriot president Glafkos Clerides stressed that in the
meeting with Mr. Simitis is was established that they share the
same views.
Earlier, Mr. Clerides had met with opposition New Democracy
parliament deputy Militiadis Evert, who appeared optimistic over
the outcome of the proximity talks on Cyprus.
[11] PASCHALIDIS: THE BALKANS ARE EUROPE
The reconstruction in the Balkans and south-eastern Europe
will succeed as a single plan at a political, economic and inter-
regional level. After the developments in the Federal Republic of
Yugoslavia the time has come to move from theory to action, stated
minister of Macedonia-Thrace Giorgos Paschalidis after completing
the working meetings he had with the political leaderships in the
Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Bulgaria and FYROM.
Mr. Paschalidis stated that the Greek government works within
a framework based on five points namely, consolidation of
democratic institutions, economic development, the inviolability
of the borders, inter-regional cooperation and the gradual
integration of the Balkan states into the European Union.
The minister stressed that for all these to succeed, a
systematic business cooperation is necessary as well as the
cooperation of non governmental organizations and Balkan
universities, adding that joint actions are needed for the
promotion of the European idea. He said that the Balkans are
Europe and here is placed the bet for the viable peace.
He also stated that in the meetings he had together with
minister of national economy Yiannos Papantoniou with the
political leaderships of FRY, Bulgaria and FYROM they discussed in
what way those countries could be included in the 180 billion
drachmas five-year Greek reconstruction plan.
In conclusion, he said that the ministry of Macedonia-Thrace
has undertaken an initiative for humanitarian aid to the Federal
Republic of Yugoslavia.
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[12] JOINT PRESS CONFERENCE BY STEPHANOPOULOS AND HAVEL
Czech president Vaclav Havel stated in the joint press
conference in Prague today that the visit of Greek president
Kostis Stephanopoulos is a visit of an ally. Mr. Havel stated that
there is no problem of a political nature between the two
countries, while on the trade and economic relations he stated
that they improve constantly.
He also stated that they discussed issues concerning the EU
enlargement and the changes that take place and referred to the
assurance he got from president Stephanopoulos that Greece will
continue to back the Czech Republic's bid for EU membership. Mr.
Havel also referred to the discussion he had with Mr.
Stephanopoulos on the Balkans after the changes that took place
with the fall of Milosevic, stressing that Greece and the Czech
Republic back the developments for the stabilization in the
region. He also said that they discussed the Cyprus issue as well
as issues concerning the relations between Greece and Turkey.
President Stephanopoulos stated that Greece backs the Czech
Republic's bid for EU membership and invited Mr. Havel to visit
Greece.
The Greek president also referred to the Greek proposals for
the stabilization in the Balkans and the economic assistance to
the Balkan states and Serbia expressing the hope that the EU will
respond positively to those proposals.
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