Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 2000-12-04
MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Thessaloniki, December 4, 2000
SECTIONS
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
TITLES
[01] GREECE TO PRESENT POSITIONS ON BSE AT EU COUNCIL
[02] GREEK DEFENSE MINISTER IN SWEDEN FOR ESP SESSION
[03] BULGARIAN PRESIDENT STOYANOV IN ATHENS TODAY
[04] YUGOSLAV LEADER: GREEKS, SERBS UNITED FOREVER
[05] SYNADINOS RESIGNED FROM HIS POST AS MANAGING DIRECTOR IN
"ATHENS 2004"
[06] THE INFLATION RATE WILL BE ANNOUNCED WITHIN THE WEEK
[07] THE MUSIC OF THE GODS WITH ANCIENT MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS FROM
THESSALONIKI TO VIENNA
[08] GAINS OF 4.05% IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE
[09] KOSTUNICA EXPRESSED OPTIMISM OVER THE GREEK-YUGOSLAV ECONOMIC
RELATIONS
[10] STEPHANOPOULOS-STOYANOV MEETING IN ATHENS
[11] THE GREEK GOVERNMENT CONDEMNED MR. BURNS' INTERVENTION IN THE
ARMAMENTS PROGRAM
[12] LAWYERS FROM THE BALKANS AND CYPRUS ATTEND SEMINARS IN
THESSALONIKI
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[13] BRITISH TOURISTS OFFER THEIR HELP TO THE AEGEAN ISLAND OF
SAMOS
NEWS IN DETAIL
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] GREECE TO PRESENT POSITIONS ON BSE AT EU COUNCIL
Greece's positions on addressing Bovine Spongiform
Encephalopathy (BSE) are to be presented today during the European
Union's special Council of Agriculture Ministers, to be held in
Brussels.
Specifically, Greece favors a final ban on meat and bone meal
(MBM) meat flour in feeding animals and the implementation of the
"fast test" in detecting the "mad cow" disease in bovines.
Additionally, the country favors the complete ban of intestines of
bovines, regardless of age, but not the intestines of sheep under
the age of 12 months.
Greece's positions are in line with those of the European
Commission, which agreed on several new proposals to respond to
the BSE crisis, such as a temporary ban on the feeding of MBM to
all farm animals and a requirement that all animals over 30 months
are tested for BSE to enhance consumer confidence.
[02] GREEK DEFENSE MINISTER IN SWEDEN FOR ESP SESSION
The Minister of National Defense Akis Tsochatzopoulos is
presently on an official visit to Sweden, at the invitation of
his counterpart Bjorn Von Zindov.
In his capacity as a vice-president of the European Socialist
Party (ESP), Mr. Tsochatzopoulos will address an international
conference organized by the ESP entitled "Globalization, the
enlargement of the European Union and the role of the states".
The Defense Minister will also address a meeting of Greek
expatriates in Sweden and will visit the Ericsson company
installations.
Later today, Mr. Zindov will hold a dinner in honor of his
Greek counterpart and the delegations of the two countries will
hold talks and a joint press conference.
Following the press conference, Tsohatzopoulos will depart
for Brussels, to participate in the winter NATO defense
ministers' conference, which gets underway today.
[03] BULGARIAN PRESIDENT STOYANOV IN ATHENS TODAY
The President of Bulgaria Petar Stoyanov is to embark on an
official two-day visit to Greece today, at the invitation of his
Greek counterpart Kostis Stephanopoulos.
Messrs. Stoyanov and Stephanopoulos are to discuss the situation
in the Balkans, European developments, and bilateral issues,
particularly in the sector of the economy.
The visit "will comprise another important step in
reinforcing the very good level of bilateral relations" between
Greece and Bulgaria, according to an announcement issued by the
Greek President's office.
[04] YUGOSLAV LEADER: GREEKS, SERBS UNITED FOREVER
"The Greek and Serb peoples will remain united until
Doomsday," stated Yugoslavia's new President Vojislav Kostunica
during his visit to the monastic community of Mount Athos,
northern Greece, yesterday.
Accompanied by Yugoslav Prime Minister Zoran Zijic and a
delegation of ministers, president Kostunica yesterday embarked on
a two-day unofficial visit to Greece which last night included an
all-night vigil at the monastery of Hilandariou, where about 25
monks of Serb origin live.
As monks welcomed him with the honors of a head of state, Mr.
Kostunica said he is pleased to be visiting Mount Athos, terming
it the "cradle of the Orthodox faith".
Presently in Thessaloniki, the Yugoslav President will meet
today with the Minister of Macedonia-Thrace George Paschalides. W
While in Thessaloniki, he will visit the city's St. Dimitrios
Cathedral and lay a wreath at the allied military cemetery of
Zejdelik.
[05] SYNADINOS RESIGNED FROM HIS POST AS MANAGING DIRECTOR IN
"ATHENS 2004"
Petros Synadinos resigned this morning from his post as
managing director in the "Athens 2004" Organization.
In his resignation letter addressed to prime minister Kostas
Simitis he stated that he resigns for personal reasons and thanked
him for his confidence in him. However, according to information,
Mr. Synadinos was displeased because his role had been weakened.
"Athens 2004" Organization president Ms. Yianna Angelopoulou-
Daskalakis was informed of Mr. Synadinos' resignation in Lauzanne
where she was to attend the International Olympic Committee
conference.
[06] THE INFLATION RATE WILL BE ANNOUNCED WITHIN THE WEEK
The inflation rate in Greece for the month of November is
expected to be announced within the week and it will determine
whether the wages policy in the private sector will remain
unchanged.
Also, the controversial labor draft bill is expected to be
discussed in parliament before the end of the week.
[07] THE MUSIC OF THE GODS WITH ANCIENT MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS FROM
THESSALONIKI TO VIENNA
An exhibition of 82 copies of ancient Greek musical
instruments from Thessaloniki's Ancient Byzantine and Post-
Byzantine Musical Instruments Museum will be held in Vienna's
Popular Art Museum until January 7 at the initiative of Europe's
Pan-Macedonian Association and the "Macedonia" cultural
association.
Also, a documentary by journalist G. Trampitsch under the
same title with the exhibition will be aired on December 23 by the
TV channel "3 SAT".
The exhibition is an event placed within the new philosophy
adopted by the Pan-Macedonian-Europe, stated its president
archimandrite Panteleimon Tsorbatzoglou to MPA. He said that the
goal of the exhibition is to bring tradition closer and open a
circle of lectures and cultural contacts in Europe.
[08] GAINS OF 4.05% IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE
Impressive gains of 4.05% were recorded in the Athens Stock
Exchange today and the general index was at 3.541,20 points, while
the volume of transactions was 130.04 billion drachmas.
Of the stocks trading today 358 recorded gains, only three
had losses and 14 remained unchanged.
[09] KOSTUNICA EXPRESSED OPTIMISM OVER THE GREEK-YUGOSLAV ECONOMIC
RELATIONS
Yugoslav president Voislav Kostunica called for assistance
and underlined that he is looking forward to the further
development of economic cooperation between Greece and Yugoslavia,
stressing that it is an important factor in the efforts for
stability, peace and cooperation in the Balkan region.
After his meeting with minister of Macedonia-Thrace Giorgos
Paschalidis in Thessaloniki today, Mr. Kostunica referred to the
traditionally friendly relations between the peoples of Serbia and
Greece and expressed the belief that they will never change,
stressing that the friendly relations between them are not just
words. He said that Greece has backed Yugoslavia in many different
ways and through humanitarian aid. He also stated that Greek
foreign minister Giorgos Papandreou was the first to visit
Belgrade after the September 24 elections and added that a lot has
to be done for Yugoslavia, stressing that his goal is to make it
part of Europe.
Referring to his visit to Mount Athos, he said that there he
felt the friendship linking the two peoples very strongly.
Minister of Macedonia-Thrace Giorgos Paschalidis stated that
the Greek government backs the efforts of the Federal Republic of
Yugoslavia to become part of the European family. He added that 95
billion drachmas of the 180 billion of the Greek plan for the
Reconstruction of the Balkans will be used for the construction of
projects in Serbia, Montenegro and Kosovo. He also said that the
ministry of Macedonia-Thrace has undertaken a humanitarian aid
initiative sending basic foodstuffs to Yugoslavia, while 32 buses
were delivered to the country a few days ago. Also, European
issues' institutes that are based in Thessaloniki will undertake
to host and train officials from Yugoslavia.
[10] STEPHANOPOULOS-STOYANOV MEETING IN ATHENS
Bulgarian president Petar Stoyanov met with his Greek
counterpart Kostis Stephanopoulos in Athens this morning. Mr.
Stoyanov is on a two-day formal visit to the Greek capital.
The two presidents underlined the true feelings of friendship
between the two peoples, while they discussed issues concerning
bilateral relations and the speeding-up of the construction of
projects that they have already been agreed upon.
Mr. Stoyanov thanked Greece for its contribution in the
efforts to remove Bulgaria from the Schengen visa list.
Mr. Stephanopoulos stated that Greece and Bulgaria give a
special importance to their bilateral relations because they
believe that they are an important basis for stability of the
whole region.
On the developments in Yugoslavia and Kosovo, Mr.
Stephanopoulos stated that they shared the same views regarding
the policy that has to be followed in the region by the
international community.
[11] THE GREEK GOVERNMENT CONDEMNED MR. BURNS' INTERVENTION IN THE
ARMAMENTS PROGRAM
The Greek government condemned the public intervention made
by US ambassador Nicholas Burns in the armaments program,
according to Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas, who
stressed that the Greek government makes its choices taking under
consideration the national interest.
When he was called to comment on Mr. Burns' intervention, he
said that it could lead to many problems and one can say that such
a behavior is unpleasant. Therefore, said Mr. Reppas, such a
stance is condemned.
Responding to a question on the Eurofighter, Mr. Reppas
stated that the negotiations have not been completed and the
leadership of the national defense ministry is at the negotiations
stage with the consortium that manufactures the specific fighter
jet.
[12] LAWYERS FROM THE BALKANS AND CYPRUS ATTEND SEMINARS IN
THESSALONIKI
The third round of community law seminars held at the
initiative of the Balkan Bar Associations Union was launched in
Thessaloniki today with the participation of 60 new lawyers from
Balkan countries and Cyprus.
The seminars, that are held for a third year in a row and are
attended by lawyers from Albania, Bulgaria, Romania, Turkey,
FYROM, Serbia and Cyprus, take place with the assistance of the
International and European Economic Law Center.
Thessaloniki's Bar Association president Giorgos Ignatiadis
stated that this is a very important initiative that will
contribute greatly to the procedure for the accession of south-
eastern European countries into the European Union.
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[13] BRITISH TOURISTS OFFER THEIR HELP TO THE AEGEAN ISLAND OF
SAMOS
An initiative aimed at assisting in the restoration of the
damages caused by the devastating forest fires in the Aegean
island of Samos last summer was undertaken by the British travel
agency "Laskarina Holidays", according to the British newspaper
"The Observer".
Specifically, the travel agency called on its clients to
offer economic assistance for the restoration of the forests on
the island and already the sum of about 2 million drachmas has
been raised for this purpose. The money will be offered for the
establishment of a rapid reaction unit in Samos that will deal
with such disasters.
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