Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 2000-12-21
MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Thessaloniki, December 21, 2000
SECTIONS
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
TITLES
[01] PANATHINAIKOS BEATS AJAX IN VETERANS GAME
[02] INTERNATIONAL YOUTH CONFERENCE HELD IN GREECE
[03] GREEK FM SADDENED BY BLOODBATH IN TURKEY
[04] DEFENSE MINISTER VISITS GREEK FORCE IN BOSNIA
[05] TURKEY TO GET ADDITIONAL FUNDS FOR EU ACCESSION
[06] GREECE IN UNISON DECRIES CLASH AT TURKISH JAILS
[07] TVX OFFICE IN THESSALONIKI TARGETED BY ARSONISTS
[08] FAA DOWNGRADES GREEK CIVIL AVIATION AUTHORITY
[09] SMUGGLED WOMAN, CHILD, BURN TO DEATH INSIDE CAR
[10] YUGOSLAV PRESIDENT KOSTUNICA WILL BE IN ATHENS ON JANUARY 16
[11] MORE LOSSES IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE
[12] THE CONTRACT FOR THE PURCHASE OF FOUR "SUPER PUMA"
HELICOPTERS WILL BE SIGNED TODAY
[13] REPPAS: THE EVENTS IN TURKEY DO NOT CHARACTERIZE A EUROPEAN
COUNTRY
[14] THE GREEK AIRPORTS ARE SAFE
[15] SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN THE GREEK EXPORTS IN THE FIRST HALF
OF 2000
[16] CONTRACT ON THE RADIO-TELEVISION COVERAGE OF THE ATHENS
OLYMPICS
[17] AGREEMENT ON THE BURGAS-ALEXANDROUPLIS PIPELINE
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[18] SWEDEN TAKES REIGN AS EUROPEAN UNION PRESIDENT
[19] BULGARIA: OTE VICTORY IN THE MOBILE PHONE SECTOR
NEWS IN DETAIL
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] PANATHINAIKOS BEATS AJAX IN VETERANS GAME
Veterans of the Panathinaikos Athens soccer team who played
against Ajax Amsterdam in the European Champions Cup final at
Wembley stadium in London in 1971 beat the Dutch team's veterans
of the same period 1-0 in a friendly match played in Amsterdam
last night.
The match, played as part of celebrations marking the 100th
anniversary of Ajax, lasted 20 minutes and the only goal was
scored by Mimis Domazos during the beginning of the second half.
[02] INTERNATIONAL YOUTH CONFERENCE HELD IN GREECE
An international youth conference is to be held in central
Greece's city of Elasona on December 22-29, organized by the
Athens-based European Cultural Organization for Social Education
and held under the auspices of the European Commission's "Youth"
program.
The meeting aims to develop ties of friendship among the
youth of the Mediterranean region, namely from Greece, Italy,
Spain, Lebanon and Tunesia and to encourage their active
participation in social and cultural events.
The sixty participants will form task groups and will hold
discussions with local authorities, while their program includes
sightseeing in Thessaloniki and the archaeological site of
Vergina.
[03] GREEK FM SADDENED BY BLOODBATH IN TURKEY
Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou, presently on a tour
of south Asian countries, has expressed his sorrow over the
violence that erupted in Turkey's prisons, where 16 people were
killed and hundreds injured during a police raid.
"All of Europe is watching the developments with interest and
concern, especially following the signature of the partnership
agreement, which is shown once again to be a compass of criteria
for EU-Turkey relations."
Mr. Papandreou added that Greece not only possesses
democratic sensitivities, but has also fought battles for
democracy.
The Foreign Minister stated that he will soon be meeting with
his Swedish counterpart to discuss the Swedish EU presidency's
views on implementing the partnership agreement on human rights
issues.
[04] DEFENSE MINISTER VISITS GREEK FORCE IN BOSNIA
Minister of National Defense Akis Tsohatzopoulos met with
Greek officers participating in the Greek Force in Bosnia (ELDYB),
during his one-day visit to Bosnia-Herzegovina yesterday.
Joined by the chief of the General Army Staff Constantine
Panayiotakis, the Mr. Tsohatzopoulos visited ELDYB's headquarters
in Visoko, where he dined with its 122 members and exchanged gifts
and greetings with them on the occasion of the Christmas and New
Year holidays. ELDYB is to be relocated to SFOR's headquarters in
Sarajevo within the next year.
With Portugal also participating in SFOR with an army
contingent, Mr. Tsochatzopoulos also held talks with his
Portuguese counterpart Julio de Lemos de Castro Caldas. Moreover,
Mr. Tsohatzopoulos visited SFOR's headquarters at the Budmir army
camp and met with the force's commanding officer Lieutenant
General Michael Dodson.
Earlier in the day, Mr. Tsochatzopoulos had successive
meetings in Sarajevo with the federal government's Defense
Minister Miroslav Pirlic, Alternate Minister Sakib Machmoulin,
Foreign Minister Yiabranco Pirlic and the members of the
federation's three-member presidency.
[05] TURKEY TO GET ADDITIONAL FUNDS FOR EU ACCESSION
The European Union yesterday adopted a Commission proposal to
provide Turkey with 135 million euro grant during a three-year-
period, as part of a pre-accession strategy for the country.
According to a European Commission press release, the
adoption of this regulation is a direct consequence of the
conclusions of the Helsinki European Council on December 1999. At
that time the Heads of State and Government stated that Turkey is
a candidate country designated to join the Union and that Turkey,
like other candidates countries, will benefit from a pre-accession
strategy.
Enlargement Commissioner Günter Verheugen - in charge of the
enlargement process - underlined that "EU's financial support is
essential to provide financial assistance to support and stimulate
the implementation of the newly adopted Accession Partnership."
[06] GREECE IN UNISON DECRIES CLASH AT TURKISH JAILS
The Greek government has denounced the violent police raid in
Turkey's jails as "stain on civilization", noting that the
neighboring country holds human rights in complete disregard.
Sixteen prisoners and two soldiers were killed yesterday
when Turkish forces stormed the prisons throughout the country in
an effort to end a two-month-old hunger strike that prisoners
launched to protest plans to transfer them to small prison cells.
Many of the hunger strikers were on the brink of death after
subsisting on sugared water for two months.
Greece's Prime Minister Costas Simitis stated that the
neighboring country displays "brutal behavior towards those who
cannot defend their human rights", adding that every country that
is a candidate for accession to the European Union is obliged to
respect human rights, while he also added that Ankara's ties with
the EU is the means for establishing a state of justice in Turkey.
Government spokesperson Dimitris Reppas stated that "the
inhuman violence used and the autocratic conditions under which
the operation was carried out are a stain on civilization", while
he added that the European Union has to take on its
responsibilities.
The President of the Hellenic Parliament Apostolos Kaklamanis
is expected to contact other national parliaments and
international organizations over the situation in Turkey.
Foreign Minister George Papandreou also expressed his sorrow
over the violence, stating that "all of Europe is watching the
developments with interest and concern, especially following the
signature of the partnership agreement, which is shown once again
to be a compass of criteria for EU-Turkey relations."
Meanwhile, with a resolution drawn under the initiative of
former foreign minister Theodoros Pangalos, 58 Greek
parliamentarians have denounced the atrocities and blatant human
rights violations pervading Turkey's prisons.
Expressing their profound concern, indignation and sorrow for
the violence, the Greek deputies, who span all political parties,
call on Mr. Kaklamanis to denounce the Turkish regime's tyrannical
and undemocratic methods to the European Council's
Parliamentary Assembly and to the European Parliament.
Moreover, the parliamentarians ask that Mr. Papandreou
immediately bring the matter forth to international organizations
and European Union bodies.
"Once again, the Turkish police and security forces, caring
for the ‘safety' of political prisoners with methods familiar only
to them, raided 20 prisons and dispersed terror and death."
"We do not forget," the resolution reads, "that at the
present time there are 12,000 political prisoners in an EU
candidate-member, while torture victims from 1981 to date are
innumerable.
"Turkey's arbitrary and anachronistic regime didn't miss the
chance to show its true colors: a profound disregard for the
principles of respect for human rights, the value of human life
and the European democratic institutions."
[07] TVX OFFICE IN THESSALONIKI TARGETED BY ARSONISTS
The Thessaloniki office of TVX-Hellas Gold Metallurgy was
targeted by arsonists yesterday, when unknown culprits ignited gas
canisters at the premises, causing material damages.
According to the police reports, the gas canisters were
placed at the entrance of the Greek-Canadian company's offices in
the center of Thessaloniki and set them on fire, resulting in an
explosion.
An investigation is presently underway.
TVX, a Toronto-based mining company, has a polymetallic gold
project, (budgeted at $248 million) in northern Greece's Halkidiki
peninsula, aiming to develop 254,000 ounces of gold on an annual
basis, along with 2.3 million ounces of silver, 21,500 tons of
zinc and 22,500 tons of lead over the first five years of
production.
Prior to gaining the state's approval of its environmental
impact report, TVX was subject to a series of protests and
obstructive action from local groups who fear pollution of an area
rich in archaeological remains.
[08] FAA DOWNGRADES GREEK CIVIL AVIATION AUTHORITY
The United States' Federal Aviation Administration will
downgrade Greek airports from category 1 to 2, after finding that
Greece's Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) "does not provide safety
oversight of its air carrier operators in accordance with the
minimum safety oversight standards established by the
International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)".
An FAA delegation, comprising International Aviation Safety
Assessment (IASA) program officials, met in Athens recently with
Greece's Transport Minister Christos Verelis, and discussed flight
security problems that need to be corrected.
IASA uses the same standards as the UN's ICAO and the
downgrade concerns CAA, and not safety procedures at the country's
airports.
Greece's failure to establish an expert body to oversee
flight safety is reportedly a key reason for the projected
downgrading of the country's Civil Aviation Authority.
Until CAA's status is upgraded, Olympic Airways will not be
able to increase the number of flights to the US or change the
type of aircraft it uses on these routes.
[09] SMUGGLED WOMAN, CHILD, BURN TO DEATH INSIDE CAR
A woman and a child who were being illegally smuggled into to
Greece locked inside a car trunk, burned to death this morning
when their vehicle toppled over and caught on fire on a Greek
highway.
According to early reports, the two victims were among an
undetermined number of illegal immigrants who were picked up by
two vehicles bearing Russian license plates at the Greece-FYROM
border.
En route to Thessaloniki, one of the two vehicles toppled
over and burst into flames, with the woman and child (believed to
be Albanian nationals) trapped inside the trunk.
The vehicle's driver and other passengers managed to escape.
[10] YUGOSLAV PRESIDENT KOSTUNICA WILL BE IN ATHENS ON JANUARY 16
Federal Republic of Yugoslavia president Voislav Kostunica
will be on a formal visit to Greece on January 16, 2001 and will
meet with prime minister Kostas Simitis.
It will be his first formal visit to Greece. A few weeks ago,
he was on a private visit to Thessaloniki and the monastic
community of Mount Athos.
[11] MORE LOSSES IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE
Losses of 1.54% were recorded in the Athens Stock Exchange
today. The general index was 3.401,01 points and the volume of
transactions was very small at 99.5 billion drachmas.
Of the stocks trading today, only 77 had gains, while 252 had
losses and the value of 44 remained unchanged.
[12] THE CONTRACT FOR THE PURCHASE OF FOUR "SUPER PUMA"
HELICOPTERS WILL BE SIGNED TODAY
The contract with the French company "Eurocopter" for the
purchase of four search and rescue "Super Puma" helicopters will
be signed this evening by Greek minister of defense Akis
Tsochatzopoulos, the ministry's general director on armaments
Giorgos Koliris and company representative Werner Weis.
The first two helicopters will be delivered to the Greek
forces in 21 months and the rest two in 24 months after the
contract activation date.
The four new "Super Puma" helicopters will be added to four
more that belong to the Greek Coast Guard. They are among the best
search and rescue helicopters and can participate in rescue
operations day and night under adverse weather conditions.
[13] REPPAS: THE EVENTS IN TURKEY DO NOT CHARACTERIZE A EUROPEAN
COUNTRY
The tragic events in Turkey have no relation with a European
country and can not characterize it, stated Greek government
spokesman Dimitris Reppas today when he was called by reporters to
comment on the developments in the neighboring country.
Specifically, the Greek government spokesman mentioned that
Greece and other countries had pointed out in the past that human
rights are being violated in Turkey. Characteristically, he
mentioned that anyone who is jailed as a political prisoner in
Turkey is at risk to lose his life. The Greek government spokesman
wondered how could Turkey sit at the same table with Greece and
the rest EU countries.
He concluded by saying that Turkey must deal with its
problems in a positive and successful way in order to be able to
become an EU member.
[14] THE GREEK AIRPORTS ARE SAFE
Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas attributed the
travel warning issued by the American Civil Aviation Agency,
concerning the safety of the Greek airports, to the transitional
political period in which the United States are as a result of the
change in their administration.
The government spokesman reiterated that the Athens Airport
and the rest Greek airports are safe and added that the civil
aviation has taken all measures necessary for safe conditions,
stressing that there is no danger whatsoever.
Responding to a relevant question, he stated that this travel
warning is not associated with the issue of terrorism and added
that US ambassador to Athens Nicholas Burns did not raise the
issue of terrorism or associate relevant issues with the 2004
Olympic Games in Greece in the meeting he had with undersecretary
of foreign affairs Grigoris Niotis.
[15] SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN THE GREEK EXPORTS IN THE FIRST HALF
OF 2000
A significant increase of 36% was recorded in the Greek
exports in the first half of 2000 compared to the same period in
1999, according to Association of Exporters in Northern Greece
president Mr. Thomas Fokion Algianakoglou.
Specifically, in the period January-June 2000, the Greek
exports were 5.87 billion Euro, while according to the
association's estimates, exports in the year 2000 are expected to
reach 11 billion Euro.
The rise of the Greek exports to the Balkan states was also
impressive according to figures provided by Eurostat, as they
reached 1.2 billion Euro presenting an increase of 71%. The Greek
exports to the European Union showed an increase of 17%.
Association of Exporters in Northern Greece general director
Babis Filadarlis commenting on the Eurostat figures pointed out
that Greece's exports showed the biggest increase compared to the
exports of the other EU member-states which had an average
increase of 20%. Among the impressive conclusions of the specific
report is the big increase in the Greek exports to Turkey and
Japan.
[16] CONTRACT ON THE RADIO-TELEVISION COVERAGE OF THE ATHENS
OLYMPICS
The contract on the radio-television coverage of the Athens
2004 Olympic Games was signed today after the final agreement
reached between "Athens 2004" Organization and Manolo Romero's ISB
company.
The contract is estimated at 183 million Euro or about 60
billion drachmas.
[17] AGREEMENT ON THE BURGAS-ALEXANDROUPLIS PIPELINE
A tripartite agreement was reached by Greece, Russia and
Bulgaria for the acceleration of the procedures concerning the
establishment of a company that will undertake to construct and
manage the Burgas-Alexandroupolis oil pipeline.
In a series of meetings held in the ministry of development
in Athens, the representatives of the three countries decided to
continue the procedures for the establishment of the Transbalkan
Pipeline Co. This solution will be ratified by the three countries
at a higher government level as well when an agreement will be
signed determining the rights and the obligations of the parties
involved.
Development minister Nikos Christodoulakis appeared very
satisfied with the progress made on the issue and speaking to his
counterparts stated that the oil pipeline is the best possible
option for the transport of oil from the Caspian Sea to the West.
According to the studies already made, the oil pipeline will
be 285 km long and in order to be viable it has to carry at least
15 million tons of oil on an annual basis.
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[18] SWEDEN TAKES REIGN AS EUROPEAN UNION PRESIDENT
Enlargement, employment and environmental concerns will be
the three issues to top the agenda of Sweden's term as president
of the European Union, which will commence on January 1, 2001.
Sweden, which is succeeding France in the EU's rotating, six-
month presidency, has announced that the first EU special summit
will be held on March 23-24 in Stockholm, while the EU summit at
the closing of the Swedish presidency will be held in June 15-16
in Goteborg.
Regarding the EU's enlargement, Sweden believes that the
opportunity exists for achieving significant progress after the
Nice Summit agreements.
On joblessness, the Swedish presidency is to focus on
strategies to increase employment through economic reforms,
educational programs and social welfare.
As for environmental policies, Sweden is expected to promote
EU cooperation regulated by environmental considerations.
Sweden is also to grant special attention to EU's relations
with Russia and it will work toward the further development of its
crisis management capability.
[19] BULGARIA: OTE VICTORY IN THE MOBILE PHONE SECTOR
The Bulgarian cabinet declared the Greek Telecommunications
Organization, OTE, as the winner of the bid for the second mobile
phone provider license in Bulgaria which will have a 15year
duration.
As it was made known, OTE won the bid last Sunday with an
offer of US$135 million, while "Telecom Italia Mobile" offered
US$130 million and the rest candidates namely, the British
"Votafon" and the Turkish-Finn joint venture "Fintur" withdrew at
US$75 million and US$120 million respectively.
OTE's strategy and investments department director Vasilios
Fetsis stressed in an interview with the Sofia newspaper "Monitor"
that by the end of 2002 Bulgaria will be covered by OTE's network.
He also pointed out that the first thing that will be felt by the
Bulgarian subscribers will be the big improvement in quality.
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