Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 2001-02-07
MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Thessaloniki, February 7, 2001
SECTIONS
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
TITLES
[01] SVVE TO SIGN COOPERATION PROTOCOL IN AMMAN
[02] GREECE IS PLEASED WITH LOCKERBIE CASE OUTCOME
[03] GREEK NAVY ACQUIRES U214 SUBMARINES FROM HDW
[04] GREECE ONE OF WORLD'S SAFEST COUNTRIES FOR KIDS
[05] MERRY VENTS HIS SPLEEN, PROPHESIZES 2004 DISASTER
[06] GREECE: MERRY'S ARTICLE IS JUST "CONTEMPTIBLE"
[07] POLICE CONFISCATE 3,500 TONS OF FROZEN PRODUCE
[08] THE GREEK DEFENSE MINISTER WILL BE IN KOSOVO TOMORROW
ACCOMPANIED BY 25 PARLIAMENT DEPUTIES
[09] THE 4TH EXHIBITION OF GREEK BUSINESSES WILL BE INAUGURATED IN
FYROM ON FEBRUARY 22
[10] YUGOSLAV BUSINESS MISSION IN ATHENS
[11] THE 2ND TECHNICAL MEETING OF THE EUROPEAN COASTAL REGIONS
CONFERENCE
[12] LOSSES IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE
[13] "LOST" GREEK BANK ACCOUNTS IN SWISS BANKS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[14] THE ATHLETES IN THE 2004 OLYMPIC GAMES WILL ADMIRE THE GREEK
HISTORY
[15] SECOND ARTICLE BY WAYNE MERRY ON TERRORISM IN GREECE
NEWS IN DETAIL
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] SVVE TO SIGN COOPERATION PROTOCOL IN AMMAN
The president of the Association of Northern Greek
Industrialists (SVVE) Vassilis Takas is departing for Amman,
Jordan, today, where he will sign a cooperation protocol with the
city's Chamber of Industry.
Mr. Takas is to be accompanied by a delegation of
representatives of local industries and the Thessaloniki Stock
Exchange Center.
[02] GREECE IS PLEASED WITH LOCKERBIE CASE OUTCOME
An announcement issued by the Foreign Ministry expresses
Greece's satisfaction over the verdict of the Scottish court in
the Lockerbie case, stating that the outcome "grants justice, in
accordance to the principles of the International Court and
international justice".
Moreover, the announcement stated that the court's ruling
constitutes an important step in Libya's course of re-entering the
international system, adding that it is necessary for all sides to
work constructively and in good faith for the comletely smooth
normalisation of relations in the immediate future between Libya
and the rest of the world.
Lastly, the foreign ministry's announcement noted that the
Greek government believes that through this decision new prospects
are opening for the further development of bilateral relations
with Libya on all levels while the two countries' efforts for
establishing peace and security in the Mediterranean region are
strengthened.
[03] GREEK NAVY ACQUIRES U214 SUBMARINES FROM HDW
The Greek Navy is to acquire three U-214 submarines,
considered to be state-of-the-art on an international scale, from
Germany's firm HDW which is headquartered in Kiel.
The said submarines, two of which will be built at Greece's
Skaramanga shipyard are to be equipped with a 75-million-euro
navigational system, electrical generators, a new type of solid
fuel and digital navigational system by industrial giant Siemens.
According to industry reports, these vessels will feature the most
modern technology available on an international scale for non-
nuclear submarines.
Deliveries of the three subs are expected in 2010, with
construction of the first vessel expected to begin at the end of
the month in Germany where Greek Defense Minister Akis
Tsohatzopoulos may attend the ceremony of the construction
commencement in Kiel.
[04] GREECE ONE OF WORLD'S SAFEST COUNTRIES FOR KIDS
Greece ranks among the industrialized world's safest
countries for children, according to a report released by the
United Nation's Children's Fund (UNICEF).
Examining annual statistics from the 26 richest nations in
the world, the report found that Sweden had the lowest child death
rates with 2.5 per 100,000 children, followed in descending order
by Britain, Italy, the Netherlands and Greece, the last of which
has a rate of 4.7 per 100,000 children.
Ranking at the bottom of the list, South Korea has a rate
four times worse than the safest countries with 25.6 deaths
annually for every 100,000 children. Mexico has 19.8 deaths and
Portugal has 17.8, while the United States have the fourth-worst
record, at 14.1.
Notably, one of the main reasons the US have such a high
child-death rate is the minors' easy access to firearms, while the
UNICEF report found that one out of every six children die in gun-
related episodes.
The report, excerpts of which were broadcast by the BBC, also
found that the leading cause of death among children is transport
accidents, followed by drowning and attacks, while boys are 70
percent more likely than girls to die from preventable injuries.
Lastly, the report also notes that children's death rates
have been reduced by half during the past 30 years, and advises
parents against being overprotective since this may hamper a
child's ability to deal with danger properly.
[05] MERRY VENTS HIS SPLEEN, PROPHESIZES 2004 DISASTER
Prophesizing that a bloody disaster is looming over the 2004
Olympic Games in Athens, a former State Department and Pentagon
official blasts Greece's security measures and warns of an
imminent calamity bound to be worse than the Munich-held Games of
1972.
Unleashing his venom against Greece in an op-ed commentary in
the "Los Angeles Times", Wayne Merry writes in nail-biting prose
that "the clock is ticking toward potential bloody disaster at the
Athens Games in 2004, the worst since the massacre of Israeli
athletes at the Munich Games in 1972."
Mr. Merry, who has served at the US embassy in Athens, also
characterizes the Greek capital as a city worse than Bogota and
Beirut, at least on security-related matters, and accuses the
Greek police of turning a blind eye to the notorious terrorist
group 17 November (17N).
Furthermore, the former diplomat does not hesitate to allude
that there has been and may still be an affiliation between 17N
and the ruling socialist PASOK party.
"It is no secret that the ruling PASOK party had active
terrorist links in the past. Whether direct ties still exist, the
government treats 17 November with benign neglect amounting to
appeasement," according to Mr. Merry.
Impelling the International Olympics Committee (IOC) to take
action, Mr. Merry unabashedly advises its members to "give the
Greek government until the end of 2001 to wipe out 17 November.
If, on Dec. 31, these conditions have not been satisfied, the
Games should be moved."
And, lest the IOC forget, "Los Angeles and Seoul are two
viable alternatives", he adds.
[06] GREECE: MERRY'S ARTICLE IS JUST "CONTEMPTIBLE"
Simply "contemptible", is how Greece termed the commentary
written for the "Los Angeles Times" by former State Department and
Pentagon official Wayne Merry who warns of an impending disaster
at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens.
"Mr. Merry keeps repeating the same things over and over;
it's as if he's single-handedly undertaken the task of slinging
mud against Greece, implicating everyone in his tales, the Greek
society en masse, the Press, (the ruling party) PASOK...",
Undersecretary of Press and acting government spokesperson
Telemachus Hytiris said.
"The (L.A. Times) article is contemptible and I don't really
know what Mr. Merry's role is.
"I would say that it would be far simpler for him, in any
role he wishes to assume, if he were to inquire with his own
government, which cooperates with the Greek state on terrorism-
related matters, and obviously knows of the existing impediments
and the accomplishments to date," he added.
Furthermore, Mr. Hytiris stressed that the Greek government
is firm on its counter-terrorism resolutions and plans to revise
existing legislation and safeguard security at the Olympic Games.
Countering Mr. Merry's claims, Mr. Hytiris noted that Greece
is collaborating with a number of advisers and foreign experts
whose involvement in planning and implementing security measures
at earlier Olympics has been internationally recognized; moreover,
he added, Greek officials are attending the winter Olympics in the
United States in order to acquire first-hand knowledge.
Noting that Greece is experienced in organizing sports games,
Mr. Hytiris said that "we haven't had events such as the ones that
occurred in Atlanta or Munich."
"Everything is planned for and the state is not leaving
anything to chance," he stressed, adding that "Greece is not
waiting for Mr. Merry, or anyone else for that matter, in order to
care for the security of the Games.
"Any talk of removing the (2004) Olympics from Greece is
ludicrous and Mr. Merry is not the one to determine if the
Olympics will be held in Athens of Los Angeles, as he suggests.
The Games will definitely be held in Athens and will be the most
secure ever."
[07] POLICE CONFISCATE 3,500 TONS OF FROZEN PRODUCE
Police have confiscated 3,500 tons of frozen produce which
were imported to Greece from southeastern European countries - New
Yugoslavia as well- and were in turn sold as local.
According to the Thessaloniki prosecutor's office, the
confiscated produce, frozen packages of string beans and peas,
was discovered by chance during a routine inspection for depleted
uranium contamination of agricultural products. Even though the
frozen produce was imported from Serbia, Hungary, Bulgaria and
Turkey, it bore tags fraudulently claiming their country of origin
as "Greece".
[08] THE GREEK DEFENSE MINISTER WILL BE IN KOSOVO TOMORROW
ACCOMPANIED BY 25 PARLIAMENT DEPUTIES
Greek minister of defense Akis Tsochatzopoulos will be in
Kosovo tomorrow heading a large parliament delegation. The
minister will be accompanied by 25 parliament deputies, 18 from
the governing socialist party of PASOK, 6 from the right-wing main
opposition party of New Democracy and one from the party Coalition
of the Left.
Mr. Tsochatzopoulos and the members of the delegation will
visit the headquarters of the 34th brigade at the "Alexander the
Great" military camp in Kosovo Polje and at "Rigas Fereos" Camp
near Urosevac where they will be briefed on the existing
situation, meet with the soldiers and give a press conference.
[09] THE 4TH EXHIBITION OF GREEK BUSINESSES WILL BE INAUGURATED IN
FYROM ON FEBRUARY 22
The 4th Exhibition of Greek Businesses, that will take place
at the Skopje Exhibition Center in FYROM on February 22 organized
by Thessaloniki's International Trade Fair Ltd, is expected to be
an opportunity for business deals between businessmen from Greece
and FYROM.
It should be reminded that the products of about 100 Greek
businesses were presented in last year's exhibition, while the
participation of exhibitors was increased by 65% compared to the
1999 exhibition.
[10] YUGOSLAV BUSINESS MISSION IN ATHENS
A delegation of the Yugoslav Commerce and Economic Chamber
made up of the presidents of the regional chambers of Novisad,
Subotica, Kragugevac and Nis as well as 50 executives representing
33 Yugoslav companies and banks will be in Athens today.
The talks that will be held in Athens will focus on the
prospects of cooperation in the sectors of agriculture, food
industry, chemical industry, paper industry, textiles, ship
building etc.
It should be noted that the volume of the trade transactions
between Yugoslavia and Greece reached US$207 million last year.
The Yugoslav exports to Greece were US$75 million, while the Greek
exports to Yugoslavia were US$132 million.
[11] THE 2ND TECHNICAL MEETING OF THE EUROPEAN COASTAL REGIONS
CONFERENCE
The second technical meeting of the European Coastal Regions
Conference (CRPM) aimed at forming a Balkan Cooperation Committee
will be held in Thessaloniki on Friday at the initiative of
eastern Macedonia-Thrace region general secretary Aris Papadopulos
and CRPM director Philippe Cichowlaz with the support of central
Macedonia region general secretary Vasilis Valasopoulos.
The first meeting was held in the city of Komotini in
northeastern Greece on January 26 with the participation of
representatives from eastern Balkan regions and prefectures.
The final decision for the establishment of the Balkan
Cooperation Committee will be reached in the CRPM general assembly
meeting in Kavala on May 17-18 and it will be approved in the CRPM
general assembly meeting next fall. In the CRPM participate
European coastal regions with the goal to promote the interests
and cooperation of the participating countries and exchange
experiences.
[12] LOSSES IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE
Losses were recorded in the Athens Stock Exchange today. The
general index dropped by 0.77% at 3.105,74 points, while the
volume of transactions was small at 105.74 million Euro or 36.03
billion drachmas.
Of the stocks trading today, just 84 recorded gains and 239
had losses, while the value of 45 stocks remained unchanged.
[13] "LOST" GREEK BANK ACCOUNTS IN SWISS BANKS
In a milestone decision the Swiss government opens the
confidential files of the country's banks and looks for the
descendants of depositors from all over the world who had bank
accounts before the year 1945 and have given no sign of life since
then.
A list with 21.000 names is presented on the Internet in an
effort to trace their descendants who will be called to collect
the money with half a century interest. In the list of the "lost"
depositors are the names of 31 Greeks.
The list of names that was given to publicity via the
Internet two days ago on the address www.dormantaccounts.ch has
been delivered to all the European foreign ministries. A smaller
list of 580 depositors had been publicized earlier and included
the names of 4 Greeks.
The oldest Greek bank accounts in Swiss banks belonged to
Michalis Ezehil and Olga Rekanati-Ezehil from Thessaloniki, Stats
Kufer from Kavala and Matheos Kambouris, who had declared
Vietnam as his place of residence.
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[14] THE ATHLETES IN THE 2004 OLYMPIC GAMES WILL ADMIRE THE GREEK
HISTORY
The athletes in the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens will have
the opportunity to admire an interesting part of the ancient Greek
history.
According to the Finnish newspaper "Aumulehti",
archaeologists and workers in the southern Aegean island of Crete
intend to construct a replica of an ancient ship built 3.500 years
ago, planning a sea voyage just before the opening of the Athens
Olympic Games.
Historian Apostolos Kourtis, who is in charge of the project,
stated that the ship will be built using the materials and methods
that were used in antiquity.
The goal of the project will be to promote the Minoan
civilization and its achievements in ancient Greece. The ship will
be 15 meters long and will have 22 oarsmen.
[15] SECOND ARTICLE BY WAYNE MERRY ON TERRORISM IN GREECE
It appears that Wayne Merry, a former US State Department and
Pentagon official, is launching an orchestrated attack against
Greece as he continues the attacks with a second article written
by him that will be published on the February 12 issue of the "The
Weekly Standard" magazine.
Merry launches an attack against the Greek Police for its
alleged inability to trace "17 November" terrorist organization
members maintaining, without presenting any evidence, that the
problem is political and that the Greek government does not wish
to unveil the members of the terrorist organization in order to
keep hidden the old ties between the governing socialist party of
PASOK and "17 November".
He alleges that in the past 25 years there was no systematic
effort made by the Greek Police to trace "17 November", mentioning
that it is often characterized by the Greek mass media as the
urban Robin Hood. He also writes that only recently two Greek
newspapers had published full-page revelations presenting facts
discovered by the Scotland Yard team immediately after the
Saunders assassination in Athens, adding that the information was
channeled to the press by Greek police agencies. He also maintains
that eye-witnesses known only to the police are now being
threatened by the terrorists while the life of respected
journalists, who are investigating the issue, is in danger.
|
