Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 2001-02-08
MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Thessaloniki, February 8, 2001
SECTIONS
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
TITLES
[01] BULGARIAN FM MIKHAILOVA IN ATHENS TODAY
[02] CIA CHIEF: GREECE STILL HAS A LONG WAY TO GO
[03] GREEK DIPLOMAT DISMISSES DOOMSAYERS OVER 2004
[04] MORE GREEK WRITERS TO BE PRESENTED AT HARVARD
[05] BALKAN CONFERENCE TO BE HELD AT HARVARD
[06] COMMISSION REPORT: GREECE SHOWS HIGHS & LOWS
[07] ALBANIAN NATIONAL GETS LIFE FOR KIDNAPPING
[08] GREEK PM IN BOMBAY, SPEAKS ON BILATERAL TIES
[09] THE GREEK FOREIGN MINISTRY DOES NOT INTERVENE IN THE ELECTION
OF THE PATRIARCH OF JERUSALEM
[10] THE GREEK FOREIGN MINISTRY WORKS ON A TEXT ON SOUTHERN SERBIA
[11] GAINS WERE RECORDED IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE
[12] NO COMMENT BY THE GREEK FOREIGN MINISTRY ON THE ALLEGATIONS
MADE BY US OFFICIALS ON TERRORISM
[13] BEGLITIS DENIED PRESS REPORTS ON A PR AGENCY THAT HAS
UNDERTAKEN TO HANDLE THE GREEK-US RELATIONS
[14] GOLDEN COINS FROM THE BYZANTINE ERA WERE FOUND IN
THESSALONIKI
[15] GREEK AND TURKISH FILM CRITICS WILL MEET IN ALEXANDROUPOLIS
[16] NEW STRONG RESPONSE BY THE ACTING GREEK GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN
ON THE PRESS REPORTS ON TERRORISM
[17] PAPANDREOU: THE PRESS REPORTS ON SECURITY IN GREECE ARE
EXAGGERATIONS
[18] THE CEDEFOP COUNTRIES CONFERENCE IN THESSALONIKI
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[19] TSOCHATZOPOULOS IS ON A VISIT TO KOSOVO
[20] THE GREEK DELEGATION IS SATISFIED WITH ITS VISIT TO KOSOVO
NEWS IN DETAIL
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] BULGARIAN FM MIKHAILOVA IN ATHENS TODAY
Bulgarian Foreign Minister Nadezhda Mikhailova is embarking
on an official two-day visit to Athens today, following the
invitation of her Greek counterpart George Papandreou.
Ms. Mikhailova, who is making her first official visit to
Athens, and Mr. Papandreou will discuss bilateral political and
economic relations, the situation in Yugoslavia and the Balkans in
general and the course of Bulgaria's accession to NATO and the
European Union. The two FMs will also review the means of
expediting the materialization process of joint projects between
the two countries, including the operation of three new border
stations.
The Bulgarian FM is scheduled to meet with the President of
the Hellenic Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos, President of the
Hellenic Parliament Apostolos Kaklamanis, Athens Mayor Dimitris
Avramopoulos and the leader of the main opposition party of New
Democracy Costas Karamanlis.
Upon her arrival in Athens, Ms. Mikhailova will hold private
talks with Mr. Papandreou, while expanded talks will follow
between the two countries' delegations.
In the afternoon, she will be visiting the presidential
mansion for a courtesy call on the President. This evening the
Bulgarian FM will be attending a dinner given in her honor by Mr.
Papandreou and tomorrow morning she will be having consecutive
meetings with Messrs. Kaklamanis, Karamanlis and Avramopoulos.
Bilateral trade and economic cooperation between the two
countries was very productive in 2000 at a time when Greece,
according to initial assessments, is in either first or second
place regarding investments in Bulgaria.
[02] CIA CHIEF: GREECE STILL HAS A LONG WAY TO GO
Greece still has long way to go in effectively addressing the
issue of terrorism, the director of U.S. Central Intelligence
(CIA) George Tenet said in an address before the Senate's
Intelligence Committee.
In response to a question tabled by the committee's chairman
Richard Shelby (R), who had asked if U.S. athletes and tourists
would be safe if the Athens Olympics were to be held today, Mr.
Tenet stated that what he can say openly before the committee's
public hearing is that he was "very clear" during his talks with
Greek officials "on the need to deal with the threat of terrorism
much more seriously than they have in the past".
Moreover, the CIA chief stated that the Games in themselves
are a very vulnerable event, while also stressing that Greece has
to demonstrate that it can not only resolve dormant cases, but
also that it can create the conditions which would ensure security
for all the athletes, including Americans, when they arrive in
Greece.
[03] GREEK DIPLOMAT DISMISSES DOOMSAYERS OVER 2004
Following the publication of a particularly scathing
commentary where a former State Department and Pentagon official
blasts Greece's security measures and warns of an imminent
calamity, a Greek embassy official responded that the article was
written "in bad faith" and outlined the measures taken by Greece
to ensure a safe and successful Games.
In an article published in the Los Angeles Times, the same
daily that ran Wayne Merry's commentary, the director of the Press
Office of the Greek embassy in Washington Achilleas Paparsenos,
said that "despite the doomsayers, we are confident that in 2004
(the year in which the Olympic Games will be held in Greece)
millions of visitors to Greece and billions watching on television
will enjoy a unique celebration of sport and culture linking the
ancient with the modern, a return of the Olympic movement to its
roots.
"In bad faith, they portray Greece, one of the safest
countries in Europe, a member of the European Union, NATO and a
reliable U.S. partner, as a terrorist-afflicted third world
country and, three years in advance, they write off the Athens
Games as an Olympic tragedy in waiting, even suggesting that they
be moved to another venue," he wrote.
He also stressed that the security of athletes, dignitaries
and spectators is an issue of top priority for 2004 and the Greek
authorities will leave nothing to chance.
"A comprehensive plan for the 2004 Olympic Games, approved by
the IOC, delegates responsibility for security to a special
Olympic Games security department. This will deploy 50,000 police,
army, coast guard and commando units, all equipped with the latest
technology, and 1,000 video cameras will keep constant watch from
key locations," Mr. Paparsenos stressed.
[04] MORE GREEK WRITERS TO BE PRESENTED AT HARVARD
Three Greek writers are to be presented at Harvard University
tomorrow, in an event jointly organized by the Greek Consulate's
Press and Communication Office in Boston, the New York branch of
the Greek Culture Foundation and Harvard University's Kokkalis
Program.
The writers, Ioanna Karystiani, Ersi Sotiropoulou and
Christos Chomenidis, are to appear at the Bell Hall of Harvard
University's J. F. Kennedy School of Government. Excerpts from
their work will be read in English and Greek by the writers
themselves and by translator David Connoly.
The Greek Consulate also organized another event in Boston on
February 5 in cooperation with the Harvard University's Seferis
Faculty. Translator Jane Assimakopoulos read excerpts from
Thanassis Valtinos' book "Data from the Decade of the Sixties",
recently published by the Northwestern University Press.
[05] BALKAN CONFERENCE TO BE HELD AT HARVARD
A scientific conference on the Balkans, is to be held at
Harvard's Center of European Studies on February 9-10, organized
by the Kokkalis Program for Southeastern and Central-eastern
Europe.
The aim of the conference, which is held for the third
consecutive year, is to bring together new researchers dealing in
the field of social and political sciences in the Balkans. The
conference will deal with issues related to economic
reconstruction, public administration and democratization, the
society of citizens and human rights, mass media and democracy,
traditional and new matters concerning security, criminality and
corruption.
The selection of the 22 participants was conducted following
an international competition that drew more than 200 applications.
[06] COMMISSION REPORT: GREECE SHOWS HIGHS & LOWS
While Greece drastically improved its performance in many
sectors of the economy, it still lags far behind its 14 European
Union allies in other key areas, according to a European
Commission report containing an account of all the economic and
social performances of EU member-states and of future targets,
which is to be discussed at the special annual spring summit on
the European social agenda to be held in Stockholm in March.
According to the economic and social indicators included in
the report, Greece holds the following positions among the 15
member-states:
Sixth place in economic development rates, 14th in the
relation between energy consumption and production, last in labor
productivity, ninth in inflation, fourth in the annual rates of
increase in labor costs, 11th in the public deficit sector, 13th
in the public debt sector, last in employment increase rates,
seventh in the employment of elderly people (55-64), 14th in
unemployment, last in expenditures for education, last in access
to the Internet, 11th in high-risk capital investments, 7th in
business investments' increase rates, 11th in the cost of
telecommunications at home, seventh in the cost of
telecommunications abroad and 14th in the effectiveness of social
benefits for combating poverty.
[07] ALBANIAN NATIONAL GETS LIFE FOR KIDNAPPING
An Albanian national has been sentenced to life imprisonment
and an amalgamated 19-year term, for kidnapping a 21-year-old
Greek in September of 1996.
The Thessaloniki Five Member Court of Appeals convicted
Dolores (aka Alexander) Mucio for his participation in the
kidnapping of Diamantis Tsabazis, and demanding 150 million
drachmas in ransom.
The appellate court also upheld the lower court's verdict for
Mucio's accomplice Ilias Piros, who had been sentenced to 12
years imprisonment. Piros, who participated as the kidnap
vehicle's driver and also carried the suitcase containing the
ransom, was tried in absentia as he had been released on parole. A
warrant for his arrest has now been issued, while police are still
seeking the ring's other members, identified as Dolores' brother
Klenti (aka Antonis) Mucio, Christos (aka Vasilis) Gusios and
another Albanian national named Glenti.
According to court records, Dolores Mucio made an appointment
with the victim under the false pretense of selling his car.
Ambushed by Dolores' accomplices, the victim was kidnapped and
driven into Albania. Eighteen days later, and after his father
paid the ransom, the kidnappers released Diamantis at the island
of Corfu.
Police nabbed Mucio when the marked ransom money was found in
his possession.
[08] GREEK PM IN BOMBAY, SPEAKS ON BILATERAL TIES
There are vast opportunities for growth in Greek-Indian
relations in the economic, business and defense sectors, according
to Prime Minister Costas Simitis who is presently on an official
visit to India heading a large delegation of government officials
and entrepreneurs.
Characterizing Greece as a stability factor in southeastern
Europe and the Middle East, Mr. Simitis stated that a number of
bilateral cooperation agreements have been signed between Greece
and India
Addressing a forum of Greek and Indian entrepreneurs this
morning in Bombay, the third stop of his itinerary in India, Mr.
Simitis outlined Greece's economic status and underlined that
"Greece is moving towards economic prosperity, social cohesion and
societal justice. Greece has a free market economy, whose main
partners are its allies in the European Union."
Moreover, the Premier stated that Greece's political and
economic stability place the country at the top of the list in the
investments sector. Over the past five years, he said, Greece was
developing at a higher rate than the European Union average, while
inflation was just at 3 percent and the current state budget had a
surplus.
"The Greek economy," he added, "is expected to develop at
even higher rates of approximately 5 percent."
Moreover, he stressed that "the number one priority for
Greece is the sector of structural reforms", i.e. improving
competitiveness through a market liberalization program.
Referring to relations between Greece and India, the Greek
Premier expressed the hope that his visit will serve as a
catalyst for further deepening and expansion of our bilateral
relations.
"Our trade exchanges can be expanded through direct
investments and joint enterprises," he stated, adding that the two
countries already enjoy a restoration of cooperation in the energy
sector.
[09] THE GREEK FOREIGN MINISTRY DOES NOT INTERVENE IN THE ELECTION
OF THE PATRIARCH OF JERUSALEM
Greek foreign ministry spokesman Panos Beglitis categorically
denied that the Greek foreign ministry intervenes in the process
for the election of the new Patriarch of Jerusalem.
He said that the policy followed is a policy of principles
and it is based on the respect of the Patriarchate's self-
administration, adding that its role must be safeguarded by the
one who will be elected.
[10] THE GREEK FOREIGN MINISTRY WORKS ON A TEXT ON SOUTHERN SERBIA
The responsible agencies of the Greek foreign ministry are
working on a text with economic and political proposals for the
reconstruction and development of southern Serbia that will be
discussed in the General Affairs Council meeting that will be held
on February 26. The text is being prepared at the orders of
foreign minister Giorgos Papandreou.
Those proposals will also be brought for discussion in the
Inter-governmental Conference Summit Meeting on February 22-23 by
Greek prime minister Kostas Simitis.
[11] GAINS WERE RECORDED IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE
Gains were recorded in the Athens Stock Exchange today. The
general index was up by 0.88% at 3.157,52 points, while the volume
of transactions was small at 91.7 million Euro or 31.23 billion
drachmas.
Of the stocks trading today, 293 recorded gains and just 43
had losses, while the value of 33 stocks remained unchanged.
[12] NO COMMENT BY THE GREEK FOREIGN MINISTRY ON THE ALLEGATIONS
MADE BY US OFFICIALS ON TERRORISM
Greek foreign ministry spokesman Panos Beglitis avoided to
make any comments on the statements made by US officials
concerning terrorism in Greece and referred to the statements made
yesterday by acting government spokesman Tilemachos Hitiris.
However, he pointed out that the formal statements made by
the US government recognize the efforts made by the Greek
government against terrorism.
[13] BEGLITIS DENIED PRESS REPORTS ON A PR AGENCY THAT HAS
UNDERTAKEN TO HANDLE THE GREEK-US RELATIONS
Greek foreign ministry spokesman Panos Beglitis denied the
press reports according to which, the foreign ministry allegedly
will appoint an American public relations agency to handle the
Greek-US relations, stressing that foreign minister Giorgos
Papandreou has not considered such an issue.
However, he admitted that it is common practice for different
states around the world to appoint public relations agencies to
undertake the promotion of their positions and therefore, such a
plan would not have been blameful. He reiterated that Greece's
relations with the new US administration are at a very good level
and in the near future there will be contacts with its American
officials.
[14] GOLDEN COINS FROM THE BYZANTINE ERA WERE FOUND IN
THESSALONIKI
A treasure made up of 14 golden coins dated back to the
Byzantine Era (1005-1050 AD) was unearthed during construction
works made at the foundations of a building in the city of
Thessaloniki.
The treasure will be presented tomorrow and according
statements made to MPA by a Byzantine Antiquities Department
official, it was discovered on October 14, 2000.
Meanwhile, the excavations made in the region of Ladi in
Didimoticho, northeastern Greece, unearthed a nursing bottle, a
bronze spoon and a vessel used by a small child of a royal family.
The objects were found in a child's tomb dated back to the Roman
Era and a small horse was buried next to it.
[15] GREEK AND TURKISH FILM CRITICS WILL MEET IN ALEXANDROUPOLIS
Greek and Turkish film critics will meet in Alexandroupolis
on March 3-5 to exchange views on the art of making films and lay
the foundations for future cooperation on culture issues.
The meeting is organized by Alexandroupolis Film Club in
cooperation with the Greek Association of Film Critics with the
participation of the Turkish Association of Film Critics as well
as film directors.
[16] NEW STRONG RESPONSE BY THE ACTING GREEK GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN
ON THE PRESS REPORTS ON TERRORISM
Acting Greek government spokesman Tilemachos Hitiris gave a
strong response to Wayne Merry, former US State Department and
Pentagon official, who wrote an article published on "The Weekly
Standard" magazine in which he characterizes Athens as the city
where terror reins.
Mr. Hitiris characterized Merry as "ridiculous, provocateur,
acting in bad faith, untrustworthy and paranoid".
Responding to the question if Mr. Merry's motives have been
examined by the Greek government, Mr. Hitiris responded that he is
a paranoid. To another question on whether the Greek government
will ask for information by the CIA on the occasion of the
statements made by Mr. Merry in an interview yesterday with the
Athens television station "ALTER" in which he insinuated that he
gets his information from the FBI and the CIA, Mr. Hitiris stated
that he is unreliable and added that his allegations are
ridiculous.
Regarding the statements made by CIA Chief George Tennet, who
calls on the Greek authorities to intensify their efforts against
terrorism, Mr. Hitiris stated that the Greek government not only
speaks about an effort but it materializes it as well. He also
underlined that the Olympic Games preparations are the right ones
and expressed the government's satisfaction.
To the question when the Greek government will have a contact
with the new US government, Mr. Hitiris stated that the timetable
is not set by the Greek side and that there will be contacts
between the two governments. He also denied that the Greek
government has appointed a public relations agency in a move aimed
at seeking contacts with the US government.
He concluded by saying that the relations of the Greek
government with the new US government are stable and good and
there is no reason for concern regarding the stability of those
relations.
[17] PAPANDREOU: THE PRESS REPORTS ON SECURITY IN GREECE ARE
EXAGGERATIONS
Greek foreign minister Giorgos Papandreou stated that the
press reports that refer to the issue of security in Greece in
view of the 2004 Olympic Games are exaggerations.
Mr. Papandreou stated that Greece makes coordinated efforts
that are being recognized by the whole world and the US
government, adding that those efforts are coordinated and
essential to tackle terrorism as a phenomenon that is not a Greek
but an international one.
He said that the exaggerations that are being heard from time
to time coming from foreign journalists are being condemned and in
essence they have blown out of proportion an existing problem
which Greece is trying to solve.
[18] THE CEDEFOP COUNTRIES CONFERENCE IN THESSALONIKI
The annual conference of the representatives of countries
participating in the CEDEFOP Study Visits Program will take place
in Thessaloniki on February 10-14. The countries are the 15
European Union member states, the 12 candidate for accession
countries as well as, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein.
The goal of the meeting is to review the operation of the
program in 2000 and at the same time, plan its future course.
CEDEFOP director Johan van Rens and State Museum of Modern Art
director Miltiadis Papanikolaou will formally open the conference
that will take place on the grounds of the museum on February 10.
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[19] TSOCHATZOPOULOS IS ON A VISIT TO KOSOVO
Greek defense minister Akis Tsochatzopoulos, addressing the
members of the Greek military force at Rigas Fereos Army Camp near
Urosevac in Kosovo, stated that the path followed is the right one
for the consolidation of peace, security and stability in Kosovo
and in the Balkans in general.
He congratulated the Greek force for its work and referred to
the issue that was created concerning the depleted uranium bombs,
saying that there was great concern on the likely effects this
material could have on people's lives and stressed that the
outcome of the scientific investigation conducted by the Greek
Atomic Energy Committee in Kosovo was not alarming. He also said
that the results of the scientific investigation by the UN
international health organization will be out in March.
Mr. Tsochatzopoulos heads a large delegation made up of 25
parliament deputies, 18 from the socialist governing party of
PASOK, 6 from the right-wing main opposition party of New
Democracy and one from the party Coalition of the Left. Also
present is Irini Lambrakis, in charge of the Stability Pact office
in Thessaloniki.
Before the visit to Rigas Fereos Army Camp the mission
visited the Greek army company which has undertaken the FYROM-
Kosovo border control. The defense minister and the parliament
deputies will also visit the headquarters of the Greek brigade at
the Alexander the Great Army Camp in Kosovo Polje.
[20] THE GREEK DELEGATION IS SATISFIED WITH ITS VISIT TO KOSOVO
Minister of defense Akis Tsochatzopoulos and parliament
deputies Moschos Gikonoglou from the governing socialist party of
PASOK, Achilleas Karamanlis from the right-wing main opposition
party of New Democracy and Maria Damanakis from the party
Coalition of the Left referred to the usefulness of the presence
of the Greek force in Kosovo in a joint press conference they gave
after their visits to the army camps of "Rigas Fereos" and
"Alexander the Great" in Kosovo.
All of them shared the view that the presence of the Greek
military force and the International Peacekeeping Force in general
will continue for many years to come for as long as there will be
no signs for a solution in Kosovo. The minister of defense stated
that the normalization pace is slow and blamed the European Union
and the international organizations for the fact that the
materialization of the Stability Pact program for the
reconstruction and the economic development of Kosovo does not
move in a satisfactory pace.
On the cost of the Greek military force in Kosovo, Mr.
Tsochatzopoulos stated that the 2001 state budget provides that
the force will be funded with 21 billion drachmas. On the issue of
former Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevic, the Greek minister
of defense stated that the International Court of Justice in The
Hague must keep pace with the Yugoslav Law.
Greek military force commander brigadier Christos Vafiadis
gave a special emphasis on the significant change of atmosphere
among the Greek soldiers. Specifically, of the 142 soldiers, who
had requested to return to Greece as a result of the depleted
uranium scare, 48 thought it over and recalled their application.
Already, 31 soldiers have arrived in Kosovo from Greece, while 162
are being trained in Thessaloniki and soon they will join the
Greek forces in Kosovo. He also said that there are soldiers, who
even though they had returned to Greece, now they want to be sent
back to Kosovo.
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