Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 2001-04-11
MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Thessaloniki, April 11, 2001
SECTIONS
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
TITLES
[Á] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] GREEK-UK POLICE INITIATIVE GIVEN EU's "GO-AHEAD"
[02] ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH: COURTESY FOR PAPAL VISIT
[03] PM EMBARKS ON SERIAL CONTACTS WITH MINISTERS
[04] TRAFFIC POLICE TAKE MEASURES FOR EASTER EXODUS
[05] SLIGHT TREMOR AT IRAKLION, CRETE, NO DAMAGES
[06] ASE TRADING TO RUN UNTIL 4:15 PM TODAY
[07] TSOCHATZOPOULOS MET WITH HIS CANADIAN COUNTERPART
[08] THE GREEK NATIONAL FOOTBALL TEAM IS 46TH ON FIFA'S LIST
[09] DROP IN THE LUXURY CAR SALES IN THE FIRST TRIMESTER OF 2001
[10] BLACK SEA BANK: US$ 1.5 MILLION CREDIT TO BULGARIA'S COMMERCE
[11] SMALL GAINS IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE
[12] POLICE CLASHED WITH PROTESTERS AT THE CORINTH CANAL
[13] STRICT POLICE MEASURES AGAINST THE USE OF FIREWORKS IN THE
EASTER CELEBRATIONS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[14] PHILON: GREECE HAS A STABILIZING ROLE IN SE EUROPE
NEWS IN DETAIL
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] GREEK-UK POLICE INITIATIVE GIVEN EU's "GO-AHEAD"
The European Union's Political Committee has approved a
document recommending Best Practice for police forces and other
professionals dealing with terrorist shootings and bombings,
resulting from a Greek-British initiative prompted by the
terrorist assassination of British diplomat Stephen Saunders last
year.
The Best Practice document sets EU standards for police
response to terrorist shootings and bombings. The guidelines
stress the need to preserve evidence in a professional manner,
restricting access to the scene by establishing proper cordons,
full documentation, and rapid deployment of specialist expertise.
The document also stresses the need to ensure proper handling
of the international dimension through close liaison with other
countries involved, and includes suggestions for dealing with
victims and their families, and liaison with the media.
According to a British Embassy announcement, the new EU
guidelines will now be disseminated widely both within the EU and
to non-EU countries for use by police forces throughout the world.
Brig. Stephen Saunders was gunned down on June 8, 2000 by two
masked motorcyclists as he was driving alone on a central avenue
in Athens.
The elusive 17 November 17 terrorist organization claimed
responsibility for the attack.
[02] ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH: COURTESY FOR PAPAL VISIT
Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos saluted the Pope's
forthcoming visit to Athens, expressing the hope that possible
reactions from a section of the faithful will be appeased.
"The Ecumenical Patriarchate is working towards a
rapprochement between the Catholic and Orthodox Churches and is
supporting the Pope's visit-pilgrimage to Athens," Mr.
Vartholomeos stated in an interview with the state-owned NET
television channel.
"We know that he will visit Damascus, Athens and Malta,
tracing the footsteps of Apostle Paul," he stated, adding that
"Greece, which has been known for its hospitality since the
ancient era, will welcome him with courtesy and decency."
Regarding the Ecumenical Patriarchate, Mr. Vartholomeos said
that despite the noted improvement of Greek-Turkish relations, the
Turkish authorities need to resolve the pending issue of re-
opening the Theological School of Chalki.
[03] PM EMBARKS ON SERIAL CONTACTS WITH MINISTERS
Prime Minister Costas Simitis is embarking today on a series
of meetings with members of his cabinet, namely Public Order
Minister Michalis Chrysochoides, the ruling PASOK party's Central
Committee secretary Costas Skandalides, Culture Minister Evangelos
Venizelos and, in the evening, Foreign Minister George Papandreou.
Mr. Simitis will also meet with National Defense Minister
Akis Tsochatzopoulos on April 20, with whom he will discuss the
upcoming session of Government Council for Foreign and Defense
Affairs (KYSEA). The KYSEA session will review ways to secure
funds from the state's armament program in order to finance the
state's social policy.
Tomorrow, the Premier will meet with Parliament President
Apostolos Kaklamanis.
[04] TRAFFIC POLICE TAKE MEASURES FOR EASTER EXODUS
Traffic police are taking escalated measures as of today to
prepare for the mass exodus of urban dwellers flocking to the
countryside for their Easter holidays.
The measures will be in force to facilitate the flow of
traffic, while main roads will be patrolled for dangerous driving.
Officers have been instructed to be particularly vigilant against
those driving under the influence, while the usual practice of
returning confiscated car license plates to their owners for the
holidays is not expected to be followed this year.
Undaunted by forecasts for inclement weather, travelers have
already booked to capacity most of the itineraries to the islands.
At the same time, the state's Railway Organization (OSE) is
planning to use additional trains to cover increased demand.
[05] SLIGHT TREMOR AT IRAKLION, CRETE, NO DAMAGES
A slight tremor measuring 4.7 on the Richter scale shook the
southern part of Crete at 8.02 this morning, although no injuries
or damages were reported.
The earthquake's epicenter was pinpointed 50 kilometers from
Lithino Cape, at the Libyan Sea.
[06] ASE TRADING TO RUN UNTIL 4:15 PM TODAY
Trading on the Athens Stock Exchange is to run until 4:15
p.m. today, after a problem in the bourse's electronic trading
system caused a 90-minute delay in the opening session.
The general index rose 0.53 percent at 3,090.78 points, with
the volume of transactions amounting to approximately 17.5 euros
or GRD5.962 billion.
[07] TSOCHATZOPOULOS MET WITH HIS CANADIAN COUNTERPART
Greek minister of defense Akis Tsochatzopoulos met with his
Canadian counterpart Arthur Engleton in Athens today and discussed
the developments in the Balkans.
Mr. Tsochatzopoulos briefed the Canadian minister of defense
on the peace initiatives undertaken by Greece in the region and
from his part the Canadian official commented positively on
Greece's initiative to promote the removal of anti-personnel mines
as a new confidence-building-measure with Turkey.
In the meeting, they also discussed issues of bilateral
defense cooperation between Greece and Canada.
[08] THE GREEK NATIONAL FOOTBALL TEAM IS 46TH ON FIFA'S LIST
The Greek national football team dropped from the 44th place
to the 46th on FIFA's overall listing. The Greek team has 564
points as a result of the painful defeat it suffered from Germany
in the 2002 World Cup qualifiers.
There are no changes at the top of the overall listing.
Brazil is leading followed by France and Argentina. Italy is 4th
followed by Portugal and the Czech Republic.
[09] DROP IN THE LUXURY CAR SALES IN THE FIRST TRIMESTER OF 2001
A 20% drop was recorded in the luxury car sales in the first
trimester of the current year, while by the end of the year the
drop is expected to be limited to 10%.
Among the factors that are expected to contribute to the
stabilization of the luxury car market in Greece are the new
financial packages offered by the car dealerships and leasing.
The above were stated in a press conference given in
Thessaloniki today by the organizers of the B' Car & Moto
Accessories & Hi Fi Show 2001 that will take place on the grounds
of Thessaloniki's International Trade Fair on April 19-22.
It is estimated that the visitors of the exhibition will be
about 50.000, while over 100 businesses representing about 500
foreign firms will display their products at a space of 11.000
square meters.
[10] BLACK SEA BANK: US$ 1.5 MILLION CREDIT TO BULGARIA'S COMMERCE
A contract activating a US$ 1.5 million credit line was
signed by the Black Sea Bank and the Bulgarian UNIONBANK aimed at
providing pre-export financing to Bulgarian export companies.
The UNIONBANK was selected by the Black Sea Bank as a go-
between in the Bulgarian market to manage the trade financing
program in progress. Only a month ago, a similar agreement was
signed with the Bulgarian First Investment Bank.
UNIONBANK became a commercial bank in 1994 and its customers
are mainly small and medium sized businesses.
[11] SMALL GAINS IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE
Small gains were recorded in the Athens Stock Exchange today.
The general index rose to +0.43% at 3.087,04 points, while the
volume of transactions was 118.6 million Euro or 40 billion
drachmas.
Of the stocks trading today, 130 recorded gains and 187 had
losses, while the value of 57 stocks remained stable.
Today's session opened at 11.45am and ended at 4.15pm as a
result of a technical problem in the electronic transactions'
system.
[12] POLICE CLASHED WITH PROTESTERS AT THE CORINTH CANAL
Clashes were recorded at the Corinth Canal, southern Greece
at noon today between police and local residents protesting
against the privatization of the Canal and its sale to a company
of British interests.
The protesters attempted to stop traffic at the Athens-
Corinth motorway and police tried to disperse them. In the clashes
that erupted, two people were injured, while three others were
arrested.
[13] STRICT POLICE MEASURES AGAINST THE USE OF FIREWORKS IN THE
EASTER CELEBRATIONS
Police in Greece have implemented strict measures against the
use of fireworks in the Easter celebrations in order to prevent
possible injuries among the faithful, who will gather outside the
churches to celebrate the Christ's resurrection. Also, the
ministry of public order has adopted strict measures against the
use of firecrackers, flares and petards.
Three people were arrested in Pirgos, southern Greece and
police confiscated more than 300.000 firecrackers, worth over 30
million drachmas.
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[14] PHILON: GREECE HAS A STABILIZING ROLE IN SE EUROPE
Greece's ambassador to Washington Alexandros Philon speaking
in a Georgetown University event underlined Greece's stabilizing
role in southeastern Europe, stressing that its investments
reached US$ 2.5 billion. He also stressed that Athens backs the
countries in the region in their course to democracy and their
effort to participate in the western institutions.
Mr. Philon was invited to Georgetown University by the Greek
Students' Union. He also referred to the Greek-Turkish
rapprochement and the contacts between Greek and Turkish citizens,
pointing out that a better climate has been created on low policy
issues even though the continental shelf issue has not been solved
yet and the Turkish claims continue.
On the Cyprus issue, he said that the prospect of Cyprus'
accession into the EU has created a new momentum and called on the
Turkish side to abandon its intransigence allowing the Turkish
Cypriots to benefit from the EU accession.
The Greek ambassador also mentioned that Greece facilitates
the contacts between Israelis and Palestinians in Athens and ended
his speech by promoting the Athens 2004 Olympic Games
preparations, expressing the belief that the games will be
successful and safe.
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