Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 2001-05-21
MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Thessaloniki, May 21, 2001
SECTIONS
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
TITLES
[Á] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] LOCAL BUSINESSMEN LOOK TO JAPAN FOR TRADE
[02] GREEK PRESIDENT TRAVELS TO CROATIA WEDNESDAY
[03] SPORTS FAIR OPENS IN THESSALONIKI ON THURSDAY
[04] GREEK FM IN US, TO MEET WITH SECRETARY OF STATE
[05] BLACK SEA BANK, GEORGIA SIGN SMEs MEMORANDUM
[06] CULTURE MINISTER CONCLUDES VISIT TO RUSSIA
[07] MINISTER TO UNIONS: LET'S TALK ABOUT REFORMS
[08] FM STICKS TO HIS GUNS, SEES PROGRESS IN TURKEY
[09] SANTER: CYPRUS MEETS ALL EU ACCESSION CRITERIA
[10] ASSOCIATION OF GREEK-EGYPTIANS TO MEET IN JUNE
[11] GIANNAKOPOULOS: GREECE IS THE 15TH MOST POPULAR TOURIST
DESTINATION IN THE WORLD
[12] EU COMMISSIONER DIAMANTOPOULOU: THE INCREASE OF THE PENSION
AGE LIMIT SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE SOLUTION OF THE SOCIAL
SECURITY ISSUE
[13] JOURNALIST ACHILLEAS HATZOPOULOS DIED THIS MORNING
[14] THE DIALOGUE ON THE SOCIAL SECURITY SYSTEM REFORM WILL START
IN 10 DAYS
[15] GAINS IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE
[16] VENIZELOS: THE ATHENS OLYMPIC GAMES ARE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR
PUBLIC AND PRIVATE INVESTMENTS
[17] REPPAS: THE SIMITIS-CHRISTODOULOS MEETING WAS CEREMONIAL
[18] KAKLAMANIS-BARRE MEETING
[19] PRESIDENT STEPHANOPOULOS HINTED AGAINST THE TURKISH
LEADERSHIP
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[20] GEORGIA INTENT ON COMBATING CORRUPTION
[21] GREECE WILL TAKE OVER THE "EUREKA" PRESIDENCY IN EARLY JULY
NEWS IN DETAIL
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] LOCAL BUSINESSMEN LOOK TO JAPAN FOR TRADE
Representatives of northern Greek businesses are embarking on
a visit to Japan today, in an effort to boost business ties
between the two countries.
The visit, to conclude on May 27, is organized by the
Thessaloniki Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Jetro, Japan's
trade promotion group.
It falls under the Greek national economy ministry's Hermes
action plan for the two countries.
In 1999, Greek exports to Japan totaled 12.6 billion yen, up
29.7 percent from a year earlier. The value of imports from Japan
fell by 3.8 percent in 1999 to total 118 billion yen, according to
the Greek embassy in Tokyo.
[02] GREEK PRESIDENT TRAVELS TO CROATIA WEDNESDAY
The President of the Hellenic Republic Costis Stephanopoulos
is to conduct an official visit to Croatia on May 23-24, escorted
by the undersecretary of National Economy Yiannis Zafiropoulos,
responsible for international economic affairs.
Coinciding with the President's visit, the ministry is also
organizing a business mission to Croatia, whose members are to
hold meetings with Croatian entrepreneurs and state officials.
Greek exports to Croatia amount to .26 percent of the
latter's overall import volume, while Croatian exports to Greece
correspond to .13% of total imports.
[03] SPORTS FAIR OPENS IN THESSALONIKI ON THURSDAY
The second international Sports and Re-creation Equipment and
Facilities trade fair "Sportexpo" is to be held in Thessaloniki's
International Trade Center on May 24-27.
The theme of this year's Sportexpo, organized by Helexpo,
will be the Athens 2004 Olympic Games, with focus granted on
several special events not widely popular to the public, such as
triathlon, hockey, softball, baseball, canoe-kayak, pentathlon,
archery, body building, mountain biking, martial arts and
aerobics.
[04] GREEK FM IN US, TO MEET WITH SECRETARY OF STATE
Foreign Minister George Papandreou is to meet with US
Secretary of State Colin Powell in Washington today, during an
official visit to the United States.
Messrs. Powell and Papandreou will discuss Greek-US
relations, bilateral and regional matters, the promotion of
American investments in Greece, matters concerning political and
economic cooperation, and boosting cooperation between the Greek
and American police forces in the framework of the comprehensive
technical agreement between the two countries.
The Greek FM will also meet with vice-president Dick Cheney,
US President George Bush's national security advisor Condoleeza
Rice, CIA chief George Tenet, and the US representatives on the
Cyprus issue.
Moreover, Mr. Papandreou is to hold talks with several members of
the US Senate and the Senate foreign relations committee.
On Wednesday, May 23, Mr. Papandreou is to give an address at
the Woodrow Wilson international foundation and at the US Center
for Strategic Studies.
[05] BLACK SEA BANK, GEORGIA SIGN SMEs MEMORANDUM
A memorandum of cooperation for the support of small-to-
medium size enterprises and exports to Georgia was signed in
Tbilisi today, between the chairman of the Black Sea Bank Ersot
Volkan and Georgia's Minister of Economy and Industry Vano
Chkhartishvili.
The memorandum was signed within the framework of the "Black
Sea's Business Days", which was inaugurated by Georgian President
Eduard Shevardnadze.
Both sides agreed to form a task group, comprising officials
from the bank and the ministry, which will provide consulting
services for Exporting Credit and Development of the Black Sea.
The said group will also provide support to the ministry, as
well as funding for the promotion of Georgian exports.
The Black Sea Bank is presently holding its third annual
meeting of its members in Tbilisi, the first international
economic meeting to be hosted in Georgia.
According to a bank announcement, Georgia is one of the most
important countries in which the Black Sea Bank is scheduling
investments.
Greek European Union Commissioner Anna Diamantopoulou was
among the keynote speakers of "Black Sea's Business Days".
[06] CULTURE MINISTER CONCLUDES VISIT TO RUSSIA
Culture Minister Evangelos Venizelos yesterday concluded a
three-day official visit to Moscow and St. Petersburg, where he
had talks with Russian government officials, political leaders and
Patriarch Alexiy II of Moscow and All Russia.
During his visit, Mr. Venizelos also took part in several
Greek-Russian cultural events and met with representatives of the
local Greek communities.
The Culture Minister met with Russian deputy Premier
Venizelos Valentina Matvienko, who has served as ambassador in
Athens, and discussed Greek-Russian relations in light of a
planned visit by Russian president Vladimir Putin to Greece in
December.
Mr. Venizelos and Ms. Matvienko also agreed on the framework
for a new Greek-Russian cultural cooperation for the period 2001-
2005, within the framework of the Cultural Olympiad organized by
Greece in conjunction with the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens.
During talks with Russian former premier Yevgeni Primakov,
Mr. Venizelos discussed the developments in the Balkans and the
Cyprus issue.
[07] MINISTER TO UNIONS: LET'S TALK ABOUT REFORMS
Labor and Social Security Minister Tassos Yiannitsis is
expected to issue invitations to trade unions for talks over the
state's contentious social security reforms, hoping to escape the
stalemate that has already led to two mass strikes.
The invitation's content is expected to be instrumental to
the outcome of tomorrow's executive commission session of the
country's largest labor union, the General Confederation of Greek
Labor (GSEE).
However, fuelled by the state's eleventh hour move to shelve
the reforms right before the first strike took place on April 26,
the unions are expected to persist that the government conform to
their proposals, i.e. that it expand its contribution to social
security and pensions.
Specifically, GSEE, supported by the Supreme Administrative
Council of Civil Servants (ADEDY), demand that the state's social
security system be funded trilaterally by employees, employers and
the state. The unions also call for the discovery of new funding
sources that would prevent potential deficits in pension funds.
The labor unions also demand that the government guarantee
the publicly funded and operated character of the social security
system, the organizational and operational restructuring of the
system and a maximum of 35 years of employment to pension.
[08] FM STICKS TO HIS GUNS, SEES PROGRESS IN TURKEY
Foreign Minister George Papandreou defended his recent
comments over progress made by Turkey in the area of living
conditions for political prisoners, rejecting criticism over his
point of view.
In an interview with the Sunday edition of the Athens daily
"Eleftherotypia", Mr. Papandreou stated that "no one can
monopolize sensitivity in the area of protecting human rights, nor
can such sensitivity be selective and linked with the reining
political situation."
The FM stressed that "our policy, in order to be effective,
must be part of a wider framework of institutional procedures and
mechanisms – which, in our case, are European – in order to have
the power to pressure for change and reforms in Turkey."
[09] SANTER: CYPRUS MEETS ALL EU ACCESSION CRITERIA
Cyprus meets all the prerequisites and criteria for accession
to the European Union the European Commission's former president
Jacques Santer stated after his meeting with the President of the
Hellenic Parliament Apostolos Kaklamanis.
Stating characteristically that "agreements have to be kept",
Mr. Santer stressed that Luxembourg supports the Cypriot
Republic's full accession to the European structures.
In regards to Greece, Mr. Santer stated that the country has
made vast progress as an EU member and referred to the common
positions espoused by Athens and Luxembourg in envisioning a
strong and united Europe.
In turn, Mr. Kaklamanis stressed that Cyprus' accession to
the EU will contribute to the resolution of the pending issue over
the island's division.
[10] ASSOCIATION OF GREEK-EGYPTIANS TO MEET IN JUNE
The Association of Greek-Egyptians is to hold its third world
congress in Athens on June 15-17, in a conference entitled "Greek-
Egyptian: Cultural Activity - Historical Presence and
Perspective".
The event is to be held under the auspices of the Patriarch
of Alexandria and All of Africa Petros, as well as Greece's
General Secretariat of Greeks Abroad and the Ministry of Culture.
[11] GIANNAKOPOULOS: GREECE IS THE 15TH MOST POPULAR TOURIST
DESTINATION IN THE WORLD
Greek general secretary of tourism Evgenios Giannakopoulos
pointed out that Greece has an opportunity to become even stronger
in the sector of tourism, pointing out that it can improve
considerably its position in the world tourist market and occupy
an even higher place than the 15th it occupies today.
Speaking in the one-day conference "Athens at the center of
international sports: An opportunity for regional cooperation and
development" organized by the Kokkalis Institute, Mr.
Giannakopoulos also stated that tourism is the strongest industry
in the world and it is estimated that international arrivals will
be doubled in the next twenty years.
[12] EU COMMISSIONER DIAMANTOPOULOU: THE INCREASE OF THE PENSION
AGE LIMIT SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE SOLUTION OF THE SOCIAL
SECURITY ISSUE
There is no "magic solution" of the social security problem,
stated Greek EU Commissioner Anna Diamantopoulou, in an interview
with the Athens newspaper "TA NEA", adding that in Greece there is
a lack of culture and knowledge regarding the way the social
dialogue operates.
The EU Commissioner stated that any solution of the social
security problem must include the increase of the pension age
limit and the lowering of the replacement percentage for high
pensions. At the same time, she expressed skepticism on the
proposals concerning a special tax or the creation of a special
fund that will finance the social security system, stressing that
development should not be undermined.
Ms. Diamantopoulou stated that she does not regard as likely
the postponement of the social security system reform, stressing
that the Simtis-Giannitsis team is characterized by a high sense
of duty.
She added characteristically that modernization should be
modernized, stressing that when things get tough prime minister
Simitis is alone.
[13] JOURNALIST ACHILLEAS HATZOPOULOS DIED THIS MORNING
Distinguished journalist and author Achilleas Hatzopoulos
died this morning at the age of 62.
Since 1994 he was the director of the MPA office in Athens.
He was born in 1939 in Gazoro, Serres in northern Greece and for
many years he lived in Thessaloniki. Since 1966 he lived and
worked in Athens.
He began his career as a journalist in the newspapers
"Makedonia" and "Thessaloniki" when he was 17. He also worked in
the newspapers "Kathimerini", "Kiriakatiki Eleftherotipia",
"Proini Eleftherotipia" and again in the newspapers "Makedonia"
and "Thessaloniki". For about 10 years since 1981, he was in
charge of the political news desk in the newspaper "Ethnos".
He also worked for many Greek and foreign magazines and news
agencies.
[14] THE DIALOGUE ON THE SOCIAL SECURITY SYSTEM REFORM WILL START
IN 10 DAYS
Labor minister Tasos Giannitsis extended an invitation for
dialogue to the Greek General Confederation of Labor on the reform
of the social security system.
Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas stated
characteristically that it is an "invitation-challenge" and
announced that the first meeting of the two sides will be held in
the next 10 days for dialogue to be underway.
He said that each side has its own share of responsibility in
reaching consensus decisions that will lead to the solution of the
problem of the social security system. He also said that the
creation of a committee of scientists and specialists is necessary
to clarify the points that will be the basis for the talks.
[15] GAINS IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE
Gains were recorded in the Athens Stock Exchange today. The
general index rose to +0.40% at 3.178,97 points, while the volume
of transactions was satisfactory at 67.878 billion drachmas or
199.20 million drachmas.
Of the stocks trading today, the overwhelming majority
namely, 236 had losses and 93 recorded gains, while the value of
46 stocks remained stable.
[16] VENIZELOS: THE ATHENS OLYMPIC GAMES ARE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR
PUBLIC AND PRIVATE INVESTMENTS
Greek culture minister Evangelos Venizelos characterized the
Athens 2004 Olympic Games as a big and complex event, adding that
it is an opportunity for public and private investments and
development.
Speaking in the one-day conference "Athens at the center of
international sports: an opportunity for regional cooperation and
development" organized by the Kokkalis Institute, Mr. Venizelos
underlined that 120.000 new job positions will be created as a
result of the Olympic Games, while Athens will inherit modern
infrastructures and enjoy international promotion.
Mr. Venizelos also pointed out that Athens wants to host the
2008 European Football Championship events jointly with Turkey and
if this bid is not successful, Greece intends to claim by itself
the organizing of the 2012 European Football Championship events.
[17] REPPAS: THE SIMITIS-CHRISTODOULOS MEETING WAS CEREMONIAL
Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas characterized as
ceremonial the meeting prime minister Kostas Simitis had today
with Archbishop Christodoulos of Athens and All of Greece. The
Archbishop was accompanying the Patriarch of Alexandria, who is on
a formal visit to Greece.
Mr. Reppas clarified that they did not discuss issues
concerning the State-Church relations but expressed the belief
that a solution can be found to any issue if there is mutual
respect on the basis of the distinct roles of the two sides.
[18] KAKLAMANIS-BARRE MEETING
Greek parliament president Apostolos Kaklamanis and former
French prime minister Raymond Barre in a meeting they had in the
parliament building in Athens today, both backed the EU
enlargement that takes place with steady steps and after serious
study.
Mr. Kaklamanis, briefing Mr. Barre on Cyprus' successful EU
accession course, underlined that in this case the reliability,
prestige and consistency of Europe toward its principles and
positions are being tested. He said that the same is in effect for
the United States as well, which sacrifice the world ideals to
serve their geo-political interests.
Mr. Barre agreed with Mr. Kaklamanis that Cyprus meets all
the pre-conditions for EU accession and referred to the vision of
the European peoples for an integrated and democratic European
Union with social justice and independent foreign policy and
policy of defense. He also expressed satisfaction for the big
progress and development recorded in Greece in recent years.
[19] PRESIDENT STEPHANOPOULOS HINTED AGAINST THE TURKISH
LEADERSHIP
Greek president Kostis Stephanopoulos visited Rethimno,
Iraklio and Lasithi in Crete today on the occasion of the 60th
anniversary of the Battle of Crete in WWII.
Speaking in the prefecture building in Rethimno, Mr.
Stephanopoulos hinted against the Turkish leadership regarding the
tension recorded in the area of the Greek-Turkish relations.
He said that there are difficulties in the Greek-Turkish
relations because of the unacceptable and groundless claims
against the Greek sovereign rights on which Greece cannot hold a
dialogue.
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[20] GEORGIA INTENT ON COMBATING CORRUPTION
The Georgian government is intent on combating corruption, a
menacing phenomenon that continues to imperil the country's course
towards a free market economy.
At the same time, Georgia has issued an open invitation to
the neighboring states that they support its effort to establish
an Agency of Exporting Trust and Investment Security, as was
announced today by Georgian President Eduard Shevardnadze during
the course of the Black Sea Bank's "Business Days".
Supporting small-to-medium sized enterprises and promoting
exports are leading the priorities list of the Georgian
government, which has recently ratified a plethora of laws and
incentives for attracting foreign investment, especially in the
sectors of energy (natural gas), transportation,
telecommunications and tourism.
According to President Shevardnadze, Georgia has managed to
stabilize its macro-economic outlook, containing inflation at four
percent during the first quarter of 2001 and achieving
satisfactory GNP growth rates of 5-6 percent during the past
decade.
[21] GREECE WILL TAKE OVER THE "EUREKA" PRESIDENCY IN EARLY JULY
Greece will take over the presidency of the European program
"Eureka", the goal of which, is to strengthen the competitiveness
of the European businesses in the sector of research and promotion
of joint programs.
Greece will take over the presidency from Spain which
according to the Spanish economic newspaper "L' Echo", aspires to
break an overall record number of research programs namely, 200,
that will be promoted by the end of its presidency in 40 days.
The Greek presidency will give an emphasis to greater
international cooperation and the improvement of the national
programs' coordination within the framework of the "Eureka"
program, stated Greek office representative Yiannis Papadakis on
the sidelines of the 12th parliamentary conference on "Eureka"
that was held in Madrid attended by 100 parliamentarians from 29
countries participating in the program.
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