Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 2001-06-15
MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Thessaloniki, June 15, 2001
SECTIONS
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
TITLES
[Á] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] MILITARY INTERVENTION IN FYROM MIGHT BE NEEDED
[02] ASSOCIATION OF GREEK-EGYPTIANS MEETS TODAY
[03] THREE GREEK AGENCIES FILE DU CLAIM WITH ICTY
[04] PM AT SUMMIT: NO STRICT TIMEPLAN FOR ACCESSIONS
[05] SHIP RUNS AGROUND NEAR MYKONOS, SIX DROWN
[06] NUMBER OF TEENAGERS GETTING HIGH GETS HIGHER
[07] POLICE ARREST ITALIAN WITH COCAINE IN-A-CAN
[08] SALES OF SKYROS MARBLE SOAR BY 120 PERCENT
[09] NATO VESSELS IN THESSALONIKI ON JULY 8
[10] SIMONOV: PARTHENON WAS MY HOME IN A PREVIOUS LIFE
[11] DALARAS CONCERT ON THE WORLD REFUGEE DAY
[12] MARGINAL GAINS IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE
[13] STRANGE DISAPPEARANCE OF A CZECH ELDERLY COUPLE
[14] HITIRIS ON THE GREEK-US DEFENSE AGREEMENT
[15] CYPRUS IN THE 1ST EU ENLARGEMENT GROUP
[16] HITIRIS' COMMENTS ON "MONEY LAUNDERING"
[17] SAMARANCH: THE ATHENS 2004 SUCCESS IS CERTAIN
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
NEWS IN DETAIL
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] MILITARY INTERVENTION IN FYROM MIGHT BE NEEDED
The international community may now have to embark on
military intervention in FYROM, in order to handle the problem of
terrorist activities by Albanian extremists, main opposition New
Democracy party leader Costas Karamanlis stated during a press
conference at the end of the European Peoples' Party's (EPP)
summit held in Goteborg yesterday.
Addressing the summit in his capacity as EPP vice president,
Mr. Karamanlis outlined the main points of his political
recommendation on developments in the Balkans, which was
unanimously ratified by the leaders of Europe's center-right.
As the EPP's summit focused primarily on developments in
FYROM, Mr. Karamanlis told Greek reporters that both ND and the
EPP had warned some time ago that developments in FYROM were on a
dangerous course.
Mr. Karamanlis, whose special report on the Balkans was
unanimously adopted by the EPP summit, said that both KFOR and
NATO should have taken all necessary measures to prevent the
activities of extremist forces and safeguard borders with Kosovo.
"Unfortunately, this did not happen and the international
community should assume its responsibilities now," he said, adding
that it is now extremely probable that the intervention of the
international factor will be necessary to restore peace and order
in FYROM.
Moreover, Mr. Karamanlis stressed the need for the discovery
of a solution based on specific principles, which will safeguard
peace and the protection of the Albanian minority's rights in
FYROM.
The ND leader had a lengthy telephone conversation with
FYROM's Prime Minister Ljubco Georgievski on Wednesday, who
briefed him on the gravity of the situation in FYROM and on the
measures his government is promoting.
[02] ASSOCIATION OF GREEK-EGYPTIANS MEETS TODAY
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.
The conference will aim at highlighting the multiform
presence and activities of Greeks from Egypt who continue to
distinguish themselves in all sectors of social, economic and
cultural life.
[03] THREE GREEK AGENCIES FILE DU CLAIM WITH ICTY
A report calling for an investigation and prosecution against
NATO's political and military officials, as well as any other
person responsible, for the use of depleted uranium bombs in
former Yugoslavia has been filed by three Greek agencies, among
them the Athens Bar Association, to the prosecutor of the
International Penal Court on former Yugoslavia (ICTY) Carla del
Ponte.
The three agencies, ABA, Society of Greek Judicial
Functionaries for Democracy and Freedoms and the Marangopoulos
Foundation for Human Rights, claim that two definite offences
perpetrated concern the violation of war laws regarding the use of
toxic or other weapons and serious violations of the 1949 Geneva
Conventions concerning willful homicide and the willful causing of
great pain or serious bodily harm.
The three agencies are also requesting a probe into whether
the offense of genocide has been committed.
They further said that when the orders for bombings were
issued the toxicity of uranium and its disastrous effects on the
health of the population of Yugoslavia, regardless of whether
people were combatants or not, were known to senior officials in
the United States and the United Kingdom.
The presidents of the three agencies are: Antonis
Roupakiotis, President of ABA; Costas Menoudakos, President of the
Society of Greek Judicial Functionaries for Democracy and Freedoms
and a Council of State councilor; and Aliki Yiotopoulou-
Marangopoulou, President of the Marangopoulos Foundation for Human
Rights.
[04] PM AT SUMMIT: NO STRICT TIMEPLAN FOR ACCESSIONS
Greece will not insist that a specific date for the candidate
countries' accession to the European Union should be fixed during
today's EU Summit at Goteborg, Sweden, according to Prime Minister
Costas Simitis.
Speaking prior to the Summit's commencement, Mr. Simitis
stated that proposals to conclude negotiations at the end of 2002,
would result in a strict framework could create difficulties.
Instead, Greece will insist on the need for accession
negotiations to proceed expeditiously in order to enable acceding
countries to participate in Euroelections in 2004.
Moreover, the Premier stated that the decision's text should
ascertain the very good course of Cyprus and the observance of its
timetable.
Other issues on the summit's agenda will be foreign
relations, the situation in FYROM, as well as the Middle East and
relations between the EU and Russia, while the results of U.S.
President George W. Bush's visit to Europe will also be
assessed.
[05] SHIP RUNS AGROUND NEAR MYKONOS, SIX DROWN
A ship transporting undocumented immigrants from Turkey to
Greece ran aground and sunk near a rock islet close to the central
Aegean island of Mykonos yesterday, drowning six of the passengers
and leaving an indeterminable number of others missing.
According to the ship's Greek captain Panayiotis Kouvas,
there were about 60 Kurdish illegal immigrants on board the ship,
while more are believed to have been hiding inside the vessel.
Authorities have arrested Kouvas and another crewmember.
[06] NUMBER OF TEENAGERS GETTING HIGH GETS HIGHER
The number of Greek teenagers who resort to the use of
cannabis has increased dramatically during the last five years,
rising from 11.4 percent in 1996 to 21.5% this year, according to
a recent survey.
Conducted by the Center for the Treatment of Addicted Persons
(KETHEA), the survey was carried out in six KETHEA advisory
centers around the country from the responses of 7,450 people who
sought help from the centers.
The survey also showed that the number of heroin users has
been gradually falling, while cocaine use has risen significantly
in recent years.
Specifically, heroin users have fallen in number from 83 per cent
(of overall drug addicts) five years ago, to 73.7 per cent this
year. According to KETHEA, most heroin addicts now smoke or snort
the drug and very few still inject it, thereby reducing the hazard
of contracting AIDS or hepatitis among addicts.
On the other hand, while cocaine now represents only 2.6 per
cent of drug use in Greece, it is estimated that cocaine will
overtake other substances as the drug of choice if its use
continues to increase at present rates.
The survey also reported that six out of ten drug users in
Greece begin to take drugs between the ages of 15 and 19, while
three out of 10 begin before they turn 15 years old.
[07] POLICE ARREST ITALIAN WITH COCAINE IN-A-CAN
Customs officers at the Athens airport arrested an Italian
national, after discovering 14 kilos of liquefied cocaine in his
possession.
Egido Gennero, 43, was to receive one million drachmas for
carrying the cocaine purchased in Lima, Peru. The drug was
packaged in tin cans bearing the indication "composte". He flew to
Greece from Buenos Aires via Zurich on a Swissair flight.
Police believe he is a member of the same gang with Greek
sociologist Maria Stergiopoulou who was arrested at the airport on
Tuesday for carrying cocaine in a similar way.
[08] SALES OF SKYROS MARBLE SOAR BY 120 PERCENT
A producer specializing in the quarrying and exploitation of
the characteristic Skyros marble has reported a whooping 120-
percent increase in domestic market sales, coupled with a 70%
percent rise in foreign sales since the start of the year.
Established in the island of Skyros, the heart of the Aegean
Sea, K&G Skarlis S.A. posted a turnover of 388 million drachmas
for the 2000 fiscal year, with gross profits amounting to GRD48
million.
The island's marble outcrop is of exquisite quality, world-
known for its beautiful appearance and transparent coloring.
[09] NATO VESSELS IN THESSALONIKI ON JULY 8
Eight warships that belong to NATO's Permanent Naval Force in
the Mediterranean will sail into the port of Thessaloniki on July
8, according to the Thessaloniki newspaper "Angelioforos".
The Navy General Staff announced that the arrival of the
vessels in question (among them, a Greek and a Turkish) had been
scheduled months ago. Currently, the ships are in the Black Sea
region participating in an exercise and they are expected to sail
into Istanbul.
Also, two French warships with supplies for the French troops
in the peacekeeping force in the Balkans are expected to arrive at
the port of Thessaloniki at the end of June.
[10] SIMONOV: PARTHENON WAS MY HOME IN A PREVIOUS LIFE
One of the most important symphony orchestras in the world,
the Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra under the direction of maestro
Yuri Somonov will perform within the framework of the Athens
Festival on June 22-23.
Yuri Simonov in an interview he gave on the occasion of the
two concerts his orchestra will give in Athens, stated that he
feels as if he lived in the Parthenon in a previous life. He said
characteristically that he feels wonderful just walking in the
city and thinking, adding that Athens is a great place where the
artists feel charged with the energy of those who lived in this
place centuries ago.
[11] DALARAS CONCERT ON THE WORLD REFUGEE DAY
The World Refugee Day on June 23 will be celebrated in Greece
with a concert by singer Giorgos Dalaras at the ancient theater of
the Delphi archaeological site.
The concert is organized at the initiative of the UN High
Commission on Refugees under the auspices of the Greek culture
ministry. In the event will also participate the Moscow Ossipov
Orchestra and US actress Jacqueline Smith.
In a press conference, culture minister Evangelos Venizelos
stated that Mikis Theodorakis will be honored in the event as a
creator and as a refugee.
UN High Commission on Refugees representative in Greece Ms.
Rojas Rodrigez pointed out that one of the goals of the High
Commission is to become the voice of millions of refugees.
[12] MARGINAL GAINS IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE
Marginal gains were recorded in the Athens Stock Exchange
today. The general index rose to +0.21% at 2.859,66 points, while
the volume of transactions was disappointing at 128.01 million
Euro or 43.6 billion drachmas.
Of the stocks trading today, 192 recorded gains and 123 had
losses, while the value of 67 stocks remained stable.
[13] STRANGE DISAPPEARANCE OF A CZECH ELDERLY COUPLE
Police authorities in the region of Pieria in northern Greece
investigate a mystery case concerning the disappearance of an
elderly couple of tourists from the Czech Republic, who vanished a
week ago in the region of Leptokaria.
Sixty-five-year-old Yiri Kominek and his wife, Marie, arrived
in Greece for vacations with a group of fellow Czechs and early
last week checked in at a seaside hotel.
As it was announced by the police, the couple left from
Leptokaria last Friday without notifying anyone from the group and
since that day any trace of them has disappeared. Their
disappearance was reported to the police on the next day and an
investigation got underway.
Based on information, police has directed its investigation
to north-central Greece, and specifically, to the region of Mount
Olympus as it is possible that the elderly couple went on a
mountain-hike without informing anybody about it.
[14] HITIRIS ON THE GREEK-US DEFENSE AGREEMENT
The defense agreement between Greece and the United States
signed by the foreign ministers of the two countries concerns the
US soldiers in Greece (in the US army bases of Souda and Tirnavos)
and the Greek military personnel in the United States, said
undersecretary of state and acting government spokesman Tilemachos
Hitiris when he was asked to comment on the content of the
agreement.
Mr. Hitiris clarified that the Greek military personnel in
the United States are 60-70 officers, who are in American military
training schools.
[15] CYPRUS IN THE 1ST EU ENLARGEMENT GROUP
The primary and final goal is for Cyprus to be in the first
EU enlargement group, while the EU enlargement itself must take
place as soon as possible, stressed acting government spokesman
Tilemachos Hitiris.
He referred to the relevant statements made yesterday by
prime minister Kostas Simitis, pointing out that the Greek
government maintained that enlargement must take place as soon as
possible, the pace must accelerate and accession procedures should
move faster, allowing all the first wave EU accession countries to
participate in the 2004 Euro-elections.
[16] HITIRIS' COMMENTS ON "MONEY LAUNDERING"
Undersecretary of press and acting government spokesman
Tilemachos Hitiris commented on a news report published by the
Athens newspaper "Ektropi" that referred to alleged 3 trillion
drachmas "money laundering" operations. Mr. Hitiris stated that
the amount in question is based on speculations, adding that those
speculations were not made by the responsible parliament
committee.
Mr. Hitiris stated that a special committee examines every
report on "money laundering" or, in some cases, it even intervenes
itself, adding that the head of the committee is judge Nikoloudis
who was successful in 27 similar cases.
However, he stressed that it is difficult to keep things
under control as a result of globalization and electronic money
and added that formal cooperation with international organizations
is in effect.
[17] SAMARANCH: THE ATHENS 2004 SUCCESS IS CERTAIN
International Olympic Committee, IOC, president Juan Antonio
Samaranch expressed his confidence in the "Athens 2004" Organizing
Committee and his belief that the Olympic Games that will be
organized in Athens will be unique.
Speaking in the African National Olympic Committees (ANOCA)
general assembly meeting in Mombassa, Kenya he underlined that the
2004 Olympic Games, apart from their two dominant and known
characteristics namely, sports and culture, will have a third one,
which is especially important, that of the history of Olympism
that belongs to Greece.
ANOCA general secretary, IOC member and member of the
Athens 2004 coordinating committee, Thomas Sithole, also expressed
certainty that the Olympic Games in Athens will be unique in the
history of the events.
ANOCA president and IOC member Maj. Gen. Francis Nyangweso
presented the "Athens 2004" organizing committee representatives
to the general assembly and stated that he has confidence in their
work.
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
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