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Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 2001-09-12
MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Thessaloniki, September 12, 2001
SECTIONS
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
TITLES
[Á] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] EMERGENCY MEETING OF THE GOVERNMENTAL COMMITTEE
[02] PRIME MINISTER MEETS WITH PRESIDENT
[03] MIKIS THEODORAKIS: WE ARE ALL DEEPLY SHOCKED
[04] THE PROSECUTOR'S DOCUMENT ON DEKA LTD
[05] SIMITIS: WE WANT A BETTER WORLD
[06] EXPORTERS AND INDUSTRIALISTS COMMENT TO MPA ON THE CRISIS IN
THE US
[07] KOUFOUDAKIS ON THE EFFECTS OF THE TERRORIST ATTACKS ON THE
UNITED STATES
[08] UNPRECEDENTED PLUNGE IN THE ASE
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[09] THE SAE OFFICES HAD MOVED FROM THE WTC THIS SUMMER
NEWS IN DETAIL
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] EMERGENCY MEETING OF THE GOVERNMENTAL COMMITTEE
The Governmental Committee will have an emergency meeting at
the Maximus Mansion, with the unprecedented terrorist strikes that
the USA underwent yesterday. All the state and political
leadership of Greece expressed their horror at the events.
In a telegram to President Bush from Prime Minister Simitis
expressing his condolences, he noted that "Greece condemns these
frightful acts in the most explicit way", at the same time
expressing the hope that the perpetrators of these crimes will be
tracked down and pay.
The Foreign Secretary, Giorgos Papandreou, who also sent a
telegram expressing his condolences to his American counterpart,
Collin Powell, in a statement for the podium of the parliament, he
supported that these events "undermine the functions of open
democratic societies and are acts against humanity". He also
stressed that the government and he himself is in contact with the
party spokespersons, but also with their EU counterparts on the
observing a common stance in the community.
[02] PRIME MINISTER MEETS WITH PRESIDENT
Prime Minister Simitis will brief the President of the
Republic, Kostis Stefanopoulos, today, on the situation in the USA
after yesterday's terrorist strike.
Also, the Prime Minister is expected to make statements to
journalists on the issue.
[03] MIKIS THEODORAKIS: WE ARE ALL DEEPLY SHOCKED
"I think we are all deeply shocked by the biblical disaster
which happened in the USA today", stated Mikis Theodorakis from
the stage of Theatro Gis. The concert of his pieces "Axion Esti"
and "Pnevmatiko Emvatirio" continued, and he urged the audience to
hold a moment of silence.
[04] THE PROSECUTOR'S DOCUMENT ON DEKA LTD
Greek parliament president Apostolos Kaklamanis read in
parliament the prosecutor's document on the pre-election
activities of the state-run company DEKA Ltd.
The document was sent to parliament by prosecutor Dimitris
Asprogerakas and includes the results of the preliminary
investigation he conducted after the charges filed by right-wing
main opposition party of New Democracy parliament deputy Miltiadis
Evert on the economic activities and management of DEKA Ltd.
In the prosecutor's document the parliament is called to
investigate whether there were penal offenses committed based on
the ministers' responsibility law mentioning that there is
evidence linking a member of the government and undersecretaries
with the case.
Minister of press and government spokesman Dimitris Reppas
condemned New Democracy and Mr. Evert, who had requested that the
case be brought to justice. Mr. Reppas characterized the ND and
Mr. Evert's stance as irresponsible and damaging for the
institutions, stressing that the party uses justice servants in
its political games and tries to hurt the stock market and the
interests of the people.
[05] SIMITIS: WE WANT A BETTER WORLD
We want a better world for all and for this world we are
determined to continue to work, stated Greek prime minister Kostas
Simitis after the meeting he had today with president Kostis
Stephanopoulos.
Mr. Simitis stated that with Mr. Stephanopoulos they
discussed issues concerning domestic and foreign policy and
examined the situation that was created as a result of yesterday's
developments.
He said that they agreed that calm and caution are necessary,
adding that those developments will be faced.
[06] EXPORTERS AND INDUSTRIALISTS COMMENT TO MPA ON THE CRISIS IN
THE US
There are two sides to the "coin" of the crisis in the United
States. On the one hand, Greece can be regarded as lucky as its
economy does not depend to a great degree on the US economy, while
on the other hand, the Greek exports will suffer a blow, even a
short-term one, by the oil price hikes and the drop in the value
of the US dollar. The above were stressed by Exporters in Northern
Greece Association president Thomas Algianakoglou.
Northern Greece Industries Association executive vice-
president Tasos Alexandridis stated that it is very risky to make
any predictions on the effects of the crisis, clarifying that the
consequences on the Greek industry focus mainly on the increase in
the oil price and the strengthening of the Euro to the US dollar.
[07] KOUFOUDAKIS ON THE EFFECTS OF THE TERRORIST ATTACKS ON THE
UNITED STATES
The belief that violent reactions should be expected by the
United States against known terrorist targets regardless of
whether they are responsible or not for yesterday's coordinated
terrorist attacks, was expressed to MPA by Dr. Vangelis
Koufoudakis political science professor and dean in the school of
philosophy in Indiana State University.
He said that the world will witness a massive change in the
way the American people and politicians think when it comes to the
way terrorism abroad is handled. He said that he personally is
afraid of reactions both inside the country and outside that will
hurt human rights.
[08] UNPRECEDENTED PLUNGE IN THE ASE
Panic dominated in today's transactions in the Athens Stock
Exchange as a result of yesterday's terrorist attacks in the
United States.
The general index plunged to an unprecedented -7.74% at
2.358,05 points, while the volume of transactions was at 259.2
million Euro.
Of the stocks trading today, only 3 recorded gains and the
overwhelming majority namely, 356 had losses, while the value of
19 stocks remained stable.
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[09] THE SAE OFFICES HAD MOVED FROM THE WTC THIS SUMMER
The World Council for Hellenes Abroad, SAE, and the National
Bank of Greece employees working in New York were very lucky as
the two organizations used to have their offices in the World
Trade Center but they had moved this summer.
The central offices of Atlantic Bank, a National Bank of
Greece subsidiary, used to be housed at the 88th floor of one of
the Twin Towers until last June when they moved a few blocks away
at 6th Avenue. The SAE offices housed in the Twin Towers also
moved in June.
The number of Greek-Americans, who were at the World Trade
Center at the time of the attack, remains unspecified, while also
unspecified is the number of Greek businesses housed in the two
skyscrapers or nearby.
SAE president Andrew Athens stated to MPA that he is shocked
by the terrorist attacks and stressed that they will have grave
consequences.
He said that he is angered by the fact that this tragic terrorist
attack was allowed to happen when there was a precedent and
information on a possible terrorist hit. He wondered what did the
FBI, CIA, the National Security Council and the Pentagon do to
avert the attack and pointed out that president Bush will face
great difficulties, while there will be a thorough investigation
by the US Congress.
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