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Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 2002-08-23Macedonian Press Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Macedonian Press Agency at http://www.mpa.gr and http://www.hri.org/MPA.MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY Thessaloniki, August 23, 2002 SECTIONS
NEWS HEADLINES[A] NATIONAL NEWS[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS[A] NATIONAL NEWSFollowing the meeting, the Prime Minister stated to the press that the climate changes demand special attention and protection of the environment, while he appealed to all developed countries to offer assistance to developing countries in order to battle poverty and promote development on a global scale. "We have committed to a series of issues such as official developmental aid. To help those poorer than ourselves. Developed countries must increase their aid to developing countries. At the same time how ever, they must move on a series of institutional reforms based on human rights and the rule of Law, as well as the rules of the free market, so that the money can be used effectively, and lead to the proper result", he stressed characteristically. "We belong to those countries that have ratified the Kyoto Protocol on climate changes and we are determined to carry out the international commitments. We also want the EU, of which Greece will soon hold the Presidency, to contribute to viable developme nt on a global level. That is why we have placed our hopes in the Johannesburg summit, a meeting that is an important step in saving our planet, our common home", added the Prime Minister. Drawing on Mr. Miller's recent statements to the press on terrorism, which caused various reactions, Mr. Papandreou urged the Ambassador to be more careful with where he stands, underlining that the case is being handled by the Greek Police and Greek Jus tice. Mr. Papandreou allegedly told Mr. Miller that "the use of plural when referring to the efforts to fight terrorism causes impressions". Papandreou on Johannesburg Summit Meanwhile during an interview to "Flash" radio, Mr. Papandreou referred to the Johannesburg Summit on the viable development of the planet, beginning this Monday, in which he will participate as Head of the Greek delegation. Mr. Papandreou stressed that viable development must contribute to the improvement of quality of life for the next generations, pointing out the necessity of making serious decisions to face the planet's problems, problems which have no borders and in so me cases cause wars. He referred to the prospect of a global government, which will democratically handle the Earth's problems. "Today we are all in a position to tell the Greek people that N17, Greece's most infamous terrorist organization, has been eradicated, because its leadership and most of its members have been arrested, most of its arms have been confiscated, all the case s it has taken responsibility for, as well as some they did not officially take responsibility for, have been solved", he pointed out. Furthermore, he noted that terrorism in Greece is not finished, but it is finished in the way it has been known since the period of the political changeover. "But it would be naive to believe that terrorism will never trouble our country again, just as i t will trouble all other countries of the world in the future. The past has not cleared up. The volume of evidence, the individuals still at large, other organizations that were active all these years, are aspects of the past with which we will deal syste matically in the immediate future, with the same strategy and method we have done so far", he added. "Since there is a lot of talking about a new round of operations, I must point out that we will not operate under the pressure of announcements of arrests made by various responsible-irresponsible parties. On the contrary, we are working according to an internal time table enforced by the order of the investigations", he underlined. Mr. Chrysochoidis, who was congratulate by his colleagues, positioned himself concerning the political aspect of the terrorism investigation and informed them on the next steps to be taken. The events of June 29 were not pure coincidence, but based on work that was in full development, and was the result of pressure we had already put on. It was just a matter of time before things started happening, stressed the Minister of Public Order. In an announcement it made, the "Thessaloniki Action 2003", pointed out that despite government announcements during the Prime Minister's visit to the TIF, unemployment in Thessaloniki is running wild, and necessary basic infrastructure projects (tube, u nderwater tunnel) are not being materialized. The "Thessaloniki Action 2003" underlined that the rally will be a preparation step for the "welcome" of the 2003 Summit Meeting in Thessaloniki, and added that in his announcements the Prime Minister wants to cover the political barbarity of the EU. On its side, the United Workers Fighting Front, stressed that it is necessary for "employees to go to the TIF with their own set of demands and that the TIF becomes a forum for people's intervention, where employees will demand increased salaries and pen sions". The statements were made during the discussion in Parliament on the bill concerning the privatization of state-run companies. The bill was backed only by the governing Socialist Party of PASOK parliament deputies. Referring to the function of the ASE board of directors, Mr. Christodoulakis has stated, according to press information, that it will deal only with issues of management and not with issues concerning transactions which are protected by very strict laws forbidding the use of internal information. Also, the investigation is targeting four individuals, first generation terrorists, who have not been identified yet. Photographs of three men have been found in the hard disk Alexandros Giotopoulos had removed from the computer at his house. The specifi c hard disk was discovered in the 17N hideout at Patmos Street and police believe that the pictures belong to leading members of the terrorist group. Meanwhile, according to Savvas Xiros' testimony, Pavlos Serifis is the old "Nikitas", while the code-name "Parkinson" was used by Theologos Psaradelis because his hand was shacking as a result of the heart disease he is suffering from. On Monday, Savvas Xiros is expected to undergo ear surgery and by mid next week he will be transferred to Koridallos Prison. Meanwhile, a shop-owner near the Damareos Street hideout has stated that Savvas Xiros' companion Alicia Romero Cortez and his ex-wife Angeliki Sotiropoulou, together with Dimitris Koufodinas who is wanted by the police, had been seen in the region. Also, police continue to examine evidence based on which, there are links between the terrorist groups "17 November" and ELA. In statements he made after the meeting, Mr. Papandreou pointed out that the government will continue the policy of rapprochement and dialogue with Turkey based on the Helsinki Summit meeting decisions. He stated that Greece supports Turkey's European co urse based on the preconditions set by the EU and watches closely the developments in the neighboring country. In today's meeting were also examined the positions that Greece will present in the assembly on the future of Europe aimed at creating a single European Constitution plan. Referring to the meeting he had this morning with US ambassador Thomas Miller, Mr. Papandreou stated that they discussed issues concerning terrorism, the Cyprus issue, the Euro-Turkish relations and his imminent visit to the United States. On the issue o f terrorism, Mr. Papandreou pointed out that the Greek-US cooperation is excellent and added that everybody should contribute to the creation of a positive climate in order to deal with the problem. "17 November" terrorist group. Mr. Papandreou had stated that the use of plural by Mr. Miller, when referring to the efforts to fight terrorism, must be avoided because it creates impressions. According to US embassy circles in Athens, Mr. Miller expressed puzzlement regarding the reaction of the Greek side as himself has stated that he shares Prime Minister Kostas Simitis' views on the issue of terrorism. Of the stocks trading today, 159 recorded gains and 131 had losses, while the value of 116 stocks remained stable. The efforts for the arrest of the 17N members and the eventual break up of all the terrorist groups operating from time to time in Greece is a Greek affair, stated Mr. Protopapas. The Greek government spokesman expressed the view that Mr. Miller himself has acknowledged this in the meeting he had today with Mr. Papandreou. [B] INTERNATIONAL NEWSAustralia's Social Security Ministry Parliamentary Secretary Ross Cameron will visit Greece next month to complete the bilateral pension agreement. According to statements by World Council for Hellenes Living Abroad, SAE-Oceania coordinator Kostas Vertzagias "light can be seen now at the end of the tunnel". of his four-day visit. In the separate meetings he had today with Foreign Minister Yiannakis Kasoulidis, Interior Minister Andreas Panagiotou, Labor Minister Andreas Mousioutas, Democratic Party President Tassos Papadopoulos, and Social-democratic Movement President Yiannakis Omirou, he reached the conclusion that there was a coincidence of views in all the issues under discussion. After the meeting with Mr. Kasoulidis, both men stated that the immediate solution of the Cyprus problem, based on the UN resolutions, is imperative. With Mr. Tassos Papadopoulos and Mr. Yiannakis Omirou, he discussed issues concerning Cyprus' EU accession course. The issue of the 10 thousand Greeks from the former Soviet Union, who live in Cyprus, was discussed in the meeting of Mr. Magriotis with the Cypriot Ministers of Interior and Labor. Macedonian Press Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |