Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 00-07-27

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From: The Macedonian Press Agency at http://www.mpa.gr and http://www.hri.org/MPA.

CONTENTS

[01] GREECE PARTICIPATES IN "BREEZE 2000".

[02] THE MAYOR OF MENEMENI IN ISMIR VISITED THE MUNICIPALITY OF THESSALONIKI

[03] FOREIGN AFFAIRS CONFERENCE HELD FOR GREEK AMBASSADORS

[04] OVER 13 MILLION TOURISTS WILL VISIT GREECE THIS YEAR

[05] PAPANTONIOU: THE NEW STOCK MARKET WILL OPERATE IN OCTOBER

[06] PRESENTATION OF THE 2004 OLYMPIC GAMES BUDGET

[07] THE STATE MECHANISM IS READY TO DEAL WITH THE NEW HEATWAVE

[08] GAINS OF 0.58% IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE

[09] THE INTER-BORDER PROGRAMS BETWEEN EVROS AND TURKEY WILL "FREEZE"

[10] TSOCHATZOPOULOS COMPLETED HIS VISIT TO SLOVENIA

[11] THE HEATWAVE RETURNED TO GREECE

[12] SCHRODER REJECTED THE GREEK DEMANDS ON THE ISSUE OF THE GERMAN WAR

[13] THE GREEK-AMERICAN COMMUNITY IN THE INTERNATIONAL CULTURAL HERITAGE

[01] GREECE PARTICIPATES IN "BREEZE 2000".

The "Breeze 2000" military exercises currently being carried out in the Black Sea near Bulgaria are continuing, with the participation of 34 countries including Roumania, Greece, France, Turkey and the United States. The exercises, which began on July 22nd, are expected to go on until July 30th.

The most important part of the session will begin tomorrow Friday and will include humanitarian convoy operations aimed at providing food and aid to regions struck by fire, floods or earthquakes. Those injured will be transferred to a temporary refugee camp that has been set up in Sparouhovo.

[02] THE MAYOR OF MENEMENI IN ISMIR VISITED THE MUNICIPALITY OF THESSALONIKI

Mayor of Menemeni in Ismir, Turkey Mr. Tahir Sahin met with Thessaloniki's mayor Vasilis Papageorgopoulos within the framework of the efforts made for the twinning of the two municipalities.

Mr. Papageorgopoulos stressed that the local administration can offer a significant help in the cooperation of businessmen from the two countries and in the cooperation at a cultural level. He also said that very soon he will visit the municipality of Menemeni.

From his side, Mr. Sahin expressed optimism that the effort for the rapprochement of the two peoples will continue and pointed out that the goal is not just the twinning of the two municipalities but mainly the improvement of relations between the two peoples. Mr. Sahin was accompanied by the city council president and city councillors.

[03] FOREIGN AFFAIRS CONFERENCE HELD FOR GREEK AMBASSADORS

Greek ambassadors from all over the world met at the first two-day conference held to discuss the country's foreign policy.

Representing the Greek government at the conference were Foreign Affairs minister George Papandreou, his deputy Elizabeth Papazoi, and the Foreign Affairs undersecretary Angeliki Laiou.

Mr Papandreou referred to the new approach being taken to the formation of foreign policies, also mentioning the importance placed on the new sectors that have been created such as economic and cultural diplomacy, dealing with crime and terrorism, immigration, the environment and humanitarian missions.

"Despite being a small country, one could say that Greece is in a far greater position both economically and culturally, than ever before, something which offers the country new opportunities. New opportunities that the ministry of Foreign Affairs and diplomats in general can use to their advantage", Mr Papandreou said.

Also due to speak at the event are the minister of Defence Akis Tsochatsopoulos, minister of Finance Yiannos Papantoniou, and the minister of Civil Order, Michalis Chrysochoides.

[04] OVER 13 MILLION TOURISTS WILL VISIT GREECE THIS YEAR

A big increase is recorded in the number of tourists visiting Greece this year, according to statements made by travel agents association president Yiannis Ginis to the Athens radio station "Alpha News 98.7". Mr. Ginis stated characteristically that over 13 million tourists are expected to visit Greece by October.

Mr. Ginis also said that the prices this year are up by 5-10%, while the regions that will receive the largest number of tourists will be the islands of Crete, Rhodes, Kos, Corfu and the Cyclades, as well as the Peloponese and northern Greece.

[05] PAPANTONIOU: THE NEW STOCK MARKET WILL OPERATE IN OCTOBER

The government is the friend of modern businesses and new technologies, stated Greek national economy and finance minister Yiannos Papantoniou after the economic and social committee meeting on business activities that was held in Athens today.

Mr. Papantoniou announced the establishment of a state venture capital in the fall with an initial capital of 150 billion drachmas which will finance the investments on "new economy" businesses.

He also announced that the New Stock Market will be in operation in October, while a number of bureaucratic procedures will be abolished in order to make the opening of new businesses easier.

[06] PRESENTATION OF THE 2004 OLYMPIC GAMES BUDGET

Culture minister Theodoros Pangalos and undersecretary responsible on sports issues, Giorgos Floridis presented the 2004 Olympic Games budget, pointing out that the projects scheduled to be completed will boost the country's development.

Mr. Pangalos appeared optimistic on the course of the construction of the projects, while Mr. Floridis stated that the cost for the Greek state will be 655 billion drachmas and concerns the projects that will be constructed for the Olympic Games based on Greece's obligations toward the International Olympic Committee, IOC. About 463 billion drachmas concern "Greece 2004", while other 235 billion drachmas concern projects that would have been constructed either way.

Mr. Pangalos, referring to the latest statements made by the IOC president, stressed that Mr. Samaranch was from the beginning on Greece's side stating that a failure in Athens would have been his own failure too.

[07] THE STATE MECHANISM IS READY TO DEAL WITH THE NEW HEATWAVE

The state mechanism in Greece is ready to deal effectively with the new heatwave and with the possibility of more forest fires as the emergency plan "Xenokratis" was put into effect since last night.

The medical units are in a state or readiness while the air conditioned public buildings in Athens are open for the people on a 24hour basis.

The ministry of environment, land planning and public works has issued an appeal to the people to limit their movement and the use of private cars.

[08] GAINS OF 0.58% IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE

Gains of 0.58% were recorded in the Athens Stock Exchange today and the general index was at 3.973,46 points reversing the downward trend that dominated since the start of the week.

A very important characteristic of today's session was the fact that the volume of transactions had an explosive upward course and reached 355.9 billion drachmas.

Of the stocks trading today, 216 recorded gains, 110 had losses and 45 remained stable.

[09] THE INTER-BORDER PROGRAMS BETWEEN EVROS AND TURKEY WILL "FREEZE"

The prefecture of Evros in north-eastern Greece will proceed with the "freezing" of the inter-border programs with Turkey if the neighboring country does not create a vaccination zone along the common borders with Greece in order to deal with the farm animal diseases.

The statements were made by Evros prefect Mr. Dolios after a meeting of local authorities in the presence of EU Permanent Veterinary Committee members. The meeting was held on the foot-and-mouth disease that was traced in the prefecture in the past few days.

A meeting like the one held today was scheduled to take place in Andrianoupolis, in Turkey next Friday but according to Mr. Dolios, the Turkish side refused to respond to the demand. Mr. Dolios stated characteristically that the behavior of the neighboring country, from where the foot-and-mouth disease comes with catastrophic consequences for the livestock in the region of Evros, was the main issue in today's meeting.

After the nightmare of 1996, the EU financed a vaccination program in the Turkish regions along the Evros River at the intervention of the Greek side. A month ago, in the meeting of the Greek and Turkish ministers of agriculture, the Turkish side gave assurances that it had made the vaccinations according to the regulations but it was proven that they were lying, said Mr. Dolios, adding that the Greek side does not have any other choice than to "freeze" the inter-border programs, with the agreement of the EU, if Turkey does not create a vaccination zone along its common borders with Greece.

The prefect of Evros also rejected the proposal of the Europeans for the creation of a "dead zone" along the Evros River banks because this would mean the end of farming in the region. Since last week, when the virus first appeared have been destroyed over 4.000 farm animals, cattle, sheep and pigs.

[10] TSOCHATZOPOULOS COMPLETED HIS VISIT TO SLOVENIA

Greek minister of defense Akis Tsochatzopoulos completed his formal visit to Slovenia yesterday with the meeting he had with the country's prime minister Andrei Bayuk.

After the meeting, he stated that he had the opportunity to make clear Greece's support to Slovenia's effort to become an EU and a NATO member.

Both men referred to the contribution of their countries to peace, stabilization and security in the Balkans. Mr. Tsochatzopoulos stressed that the cooperation of countries that are situated in the same area is a decisive factor in the effort to deal with crises. He also said that there is a need for new initiatives in order to overcome the deadlock in the relations between the EU and Yugoslavia.

Mr. Tsochatzopoulos characterized as positive Turkey's decision to cancel the construction of the nuclear plant in Akkuyu expressing the wish that this will be Ankara's final decision on the issue.

[11] THE HEATWAVE RETURNED TO GREECE

The heatwave returned to Greece and in certain mainland regions temperature is expected to reach 43 degrees Celsius today, while in the Aegean islands it will be close to 40 degrees.

The winds will become strong in the afternoon and during the night they will become stronger increasing the chances for new forest fires.

According to meteorologists, temperature will return to normal levels for the season tomorrow afternoon.

[12] SCHRODER REJECTED THE GREEK DEMANDS ON THE ISSUE OF THE GERMAN WAR REPARATIONS

German chancellor Gerhard Schroder publicly rejected the demands for war reparations referring to the Greek Supreme Court decision that ruled in favor of the relatives of the Distomo massacre committed by the Nazis in WWII. Mr. Schroder said that the court decision does not respect international law.

It is the first time that Mr. Schroder takes a public stance on the issue. Earlier, he had a telephone conversation on the issue with his Greek counterpart Kostas Simitis calling him to take measures based on the existing treaties for the protection of the German state property in Greece that is threatened with confiscation.

During the past weekend, there was an informal communication between German foreign minister Joshka Fischer and his Greek counterpart Giorgos Papandreou but the contacts made did not satisfy the German government that demands from the Greek government to stop the legal procedure.

[13] THE GREEK-AMERICAN COMMUNITY IN THE INTERNATIONAL CULTURAL HERITAGE FESTIVAL

The Greek-American community will take part in the International Cultural Heritage Festival on August 4, 5 and 6 that is organized for a 5th year by the Cultural Development Office in Nassau County in Long Island, one of the most developed coastal districts of New York.

The festival will promote the wealth of Greece's cultural history and traditions, its beauties and tourism as well as its contribution to the revival of the Olympic Games.

The Greek presence in the festival, in which will participate 60 countries and ethnic minorities will be organized by the Hellenic American Cultural Academy (H.A.C.A.).

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