Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 00-11-09

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

CONTENTS

[01] THESSALONIKI FILM FESTIVAL BEGINS TOMORROW

[02] PAPANDREOU'S STATEMENTS ON THE EU-TURKEY PARTNERSHIP RELATION AND THE

[03] THE GREEK INVESTORS ARE EXPECTED IN YUGOSLAVIA NEXT SPRING

[04] THE GREEK FOREIGN MINISTRY IS SATISFIED WITH THE ANNAN TEXT

[05] BEGLITIS: THE EU TEXT ON THE PARTNERSHIP RELATION WITH TURKEY IS

[06] REPPAS ON THE EU-TURKEY PARTNERSHIP RELATION TEXT

[07] GAINS RECORDED IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE

[08] 3.450 ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS WERE ARRESTED BY THE GREEK COAST GUARD THIS

[09] SIFOUNAKIS WILL HONOR THE HEADS OF BRITISH TOUR OPERATORS

[10] GERMAN FIRMS DONATE MEDICAL EQUIPMENT TO PAROS

[11] GREECE TO BUY ELECTRICITY FOR YUGOSLAVIA

[12] TSOCHATZOPOULOS' VISIT TO BERLIN

[13] THE SIMITIS-AMATO MEETING WAS HELD IN A VERY GOOD CLIMATE

[14] THE FRENCH SENATE RATIFIED THE DRAFT BILL ON THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

[15] SIMITIS-AMATO MEETING IN ROME

[16] AN EXHIBITION ON THE PARTHENON WILL BE INAUGURATED IN ALEXANDRIA, EGYPT

[01] THESSALONIKI FILM FESTIVAL BEGINS TOMORROW

The 41st Thessaloniki Film Festival, which gets underway tomorrow, November 10, will include a tribute to film director Theodoros Angelopoulos and his work.

Angelopoulos, winner of the Cannes film festival award in 1998, will be honored during the festival with the screening of 14 of his movies along with nine documentaries of his filming techniques.

Featuring the screening of about 167 films, the ten-day festival's program will include two concerts by Eleni Karaindrou at the Concert Hall (on November 16-17), as well as photography and book exhibitions.

According to festival director Michel Dimopoulos, the cost of the festival totaled 500 million drachmas, with half of its funds granted by the ministry of culture and the other half acquired by private sponsors.

A.F.

[02] PAPANDREOU'S STATEMENTS ON THE EU-TURKEY PARTNERSHIP RELATION AND THE US ELECTIONS

Regardless of whether Turkey accepts this or not, Europe's position is that Turkey's European prospect is directly related with the solution of the Cyprus problem, underlined Greek foreign minister Giorgos Papandreou referring to the EU-Turkey partnership relation text that was approved by the European Commission yesterday.

In statements he made to the Athens radio station "Flash", Mr. Papandreou stated, when he was asked to characterize the European Commission text on the partnership relation between the EU and Turkey, that it was a self-evident development.

Referring to the US presidential elections and the fact that 48 hours after no winner has been declared, the foreign minister pointed out that it is the first time that such a phenomenon is recorded in the history of the United States, adding that the facts themselves confirm that every vote counts even in a country like the United States with a population of over 200 million people.

When asked to comment on the likelihood of election fraud in the United States, Mr. Papandreou stated that there are no such indications but wider political issues could be raised for the possible amendment of the US constitution.

[03] THE GREEK INVESTORS ARE EXPECTED IN YUGOSLAVIA NEXT SPRING

The strong interest of the Greek businesses in the Yugoslav market is expected to start becoming concrete in the second trimester of 2001. For the time being, Yugoslavia remains "terra incognita" for many companies, while the absence of an institutional framework, the collapse of the banking system and the strict price controls discourage potential investors.

According to Mr. Haris Haldoupis, in charge of the Inter-Balkan Black Sea Business Center, there is already strong mobility on behalf of the Greek companies that want to become active in Yugoslavia, adding that those companies are mainly active in the sectors of food and beverages, energy and constructions.

Most of the interested companies are expecting the results of the crucial parliamentary elections of December 23 and the stabilization of the political and economic scene before they materialize their investment plans.

[04] THE GREEK FOREIGN MINISTRY IS SATISFIED WITH THE ANNAN TEXT

The Greek foreign ministry appears especially satisfied with yesterday's text that was delivered by UN secretary-general Kofi Annan to the Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots.

According to Greek foreign ministry spokesman Panos Beglitis, the text brings back the balance in the negotiations on Cyprus that appeared to be overturned after a statement made by Annan in New York on September 13, 2000.

Mr. Beglitis also stressed that the interventions made by Greek foreign minister Giorgos Papandreou contributed greatly to this outcome, adding that in the Annan text is included the firm demand of the Greek Cypriot side namely, the implementation of the UN Security Council resolutions for a fair solution of the Cyprus problem.

The Greek foreign ministry spokesman declined to comment on the details of the text, pointing out that the Cypriot Republic is responsible for its evaluation.

[05] BEGLITIS: THE EU TEXT ON THE PARTNERSHIP RELATION WITH TURKEY IS SIGNIFICANT FOR GREECE

Greece's negotiating weight on the issue of the EU-Turkey partnership relation has now moved to the diplomatic level in view of the Council of Ministers meeting on November 20 when the final text will be drawn up to be made official in the EU Summit meeting in December.

The above were stated by Greek foreign ministry spokesman Panos Beglitis, who characterized the text on the EU-Turkey partnership relation as very satisfactory and significant for the Greek-Turkish relations, referring especially to the part that deals with the political criteria and Ankara's commitments.

The basic goal of the Greek government, stressed Mr. Beglitis, is the incorporation of the Helsinki conclusions in the partnership relation with Turkey, adding that Cyprus is now a reality in Turkey's European course as well as an international problem and those facts must be used for the solution of the problem.

[06] REPPAS ON THE EU-TURKEY PARTNERSHIP RELATION TEXT

Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas stated that one can not say that Greece is satisfied with the European Commission text on the partnership relation between the EU and Turkey even though it is consistent with the Helsinki decisions. He said that the text should not be simply in harmony with the Helsinki EU Summit meeting decisions but it has to coincide with them as well.

On the Cyprus problem, he stated that it is placed within the framework of the Euro-Turkish relations.

[07] GAINS RECORDED IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE

Gains of 0.46% were recorded in the Athens Stock Exchange today, while the volume of transactions was very small at 33.5 billion drachmas.

Of the stocks trading today 177 recorded gains, 149 had losses and 56 remained unchanged.

[08] 3.450 ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS WERE ARRESTED BY THE GREEK COAST GUARD THIS YEAR

The Greek Coast Guard arrested 3.450 illegal immigrants since the beginning of the year, while 135 slave-traders were also arrested and 38 ships were confiscated.

It should be noted that at dawn today Coast Guard officers located a ship with 40 illegal immigrants, among them one child, in the sea region of Saronikos Bay, off the coasts of Athens. The two-member crew was also arrested.

[09] SIFOUNAKIS WILL HONOR THE HEADS OF BRITISH TOUR OPERATORS

The British special tourism offices that contribute to the economic growth of the small islands in the Aegean will be honored by Aegean minister Nikos Sifounakis on Monday.

The awards will be given within the framework of the inauguration of the Greek pavilion in the international tourism exhibition "World Travel Market" that will be held in London on November 13-16.

[10] GERMAN FIRMS DONATE MEDICAL EQUIPMENT TO PAROS

In appreciation of the heroic efforts exerted by the residents of Paros in rescuing German nationals during the Samina Express ferry disaster, several German companies have donated medical equipment valued at more than ten million drachmas to the island's health center.

The medical equipment include a respirator, a blood analysis machine, and an oxygen tent.

The residents of Paros carried out rescue operations after the Express Samina ferry sank outside the island's port on September 26, killing 80 people.

There were 19 German tourists aboard the ferry, including a delegation of 12 physicians, all of whom were rescued.

A.F.

[11] GREECE TO BUY ELECTRICITY FOR YUGOSLAVIA

In an effort to support Yugoslavia, which is facing enormous energy shortages, Greece will purchase electricity for Yugoslavia from Romania, Bulgaria and the Ukraine.

Foreign Minister George Papandreou met yesterday with the leader of Yugoslavia's Democratic Party Zoran Djindjic who expressed his gratitude for Greece's support, adding that Europe's economic aid is a precondition for peace and stability.

A.F.

[12] TSOCHATZOPOULOS' VISIT TO BERLIN

Greek minister of defense Akis Tsochatzopoulos speaking in an event in Berlin yesterday, where he was invited by the "Initiative-Berlin-Capital" group on the occasion of the anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, referred to all the issues that are of direct interest for Greece, especially, the Cyprus issue, the Greek-Turkish relations, the Balkans, NATO and the European Union.

Paralleling Berlin with Cyprus, Mr. Tsochatzopoulos pointed out that now the Nicosia Wall must fall and blamed Turkey for the existing situation in Cyprus and the Greek-Turkish relations, stressing that the climate will not change if Ankara will not accept that the only way to solve the differences is to appeal to the International Court of Justice in The Hague.

Mr. Tsochatzopoulos said that now Yugoslavia needs Europe's assistance more and spoke of the importance of the US presence in the region for the consolidation of peace. He was also critical of the persistence of the European Commission and the EU member-states in economic issues and the Euro, expressing the view that what is important is the social solidarity and the handling of the problems faced by the European citizens.

During his visit to Berlin, the Greek minister of defense also met with his German counterpart and discussed armaments' issues given the Greek order for the purchase of "Leopard-2" armored tanks.

[13] THE SIMITIS-AMATO MEETING WAS HELD IN A VERY GOOD CLIMATE

Greek prime minister Kostas Simitis, who is on a formal visit to Italy, met in Rome with his Italian counterpart Giuliano Amato. Their meeting focused on the agenda of the inter-governmental conference that will be held in December, the situation in the Balkans, the Greek-Italian relations and the issue of the illegal immigration.

Referring to the European Union enlargement procedure, prime minister Kostas Simitis pointed out that the EU must clarify certain issues that have been raised.

On the EU-Turkey partnership relation, Mr. Simitis stressed that no one wants to exclude Turkey, stressing that on the contrary it was decided in Helsinki that it will be a candidate state, adding that this is to the interest of Turkey and the EU. Mr. Simitis stressed that it is clear that Turkey has to proceed with the solution of the Cyprus problem based on the UN decisions and international law.

The two prime ministers agreed to expand the cooperation between their countries aimed at creating a climate of stability in the region of the Balkans.

The Greek prime minister also had a meeting with Rome's mayor Mr. Francesco Ruteli, who will be the government coalition candidate for the post of the country's prime minister.

[14] THE FRENCH SENATE RATIFIED THE DRAFT BILL ON THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

The French Senate ratified the draft bill that recognizes the Armenian genocide committed by the Turks in 1915 with an overwhelming majority of 164 votes in favor and 40 against.

The specific draft bill had been approved by the French parliament on May 29, 1998 but the French presidency and government had expressed their opposition to a likely recognition of the Armenian genocide under the threat of the deterioration of the French-Turkish relations.

About 1.5 million Armenians were killed by the Ottoman Turks and militia forces that were formed in eastern Asia Minor in the period 1915-1923.

[15] SIMITIS-AMATO MEETING IN ROME

Prime minister Kostas Simitis, who is on a formal visit to Italy, is scheduled to meet in Rome with his Italian counterpart Giuliano Amato. At the center of this meeting, will be the agenda of the inter-governmental conference that will be held in December as well as, issues concerning the Greek-Italian relations.

The EU enlargement procedures will be raised in the inter-governmental conference as well as the issue of the partnership relation between Turkey and the European Union.

Mr. Simitis will also meet with mayor of Rome Mr. Ruseli, who will be the government coalition candidate for the post of the prime minister in Italy.

[16] AN EXHIBITION ON THE PARTHENON WILL BE INAUGURATED IN ALEXANDRIA, EGYPT TOMORROW

An exhibition on the Parthenon, organized by the Greek Culture Institute of Alexandria, will be inaugurated in that Egyptian city tomorrow within the framework of the promotion of the cultural relations between Greece and Egypt.

In the exhibition will be present the governor of Alexandria and a Greek ministry of culture representative.

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