Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 00-11-10

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

CONTENTS

[01] MEETING OF THE MAYORS OF THESSALONIKI AND PRUSSA

[02] SE EUROPES ECON. AFFAIRS BUREAU IN THESSALONIKI

[03] REPPAS ON THE EU-TURKEY PARTNERSHIP RELATION

[04] A GREEK POLICE BUS CARRYING BORDER GUARDS WAS ATTACKED BY GUNMEN

[05] TSOCHATZOPOULOS: THE EUROFIGHTER WILL SERVE GREECE'S STRATEGIC AND

[06] GREEK CENTER OF INVESTMENTS: PROGRAM FOR THE SUPPORT OF INVESTMENTS IN

[07] LOSSES AGAIN IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE

[08] GREEK GOVERNMENT DELEGATION TO BELGRADE-SOFIA-SKOPJE

[09] THE FYROM MINISTER OF FINANCE IS IN THESSALONIKI

[10] METROPOLITAN OF KASSANDRIA SYNESIOS DIES AT 88

[11] TWO GREEK FIRMS ARE AMONG THE PROSPECTIVE BUYERS OF A SKOPJAN MARBLE

[12] AN ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE DELEGATION IS IN BELGRADE

[13] THE 5TH ROUND OF TALKS ON CYPRUS HAS BEEN COMPLETED

[14] THE FOUR-DAY VISIT OF THE ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH TO THE UNITED STATES

[01] MEETING OF THE MAYORS OF THESSALONIKI AND PRUSSA

Mayor of the Turkish city of Prussa Erdogan Bilenser, speaking in Thessaloniki's city council meeting that was held today and was attended by the representatives of 18 Turkish local administration institutions, referred to the Greek-Turkish cooperation in the cultural sector.

After the city council meeting, Thessaloniki's mayor Vasilis Papageorgopoulos stated that they had the opportunity to exchange views on the local administration and examine ways to forge closer friendship ties.

Mr. Papageorgopoulos also announced that the municipality of Thessaloniki has invited the mayors of the 30 largest municipalities in the Balkans to a friendship and cooperation meeting on December 9-10. Among them will be the mayor of Prussa and the goal of the meeting is to exchange views on cultural issues. Mr. Papageorgopoulos also accepted Mr. Bilenser's invitation to visit Prussa for a second round of talks.

[02] SE EUROPES ECON. AFFAIRS BUREAU IN THESSALONIKI

The Bureau of Southeastern Europe's International Economic Relations is to be established in Thessaloniki, in order to oversee coordination and support the activities of northern Greece's firms in the wider region.

According to the undersecretary of national economy Ioannis Zafiropoulos, the Bureau is to be founded by the Ministry of National Economy within the framework of a recent bill calling for the optimized overview of the activities carried out by the National Plan for Balkan Reconstruction. The said Plan, a five-year project, is budgeted at GRD180 billion.

In a recent address before a business forum organized by Thessaloniki's Chamber of Small Industries, which reviewed the economic course of Balkan and Black Sea countries, Mr. Zafiropoulos stated that the Ministry has already briefed the receiving countries' officials on the activities of the Reconstruction Plan.

The Ministry has also received various proposals tabled by these countries on the projects that are deemed on their behalf as priorities.

A.F.

[03] REPPAS ON THE EU-TURKEY PARTNERSHIP RELATION

Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas referring to the EU-Turkey partnership relation document stated that this development does not mean one side has dominated but it must be seen as simply a natural consequence and follow-up to the EU decision in Helsinki which must be implemented.

He said that the Helsinki Summit meeting has set a framework of relations for the EU and Turkey which takes under consideration the EU interests and Turkey's interests as well.

Regarding the Cyprus problem, Mr. Reppas stated that Greece has expressed the view that it must be included in the EU-Turkey partnership relation text, adding that Greece still backs this position. Mr. Reppas stated that Greece believes that Cyprus will be the main point based on which Turkey's stance will be assessed in terms of its effort to become part of Europe.

[04] A GREEK POLICE BUS CARRYING BORDER GUARDS WAS ATTACKED BY GUNMEN

A Greek police bus carrying border guards became the target of an attack by unidentified gunmen at noon today, about 50 kilometers north of the city of Ioannina, in north-western Greece.

The driver of the police bus was slightly injured in the attack and was taken to the Ioannina Hospital.

According to information, the border guards were headed to the borders with Albania to replace other colleagues. A large police operation is underway for the arrest of the gunmen.

[05] TSOCHATZOPOULOS: THE EUROFIGHTER WILL SERVE GREECE'S STRATEGIC AND NATIONAL INTERESTS

The negotiation for the purchase of 60 Eurofighter fighter jets in an adequately satisfactory price will be completed in the next two weeks, stated Greek minister of defense Akis Tsochatzopoulos responding to a relevant question made in parliament by an opposition deputy.

At the same time, he pointed out that the government's choice to purchase the Eurofighter jets will give the opportunity to Greece to be included on an equal basis in a consortium of four European countries namely, Britain, France, Germany and Spain for the production of 700 fourth generation aircraft.

Mr. Tsochatzopoulos stated that with this choice Greece's strategic interests will be served as the country's defense industry will be strengthened, while its armaments' needs will be covered.

[06] GREEK CENTER OF INVESTMENTS: PROGRAM FOR THE SUPPORT OF INVESTMENTS IN GREECE

A pilot program aimed at recording the development opportunities in seven prefectures in Greece namely, Evros, Xanthi, Rodopi, Imathia, Fthiotida, Kozani and Achaia and at listing the existing infrastructures in each of those regions, is being materialized by the Greek Center of Investments, according to statements made by the center's investment network director Efthimios Mouratidis in a press conference in Thessaloniki today on the occasion of the Balkan Partnership 2000 forum held in the city.

According to Mr. Mouratidis, a big investment interest has already been expressed by the United States, Britain, Germany and Japan through important agreements that will either materialize soon or have already materialized inside the Greek borders.

The Greek Center of Investments, that was founded in 1996 and is financed by the European Union and the state budget, offers support to investors, who are active in Greece, both during and after the materialization of their investments.

[07] LOSSES AGAIN IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE

Losses of 0.50% were recorded in the Athens Stock Exchange and the general index dropped to 3.618,91 points. The volume of transactions was very disappointing reaching just 31.59 billion drachmas.

Of the stocks trading today, 116 recorded gains, 221 had losses and 45 remained unchanged.

The uncertainty and nervousness of the investors in combination with the lack of good domestic news are the main factors responsible for the existing negative climate in the Greek stock market.

[08] GREEK GOVERNMENT DELEGATION TO BELGRADE-SOFIA-SKOPJE

A Greek government delegation made up of minister of national economy Yiannos Papantoniou, minister of Macedonia-Thrace Giorgos Paschalidis and undersecretary of national economy Yiannis Zafiropoulos will visit Belgrade, Sofia and Skopje on November 12-14.

The goal of their visit is to record the sectors that can be included in the 180 billion drachmas Greek Plan for the reconstruction of the Balkans.

It should be noted that the ministry of Macedonia-Thrace will establish a special office aimed at coordinating the actions within the framework of the Greek Plan for the reconstruction of the Balkans.

[09] THE FYROM MINISTER OF FINANCE IS IN THESSALONIKI

FYROM minister of finance Borko Andreev is in Thessaloniki to attend the Balkan cooperation forum "Balkan Partnership 2000".

In the forum participate 20 businesses from FYROM in a total of 127 businesses representing the whole Balkan region.

[10] METROPOLITAN OF KASSANDRIA SYNESIOS DIES AT 88

The Metropolitan of Kassandria Synesios, the oldest member of the Holy Synod, passed away yesterday in Thessaloniki. He was 88 years old.

Suffering from a respiratory ailment, Synesios had been hospitalized at the intensive care unit of the Papageorgiou hospital in Thessaloniki since early September.

He will be laid to rest on Sunday, November 12, in Athens. Archbishop of Athens and All of Greece Christodoulos will attend the funeral.

A.F.

[11] TWO GREEK FIRMS ARE AMONG THE PROSPECTIVE BUYERS OF A SKOPJAN MARBLE INDUSTRY PLANT

Two Greek firms are among the five prospective buyers of a marble processing industry plant based at Bitola in FYROM.

According to the Skopje newspaper "Dnevnik", they are "FHL Kiriakidis" and "Lazaridis Group". Based on information available to the newspaper, the proposal of "FHL Kiriakidis" is regarded as more tempting as it has pledged to avoid any layoffs and increase the wages of the employees by 25% annually. In addition, it has pledged to pension off those over the age of 55 after compensating them with the sum of DM 10.000.

[12] AN ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE DELEGATION IS IN BELGRADE

An Athens Stock Exchange delegation, headed by its vice-president Sokratis Lazaridis, is in Belgrade for talks within the framework of the cooperation that is underway with the stock market of the Yugoslav capital.

The goal of the visit is the briefing of the Greek delegation on the operation of the Belgrade Stock Market before a specific form of cooperation gets underway based on the agreement that is expected to be signed on November13, according to the newspaper "Danas".

[13] THE 5TH ROUND OF TALKS ON CYPRUS HAS BEEN COMPLETED

UN secretary-general special adviser on Cyprus Mr. Alvaro de Soto stated today that the two sides in Cyprus are not completely or equally satisfied with what took place in Geneva because it is impossible keep everybody happy.

Speaking in a press conference in Geneva on the occasion of the completion of the 5th round of talks on Cyprus, Mr. de Soto stated that a lot of work has been done.

After the 35minute meeting he had today with Cypriot president Glafkos Clerides, Mr. de Soto maintained that the United Nations do not pressure anyone to continue the talks in January expressing, however, the wish that both parties will return to Geneva.

[14] THE FOUR-DAY VISIT OF THE ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH TO THE UNITED STATES STARTS TODAY

Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos is on a four-day visit to the United States starting today. The first stop of his visit is the city of Detroit where he will stay until November 12 and then he will visit the seat of the Archbishopric in New York. It is the third visit to the United States for the Ecumenical Patriarch since his big tour in the fall of 1997.

Recognizing the sensitivity of the Ecumenical Patriarch on environmental issues, the ecological organization Scenic Hudson of New York will honor him with the international award for insight and achievements on issues concerning the protection of the environment.

The Ecumenical Patriarch's visit to New York will end with the inauguration of the "Mary and Michail Tzacharis" Byzantine Art Halls in New York's Metropolitan Museum.

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