Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 00-11-25

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

CONTENTS

[01] A GREEK RECEIVED THE NAYLOR PRIZE FOR MATHEMATICS

[02] DECLARATION OF THE 6th INTERBALKAN CONFERENCE: «NEW TECHNOLOGIES IN MASS MEDIA FOR THE INTERBALKAN COOPERATION»

[03] THE ROLE OF THE NEWS AGENCIES IN THE INTERNET ERA

[04] GREEK JOURNALISTS UNIONS SUPPORT GENCEL

[05] THE DAILY PRESS WILL NOT LOSE THE BATTLE WITH THE INTERNET

[06] EX-JOURNALIST GENCEL SPEAKS AT MPA CONFERENCE

[07] THE IOC VICE-PRESIDENT IS SATISFIED WITH THE ATHENS OLYMPIC GAMES

[08] ABOUT 2.000 PEOPLE ARE KILLED EACH YEAR IN TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS

[09] PAPANDREOU'S LETTER TO HIS EU COUNTERPARTS

[10] THE GREEK DEFENSE MINISTER ON DENKTASH'S WITHDRAWAL FROM THE CYPRUS

[11] THE EU ENLARGEMENT AT THE CENTER OF THE SIMITIS-CHIRAC TALKS

[01] A GREEK RECEIVED THE NAYLOR PRIZE FOR MATHEMATICS

London's Imperial College professor Thanasis Fokas received this year's Naylor prize for mathematics which is the most recognized prize for Applied Mathematics at an international level. It is also called the "Nobel" for mathematics and it was awarded to Mr. Fokas by the British Mathematics Society.

Mr. Fokas is the first non British scientist who is honored with this prize and he is regarded as an authority on linear and non linear equations. Generally, there is no solution for the linear equations but a method was discovered 20 years ago that solves many of the non linear equations. Mr. Fokas discovered a way to generalize this method and used it for the solution of linear equations as well.

This discovery by Mr. Fokas was recognized as one of the most significant developments in this sector since the 17th century.

[02] DECLARATION OF THE 6th INTERBALKAN CONFERENCE: «NEW TECHNOLOGIES IN MASS MEDIA FOR THE INTERBALKAN COOPERATION»

At the completion of the 6th Inter-Balkan journalism Conference based on the topic "New technologies in Mass Media for the development of inter - Balkan cooperation", the participants approved unanimously of a declaration, in which they stress the necessity of improvement of friendship, mutual understanding and peaceful coexistence in southeastern Europe. In addition, the participants appealed to the European Union and to other international organizations to help with the promotion of these goals. The complete message of the declaration is as follows:

We, the participants of the 6th Inter-Balkan Journalism- directors, chief editors and executives from over 60 mass media organisations from all over the Balkan region, having taken part in the conference which was organised by the Macedonian Press Agency (MPA), on the theme New technologies for the development of inter-Balkan cooperation, warmly salute this initiative, which has now risen to become an institution and call upon the mass media organisations, state organisations and non-governmental organisations, with particular emphasis on the governments of Southeastern Europe, to intensify their efforts as well as to provide their help for the development of inter-Balkan cooperation, in order to further improve friendship, mutual understanding and peaceful coexistence in our area, while eradicating nationalism, chauvinism and distrust which have so negatively affected the Balkans in recent years. Furthermore, the concentration of power over mass media organisations under a small number of businesses should be avoided, so that freedom of press and of speech are not suffocated.

We believe that the European Union, together with other international organisations should support and promote these goals, whereas by offering material and moral support, should give mass media organisations of Southeastern Europe the opportunity to improve their position as far as inter-Balkan cooperation is concerned, while conveying the European ideal and the values of freedom and democracy in our fragile region.

Finally, we call upon the governments of Balkan countries as well as of the European Union to help in the free movement of journalists and to simplify the necessary procedures (for obtaining visas etc), with the aim of removing the obstacles facing journalists, thus enabling them to positively continue their work.

[03] THE ROLE OF THE NEWS AGENCIES IN THE INTERNET ERA

Editors, journalists and owners of news agencies must look for new formulas in the following years for the exploitation of the Internet to the benefit of the Balkan mass media, stated Albania's ATA news agency director Frok Cupi speaking in MPA's 6th Inter-Balkan Journalist Conference.

The belief that eastern Europe has serious problems in its adjustment to the information technology was expressed by Romania's ROMPRESS news agency general director Constantin Badea, who added that there is a need for able professionals and a lack of economic resources.

A key-factor to the further upgrading of journalism is knowledge, especially in the new environment created by the technological progress, according to Athens News Agency, ANA, general director Andreas Christodoulidis, president of the Association of Balkan News Agencies, ABNA.

The effective implementation of the new technologies in the mass media is of vital importance for the promotion of cooperation among the Balkan news agencies, stated Yugoslav TANJUG news agency international news editor-in-chief Predrag Tolpa.

The view that the spread of the use of the Internet threatens the press and the audio-visual media was expressed by Turkish news agency Anadolu general director Mehmet Guler.

Macedonian Press Agency general director Spiros Kouzinopoulos referred to the excellent cooperation among the Balkan news agencies and pointed out that they always try to keep the tones down in periods of tension. He used as an example the Imia crisis, when certain electronic mass media were reporting that Greece and Turkey were at the verge of war, and stated that the news agencies ANA, MPA and Anadolu were in constant contact with each other and were reporting the events in a reliable and consistent way.

[04] GREEK JOURNALISTS UNIONS SUPPORT GENCEL

The representative of the Journalists Union of Athens, Sofia Voultepsi, expressed the Union's wish to take action with the aim of reinstating the ex-journalist Suleyman Gencel to his old job at the Turkish newspaper Yeni Asir and stressed that it is prepared to take the matter to the European council of ministers.

Speaking in response to the announcement made by the Turkish journalist at the Macedonian Press Agency's 6th Inter-Balkan Journalists conference currently being held in Thessaloniki, Ms Voultepsi stated that "no-one should be fired because of his opinions. The Journalists Union of Athens will take the issue to the European Council, to reinstate Mr Gencel".

The President of the Journalists Union of Macedonia and Thrace General Secretary Vasilis Papadimoulis also expressed support for Mr Gencel's plight: "the syndicalists that don't succumb to pressure always face problems in the work environment. We would like to support any future efforts to reinstate Mr Gencel in his previous job".

[05] THE DAILY PRESS WILL NOT LOSE THE BATTLE WITH THE INTERNET

The daily newspapers must make a strong effort in the immediate future in order to keep their readers and not lose them to the developing electronic mass media and the Internet. However, it is believed that the newspapers will win new readers among the younger generations through their web pages on the Internet.

Especially, in south-eastern Europe the printed media appear to be in no immediate danger as a result of the competition with the Cyberspace, according to board of directors president of the Yugoslav newspaper "Danas" Radomir Licina, who was one of the speakers in MPA's 6th Inter-Balkan Journalist Conference. He said that just 2% of the earth's population has an access to computers and the Internet, while in the Balkans the percentage is even smaller, adding that the real problem for the editors and the journalists is the protection of copyright on the Internet.

Athens daily "Adesmeftos Tipos" director Dimitris Rizos stated that the computer use explosion in Greece coincides with an unprecedented loss of newspaper readers. He stated that there are about 20 daily newspapers in Athens with a total circulation of 400.000 issues when in the past just one newspaper could sell over 220.000 issues a day.

Head of publications in the "Makedoniki Ekdotiki" publishing, Traianos Hatzidimitriou stated that the spread of the use of the Internet will change the way people think and stressed that already communication tends to replace information.

The creation of a Network of Journalists and Personalities of mass media, named "Communication Bridges" was proposed by Bulgarian "Monitor" newspaper international news editor-in-chief Vecheslav Tunev.

FYROM magazine "PULS" editor-in-chief Mirce Tomovski referred to the important role of the mass media and technology in the cooperation of the peoples. He added that the Balkan countries are in a geographic and information ghetto and this affects their cooperation. The solution to the problem can be to make the media in the region more European and independent and implement new technologies.

Athens newspaper "Ependitis" director Mr. Nikos Felekis expressed the belief that the press will not lose the battle with the new technologies, pointing out that the competition among the newspapers is the biggest problem.

"Capital market" magazine and "Financial Information Service" editor-in-chief Vladimir Sadev referred to the obstacles faced by the people when they try to be informed using the Internet as a result of the fact that there are numerous sources of information available to them, while he also spoke about the "technically illiterate" users.

The view that the adoption of new technologies in the modern way of life has led to the division of society into two new classes, those who have access to the Internet and those who do not, was presented by Mr. Razvan Serbu, head of the computer science department in Romania's "Adevarul" newspaper.

Macedonian Press Agency head of the documentation department Mr. Vlasis Vlasidis referred to the MPA site on the Internet and stated that in 1994 it decided to use the Internet to sent news items to his subscribers namely, other mass media and individual Internet users.

He said that in 1997, MPA began collecting money from Internet sites that were interested in receiving its news items, while just in the two-month period of August-September 2000 it collected over 10 million drachmas from ads.

In conclusion, he referred to the future plans of the MPA concerning the Internet namely, to sell archive news to individual users, sell photographs through web to third parties and journalist organizations and cooperate with the rest Balkan news agencies to create a data base on the Internet with information on every country.

Governing socialist party of PASOK Euro-deputy Yiannis Koukiadis stated that the MPA organized 6th Inter-Balkan Journalist Conference is a very important event. He also referred to ABNA's success in the area of the Inter-Balkan cooperation and pointed out that the European Union backs any action that promotes partnership relations, adding that the Euro-parliament and the rest European institutions are now more positive toward the Balkans regarding their funding. He mentioned characteristically that the Balkans are now included in the MEDA program that initially concerned the Mediterranean countries, while the Interreg program and the Stability Pact for south-eastern Europe aim at the economic support of the countries in the region.

[06] EX-JOURNALIST GENCEL SPEAKS AT MPA CONFERENCE

Turkish journalist Suleyman Gencel who was recently fired from the Turkish newspaper Yeni Ashir, as a result of his position as President of the Progressive Editors Union, which supports freedom of press, today criticised the negative position of journalists in his country.

In order to keep his job in semi-democratic Turkey, Mr Gencel had to maintain close relations with politicians and stated that it was common for journalists sharing his views to be fired.

He also stated that digital mass organisations, which include 9 electronic newspapers with 2 million readers, are constantly increasing, but have to deal with various bans. According to Mr Gencel, three of these newspapers offer liberal and balanced information on matters such as freedom of press and minorities, and employ most of the journalists who were fired from the country's traditional mass media organisations.

[07] THE IOC VICE-PRESIDENT IS SATISFIED WITH THE ATHENS OLYMPIC GAMES PREPARATIONS

International Olympic Committee, IOC, vice-president Jacques Rogge stated that he is totally satisfied with the course of the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens after completing the inspection of the Olympic Games projects yesterday.

Athens has covered the lost ground and is at the same level Sydney was, stated Mr. Rogge, who characterized as realistic the timetable set, expressing the certainty that there will be no security problem during the games.

[08] ABOUT 2.000 PEOPLE ARE KILLED EACH YEAR IN TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS

The number of traffic accidents dropped by over 10% in the road network of the prefecture of Thessaloniki in northern Greece in the first 10 months of the current year, while in the same period of time the number of traffic accidents' victims dropped by 18%.

Over 20.000 traffic accidents are recorded in Greece every year and about 2.000 people are killed, while the injured are estimated at 30.000.

The figures mentioned above were provided by Thessaloniki's Police Director yesterday in the opening of the 4th Traffic Police Exhibition held in the city.

[09] PAPANDREOU'S LETTER TO HIS EU COUNTERPARTS

Greek foreign minister Giorgos Papandreou addressed a letter to his EU counterparts concerning the under discussion EU-Turkey partnership relation.

Mr. Papandreou called on his counterparts to avoid showing selective sensitivity and stressed that in the case of Turkey they must implement everything that is in effect for the rest EU candidate states, while the likelihood to reject the partnership relation for the time being was left open.

Mr. Papandreou will be in Vienna tomorrow to attend the 8th Summit meeting of the OSCE foreign ministers that will focus on the situation in Yugoslavia, the Caucasus and central-east Asia.

[10] THE GREEK DEFENSE MINISTER ON DENKTASH'S WITHDRAWAL FROM THE CYPRUS TALKS

Greek minister of defense Akis Tsochatzopoulos called on Ankara to secure the opportunity for the Greek Cypriots and the Turkish Cypriots to become members of the European Union.

Mr. Tsochatzopoulos stressed that the Turkish army through the ethnic cleansing has turned Cyprus into Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Meanwhile, Mr. Tsochatzopoulos will be in Belgrade on Monday where he will sign a defense cooperation agreement with his Yugoslav counterpart Slobodan Krapovic.

[11] THE EU ENLARGEMENT AT THE CENTER OF THE SIMITIS-CHIRAC TALKS

The European Union enlargement, the relations with Turkey and the "mad cow" disease, were the issues that were discussed in the meeting prime minister Kostas Simitis had with French president Jacques Chirac in Athens yesterday.

Mr. Simitis appeared to be firm in his position regarding the future composition of the United Europe, which is shared by other nine small EU countries. However, he stated that he will study the alternative proposal submitted by the French president.

On the issue of the "mad cow" disease they said that the health of the consumers is the priority and Mr. Simitis stated that it can be protected only through joint decisions.

Commenting on the Rauf Denktash statements that there is a likelihood for him to withdraw from the talks on Cyprus, Mr. Chirac stated that common sense must prevail.

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