Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 00-11-27

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

CONTENTS

[01] STATE FUNDING FOR THE COOPERATION PROGRAM BETWEEN THE HOSPITALS OF

[02] ARRESTS OF GREEK MINORITY MEMBERS IN ANO DROPOLIS

[03] SIGNIFICANT ACTIVITIES BY THE GREEK BRANCH OF THE ASSOCIATION OF

[04] REPPAS: NEGATIVE AND PROVOCATIVE THE STANCE ADOPTED BY ANKARA AND THE

[05] THE BULGARIAN PRESIDENT WILL BE IN GREECE NEXT WEEK

[06] REPPAS: HISTORICALLY AND MORALLY UNACCEPTABLE THE DEMANDS OF THE FORMER

[07] BEGLITIS: FYROM'S NAME IS THE LAST REMAINING PROBLEM IN THE RELATIONS

[08] LOSSES 0.28% IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE

[09] MEDIA PLUS WILL BE IN EFFECT IN JANUARY

[10] GLIKERIA WILL BE IN TIRANA FOR A CHARITY EVENT

[11] ΡΟΜΠΟΤ ΜΕ ΕΓΚΕΦΑΛΟ ΨΑΡΙΟΥ ΣΤΟ ΜΟΥΣΕΙΟ ΕΠΙΣΤΗΜΩΝ ΤΟΥ ΛΟΝΔΙΝΟΥ

[12] ECOFIN TO DISCUSS EU STOCK MARKETS UNIFICATION

[01] STATE FUNDING FOR THE COOPERATION PROGRAM BETWEEN THE HOSPITALS OF "PAPANIKOLAOU" AND "CYRILUS AND METHODIUS"

Favorable are the prospects for the materialization of the cooperation program between the "Papanikolaou" Hospital Hematological Clinic in Thessaloniki and the "Cyrilus and Methodius" Hospital in Skopje after the pledge made by the government to partially finance it.

Undersecretary of foreign affairs Grigoris Niotis pledged to submit a 253 million drachmas proposal and according to the 2001 cooperation program, 10 patients from FYROM will undergo a bone marrow transplant by Greek doctors in "Papanikolaou" Hospital, while 3-5 doctors from the neighboring country will be trained in the bone marrow transplants.

Already, 4 doctors and 3 nurses have been trained in Greece, while the first 2 bone marrow transplants in the history of FYROM have become a reality.

[02] ARRESTS OF GREEK MINORITY MEMBERS IN ANO DROPOLIS

Police forces in Ghirokastra yesterday attempted to forcefully place an Albanian from Lazarati as the owner of the private pasture land that belongs to Greek minority members in the Zervatio community of Ano Dropolis in Albania.

The specific individual, who claims to be the owner of the land, is facing legal procedures accused of having forged the title-deeds he presents. After a strong protest by the community residents, police arrested the village elder and three other members of the Greek minority, who were later released.

Greek minority "Omonia" organization president Vangelis Dule stated to MPA that these incidents come to confirm once again that a strong attempt is being made to snatch the property of the Greek minority with the direct involvement of the state structures.

Mr. Dule stressed that taking under consideration the recent incidents in Himara and the international community outcry for the violation of the Greek minority rights, the latest incident strengthens the view that there is a well-orchestrated plan to shrink the Greek minority in Albania both politically and in terms of land ownership.

[03] SIGNIFICANT ACTIVITIES BY THE GREEK BRANCH OF THE ASSOCIATION OF EUROPEAN JOURNALISTS

The activities of the Greek branch of the Association of European Journalists were significant in the period 1999-2000, according to its annual report.

Specifically, in the period of September 1999-September 2000 the Greek branch gave the Kalliga awards to David Haworth, Irene Nikolopoulou and Nikos Kiriazidis. Also, in the same period of time, the Citizens of Europe program materialized. The program was financed by the EU by 50% and the rest 50% was covered by its own funds.

At the same time, a research study was issued on the job opportunities opened in the regions of Athens and northern Greece. The specific study was conducted by the European program More Color in the Media.

Finally, the two seminars that were organized in the central Greek city of Lamia and the Aegean island of Chios on the adoption of the Euro by the Greek economy were characterized as very successful.

[04] REPPAS: NEGATIVE AND PROVOCATIVE THE STANCE ADOPTED BY ANKARA AND THE TURKISH CYPRIOT PSEUDOSTATE

Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas characterized as negative and provocative the stance adopted by Ankara and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash referring to their decision to withdraw from the fifth round of the talks for the solution of the Cyprus problem.

Mr. Reppas expressed the hope that they will change their stance and underlined that the international community must take under consideration Ankara's and Rauf Denktash's stance.

With their decision, stated Mr. Reppas, they show that they are not interested in the progress of the procedure for the solution of the Cyprus problem.

[05] THE BULGARIAN PRESIDENT WILL BE IN GREECE NEXT WEEK

Bulgarian president Petar Stoyanov will be on a two-day visit to Greece next week at the invitation of his counterpart Greek president Kostis Stephanopoulos.

The visit, scheduled to take place on December 4-5, is regarded as an important step in the consolidation of the present level in bilateral relations.

The Bulgarian president had planned a formal visit to Greece in July 1997, while in September 1999 he came to Greece for vacation.

Mr. Stephanopoulos' last visit to Bulgaria was held in May 1999.

[06] REPPAS: HISTORICALLY AND MORALLY UNACCEPTABLE THE DEMANDS OF THE FORMER KING

Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas characterized as unacceptable the demands of the former King, underlining that the government will back its positions firmly until the end and will support strongly the public interest.

Responding to questions on the issue of the royal property, the Greek government spokesman stated that Greece will not discuss the issue and will not negotiate with powers that are against Greece's interests. Mr. Reppas concluded that the demands expressed by the former King are historically and morally unacceptable.

[07] BEGLITIS: FYROM'S NAME IS THE LAST REMAINING PROBLEM IN THE RELATIONS WITH GREECE

The developments in FYROM concern the country itself and Greece does not want to comment on them or intervene, stated foreign ministry spokesman Panos Beglitis, adding that Greece is interested in the developments but does not believe that they will affect the very good climate between the two countries.

On the issue of the name, Mr. Beglitis stressed that the negotiations continue within the framework of the UN and referred to the meeting prime minister Simitis and foreign minister Papandreou had in Zagreb with FYROM prime minister Georgievski in which the two sides reaffirmed their will for a mutually acceptable solution.

He also pointed out that the issue of FYROM's name is the last remaining problem in bilateral relations and its solution will contribute greatly to their further development.

[08] LOSSES 0.28% IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE

Small losses of 0.28% were recorded in the Athens Stock Exchange today and the general index was at 3.312,08 points, while the volume of transactions was small at 49.2 billion drachmas.

Of the stocks trading today 256 recorded losses, 84 had gains and 24 remained unchanged.

[09] MEDIA PLUS WILL BE IN EFFECT IN JANUARY

The community program Media Plus for the encouragement of film creators, which has an estimated budget of 400 million Euros, is expected to start materializing in January 2001.

The above were announced by European Commissioner Viviane Redding, responsible for issues of culture and education, within the framework of the 38th Conference of European Journalists Association that is being held in Thessaloniki today.

Meanwhile, Ms. Redding characterized the year 2001 as the European languages year underlining among others, the need to create networks that will make communication easier. Referring to the digital technology, she stated that it is an opportunity that must be used by the young with caution and stressed that journalists must operate as a "filter" underlining the need to protect Europe's cultural diversity.

[10] GLIKERIA WILL BE IN TIRANA FOR A CHARITY EVENT

Famous Greek singer Glikeria will give a concert in Tirana on December 12. The concert is organized by the Greek embassy press office in Tirana and will be held within the framework of a charity event.

The proceeds will be given to the ministry of public order for the economic support of the families of the police officers who lost their lives in the uprising that took place in Albania in 1997.

[11] ΡΟΜΠΟΤ ΜΕ ΕΓΚΕΦΑΛΟ ΨΑΡΙΟΥ ΣΤΟ ΜΟΥΣΕΙΟ ΕΠΙΣΤΗΜΩΝ ΤΟΥ ΛΟΝΔΙΝΟΥ

Ερευνητές του πανεπιστήμιου Northwestern των ΗΠΑ παρουσίασαν σήμερα στο Μουσείο Επιστημών του Λονδίνου ένα ρομπότ, το οποίο καθοδηγείται από τον εγκέφαλο ενός ψαριού και ελπίζουν ότι στο μέλλον, η μέθοδος θα χρησιμεύσει στην ανάπτυξη βελτιωμένων τεχνητών άκρων.

Το ψάρι λαμβάνει οπτικά μηνύματα από ειδικούς αισθητήρες, τα οποία μεταφέρει στο μηχανισμό του ρομπότ. Ο εγκέφαλος του ψαριού που χρησιμοποείται στο πείραμα, είναι αυτός που συντονίζει τις κινήσεις του ψαριού στο νερό, ενώ όταν συνδέεται με συγκεκριμένη συσκευή καθοδηγεί το ρομπότ.

Οι ερευνητές ανέπτυξαν το σύστημα για να μελετήσουν τον τρόπο με τον οποίο ο εγκέφαλος των ζώων και του ανθρώπου δίνει εντολές για τις κινήσεις, ενώ πιστεύουν ότι το πείραμα αυτό θα συνεισφέρει στην ανάπτυξη βελτιωμένων τεχνητών ακρών.

Σημειώνεται ότι οι ερευνητές πιστεύουν ότι στο μέλλον, τα τεχνητά πόδια και χέρια θα συνδέονται απευθείας με τον εγκέφαλο των ανθρώπων, που θα έχει τη δυνατότητα να καθοδηγεί τα τεχνητά άκρα.

[12] ECOFIN TO DISCUSS EU STOCK MARKETS UNIFICATION

An interim report on the unification of European stock markets is to be reviewed during a European Union Finance Ministers' Council (ECOFIN) session in Brussels today, to be attended by Greece's National Economy Minister Yiannos Papantoniou and the chairman of the government's economic think tank, Vasilis Rapanos.

The meeting's agenda also includes a presentation of the Commission's annual progress report on the action plan for the financial sector, a discussion of medium-term fiscal stability in candidate member-states, and a review of progress in the introduction of VAT in e-commerce as well as a presentation of the Court of Auditors' annual report for 1999, discussion of the French presidency's proposals regarding taxation on non-residents' bank deposits, a code of ethics for businesses and interest payments and the rights of affiliate companies.

A.F.

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