Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 00-12-22

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

CONTENTS

[01] REPPAS: TOTAL COINCIDENCE OF VIEWS BETWEEN THE GREEK AND THE CYPRIOT

[02] REPPAS ON THE SAFETY OF THE GREEK AIRPORTS

[03] MARGINAL LOSSES IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE

[04] THE ASSOCIATION OF DAILY NEWSPAPERS' JOURNALISTS IN MACEDONIA-THRACE

[05] THE NATO EXERCISE "DISTANT THUNDER" HAS BEEN CANCELED

[06] SOLBES MIRA ON GREECE'S FISCAL PROGRAM

[07] THE FUNERAL OF THE PATRIARCH OF JERUSALEM WAS HELD TODAY

[08] SIMITIS WILL VISIT INDIA IN FEBRUARY

[01] REPPAS: TOTAL COINCIDENCE OF VIEWS BETWEEN THE GREEK AND THE CYPRIOT GOVERNMENTS

Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas called on the international community for more action and effectiveness, when he was asked to comment on the Turkish Cypriot regime decision to impose a 3month prison sentence to Greek Cypriot contractor Panikos Tziakourmas, who was abducted while on British bases territory in Cyprus.

Mr. Reppas stated that the international community and the foreign governments even though they see that the occupation forces are responsible for such aggressive actions they do not do anything more than pointing out the responsibilities that belong to Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash and the forces he controls.

The international community should be more dynamic in order to handle such actions more effectively, pointed out Mr. Reppas, stressing that there is total coincidence of views between the Greek and the Turkish government.

[02] REPPAS ON THE SAFETY OF THE GREEK AIRPORTS

The flights from the Greek airports are safe, while the Greek airports operate in a safe way, reiterated today Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas responding to a relevant question by reporters.

Mr. Reppas added that Greece will undertake all necessary initiatives to overcome as soon as possible the situation that has been created and return to normal the cooperation between the responsible civil aviation authorities in Greece and the United States.

[03] MARGINAL LOSSES IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE

Marginal losses of 0.09% were recorded in the Athens Stock Exchange today. The general index was 3.397,90 points and the volume of transactions was small at just 33 billion drachmas.

Of the stocks trading today, 126 recorded gains, 205 had losses and the value of 34 remained unchanged.

[04] THE ASSOCIATION OF DAILY NEWSPAPERS' JOURNALISTS IN MACEDONIA-THRACE CONDEMNED THE ARMED INTERVENTION IN THE TURKISH PRISONS

The Association of Daily Newspapers' Journalists in Macedonia-Thrace in a statement it has issued condemned the barbaric behavior of the Turkish leadership toward the political prisoners in the country and called on all the Turkish journalists to rise to the occasion by revealing and condemning the crime that is being committed against democracy, freedom and human dignity.

In the association's statement it is mentioned that the premeditated crime in Turkey, which has as victims the 12.000 political prisoners in the country, continues for a fifth day and tens of people have been killed while hundreds have been injured so far.

The association condemns the barbaric behavior and calls on the EU member-states to think that human rights is a protected value everywhere and always and it is not protected in a selective manner depending on whether the political situation allows for it.

[05] THE NATO EXERCISE "DISTANT THUNDER" HAS BEEN CANCELED

The NATO exercise "Distant Thunder", scheduled to take place in the Adriatic and the Ionian Sea in May 2001, has been canceled after objections raised by Turkey.

According to the Athens radio station "Flash", commander of the allied forces in southern Europe general Elis announced in a letter addressed to National Defense General Staff Chief general Manousos Paragioudakis his decision to cancel the exercise, saying that the cancellation was necessary because the study of the conclusions reached in the previous exercise has not been completed yet.

[06] SOLBES MIRA ON GREECE'S FISCAL PROGRAM

European Commissioner Pedro Solbes Mira, responsible for economic and monetary affairs, attributed the problems faced by Greece in the economic sector to the oil price increases, speaking in a presentation of a European Commission report on the contribution of the EU member-states fiscal programs to development.

Greece was accepted in the Euro-zone due to its successful efforts in the economic sector and because it responded fully to the Maastricht criteria for its accession into the Economic and Monetary Union, stated the European Commissioner.

[07] THE FUNERAL OF THE PATRIARCH OF JERUSALEM WAS HELD TODAY

The funeral of Patriarch Diodoros of Jerusalem was held in Jerusalem today in the presence of representatives of states and all the Christian Orthodox Churches. The Greek state was represented by undersecretary of foreign affairs Grigoris Niotis and the Greek Church by Archbishop Christodoulos of Athens and All of Greece.

The Patriarch suffered from kidney failure and died last Tuesday evening, while earlier he had a heard attack.

Patriarch Diodoros was born in the northeastern Aegean island of Chios in 1923 and in 1938 went to Jerusalem where he finished high school and became a monk. In 1952 he was admitted in the Athens University Theology School. He graduated in 1957 and returned to Jerusalem. On February 3, 1981 he was elected Patriarch of Jerusalem.

He founded schools, nursery schools, orphanages and hospitals, while he contributed to the restoration of historical monasteries and the improved guarding of the holy sites.

Most favorites to replace him to the Patriarchate of Jerusalem are Metropolite Erineos of Ierapolis, Metropolite Cornelius of Sevastia and Metropolite Timotheos of Vostron.

[08] SIMITIS WILL VISIT INDIA IN FEBRUARY

The foreign ministers of Greece and India stated after the meeting they had in New Delhi today that the visit of Greek prime minister Kostas Simitis to India in February will give a new boost to the further growth of bilateral relations.

Meanwhile, working groups will be formed by the two sides that will undertake the preparations for the visit and examine the issues that will be discussed for the further development of bilateral relations. The two foreign ministers also stated that steps can be made in the economic cooperation sector as well.

The meeting of the two ministers was held in a very positive climate and the Hindu foreign minister stressed that Greece is a factor of peace in the region being a UN and a NATO member.

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