Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 01-02-22

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

CONTENTS

[01] YASSER ARAFAT WILL BE IN ATHENS ON SATURDAY

[02] SPECIAL SECURITY MEASURES FOR THE INTER-BALKAN SUMMIT MEETING IN SKOPJE

[03] NO DEVELOPMENT IS EXPECTED ON THE ISSUE OF THE FYROM NAME

[04] OVER 100 MILLION PEOPLE ARE HOMELESS WORLDWIDE

[05] THE DEVELOPMENT MINISTER ON THE LIBERALIZATION OF THE ENERGY MARKET

[06] LOSSES WERE RECORDED IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE

[07] A DELEGATION OF PAN-MACEDONIAN ASSOCIATIONS IS ON A VISIT TO ATHENS

[08] NIMITZ: THERE ARE NO SPECIFIC PROPOSALS ON THE FYROM NAME

[09] THE PAN-MACEDONIAN ASSOCIATIONS SAY "NO" TO A SETTLEMENT ON THE FYROM

[01] YASSER ARAFAT WILL BE IN ATHENS ON SATURDAY

Palestinian president Yasser Arafat is possible to visit Athens on Saturday, according to government sources.

Mr. Arafat requested to visit Greece and have a meeting with prime minister Kostas Simitis. The same sources mentioned that the Greek side has accepted his request.

[02] SPECIAL SECURITY MEASURES FOR THE INTER-BALKAN SUMMIT MEETING IN SKOPJE

Special security measures are in effect since this morning in Skopje, FYROM and the wider region around the capital, as the arrival of the delegations that will participate in the Inter-Balkan Summit meeting tomorrow morning is underway.

The police presence is visible at the areas around the hotels where the foreign officials will stay and at the airport.

The Greek delegation headed by prime minister Kostas Simitis departed this afternoon and later in the evening there will be a meeting of Greek foreign minister Giorgos Papandreou with his Turkish counterpart Ismail Cem. It is also possible that there will be a meting of prime minister Kostas Simitis with his Turkish counterpart Bulent Ecevit today or tomorrow. Mr. Simitis will also meet with FYROM prime minister Mr. Georgievski and other Balkan leaders.

The Summit meeting agenda tomorrow will include the situation in Yugoslavia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and the developments in the wider region.

Mr. Georgievski has already stated that he is concerned with the tension in Southern Serbia, while the FYROM minister of defense has called on NATO to strengthen the border patrols to avert the infiltration of unidentified gunmen to the FYROM territory.

Also, concerned over the situation in the southern part of his country is the prime minister of Serbia. He said that this is a problem for the Balkans as the Albanian extremists crisis is possible to spread to the neighboring FYROM.

[03] NO DEVELOPMENT IS EXPECTED ON THE ISSUE OF THE FYROM NAME

No development is expected on the issue of the FYROM name on the occasion of the Inter-Balkan Summit meeting, stated prime minister Kostas Simitis to the members of the governmental committee that met today to discuss the course of the government's work.

According to information, the prime minister stated that he does not see an immediate solution on the issue of the FYROM name but a long-term one, while he pointed out that there is a need for stability in the region.

Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas stated that Mr. Simitis, who left for Skopje this afternoon and will return tomorrow, will have meetings with the FYROM president and the prime minister and the leader of the main opposition party.

He will also meet with the Romanian prime minister, while it has not been clarified if there will be a meeting of prime minister Kostas Simitis with his Turkish counterpart as the arrival of the Turkish prime minister to Skopje has not been confirmed.

[04] OVER 100 MILLION PEOPLE ARE HOMELESS WORLDWIDE

Over 100 million people live on the streets, while 70 million children are homeless, according to figures that were given to publicity by the UN on the homeless situation around the world.

According to the available data, the homeless in the United States are 700.000, while in certain western European countries are five times more.

Based on a UN report, the main cause for the rising number of the people who end up living on the streets is the rapid urbanization especially, in Africa and southeastern Asia.

[05] THE DEVELOPMENT MINISTER ON THE LIBERALIZATION OF THE ENERGY MARKET

The liberalization of the electricity production market in Greece proved to be very attractive as 921 Greek and foreign investors expressed interest in the construction of electricity production units of 19.600MW.

According to minister of development Nikos Christodoulakis if those investments materialize the inflow of capital will be 5 trillion drachmas, while the permanent new job positions are estimated to be 4.500 and the temporary about 15.000.

The minister underlined that the electricity supply by private investors can start in the second half of the year through electricity imports. The first private electricity production plants are expected to be ready in 2003-2004.

He also announced the speeding up of the liberalization of the natural gas market before 2006. For the construction of thermal plants of 6.000MW are needed 8 billion cubic meters of natural gas and the necessary quantities will come through the Russia-Greece and Italy-Greece pipelines. Mr. Christodoulakis also referred to the state Electricity Company and announced that its presentation to domestic and foreign institutional investors will start by the end of March.

[06] LOSSES WERE RECORDED IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE

Losses were recorded in the Athens Stock Exchange today. The general index dropped to 0.46% at 3.177,31 points, while the volume of transactions was increased compared to yesterday's session at 185.9 million Euro or 63.3 billion drachmas.

Of the stocks trading today, 208 recorded gains and 122 had losses, while the value of 41 stocks remained stable.

[07] A DELEGATION OF PAN-MACEDONIAN ASSOCIATIONS IS ON A VISIT TO ATHENS

A delegation of the Pan-Macedonian Associations Council in a series of contacts it had in Athens has expressed concern for the likelihood of a final settlement on the issue of the FYROM name based on which, the Greek side will accept the use of a name that will include the term "Macedonia".

The delegation is on an urgent visit to Athens due to the rumors on a settlement of the issue of the FYROM name within the framework of the Inter-Balkan Summit meeting in Skopje and yesterday its members had meetings with Greek parliament deputies and US ambassador to Athens Nicholas Burns.

Mr. Burns conveyed the US stance suggesting a compromise between Greece and FYROM on the issue of the name because of the intransigence displayed by FYROM. The delegation presented its own proposal namely, the use of a summary name that will reflect the multi-ethnic composition of this state offering the opportunity of expression to the Albanian-speaking non Slav population as well.

[08] NIMITZ: THERE ARE NO SPECIFIC PROPOSALS ON THE FYROM NAME

UN secretary-general special mediator in the Greek-FYROM consultations on the issue of the name that will be used by FYROM, Mr. Matthew Nimitz, denied the rumors according to which, his recent visit to Skopje had to do with the existence of a specific proposal concerning the name.

Speaking to the FYROM state television "MTV", Mr. Nimitz stressed that a big effort is needed for a solution that will be acceptable by both sides. He also added that it is possible that the solution will not be ideal neither for Greece nor for FYROM.

On the likelihood to bring the issue before the UN Security Council in case the two sides will be unable to reach a solution, Mr. Nimitz stated that this alternative solution exists. However, he concluded that the UN believes that the issue must be resolved within the framework of article 5 of the Interim Accord namely, through negotiations.

[09] THE PAN-MACEDONIAN ASSOCIATIONS SAY "NO" TO A SETTLEMENT ON THE FYROM NAME THAT WILL INCLUDE THE TERM "MACEDONIA"

The federations of the Pan-Macedonian Associations of Australia, America, Europe and Africa with a joint statement expressed their unanimous decision to react to the acceptance of a composite name for FYROM that will include the term "Macedonia".

In the same statement the Pan-Macedonian Association in Melbourne thanked the Greeks for their immediate reaction to the rumors concerning the adoption of the composite names "Dolna" or "Nova Makedonija". In the statement it is also mentioned that Greece has the economic, political and military advantages to bend the intransigence of FYROM and it is regarded as inconceivable to abandon historical and cultural Greek rights, stressing that this would leave the door open for territorial aspirations.

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