Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 01-04-28

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

CONTENTS

[01] CHRISTIAN BARNARD: RED WINE AND OLIVE OIL ARE GOOD FOR THE HEART

[02] PAPANTONIOU WILL VISIT THE UNITED STATES

[03] MOST OF THE TOURISTS WHO VISITED GREECE IN 1999 WERE FROM GERMANY

[04] THE WORKERS' UNIONS WILL HOLD A NEW STRIKE ON MAY 17

[05] CULTURE MINISTER EVANGELOS VENIZELOS IS ON A VISIT TO ISTANBUL

[01] CHRISTIAN BARNARD: RED WINE AND OLIVE OIL ARE GOOD FOR THE HEART

Distinguished heart surgeon Christian Barnard stated that red wine and olive oil are good for the heart. He also said that the biggest honor he ever received was the fact that he got the Greek nationality, stressing that he is proud to travel with a Greek passport.

The South African heart surgeon, who made the first heart transplant from human to human 34 years ago, referred to the progress in genetics in a press conference he gave in Thessaloniki today, stressing that in the future there will be gene transplants instead of human organ transplants.

However, he expressed certain reservations on the use of genetic engineering, stressing that certain limitations must be adopted.

Referring to the issue of euthanasia, he said that the priority is to improve the patient's quality of life, and when there is none left, it is the doctor's duty to assist the patient to die by stopping the treatment, stressing that he does not support active euthanasia.

He said that two glasses of red wine a day have a beneficial effect even on the people who already have heart problems or suffered a heart attack.

Dr. Barnard also referred to the beneficial action of olive oil, while referring to stress and how it can be handled he stressed that the only way people can defeat it is to reprogram their minds the way they reprogram their computers.

He pointed out that in his book "Fifty ways to a healthy heart" has dedicated a whole chapter to the Greek diet characterizing it as healthy because it includes olive oil, wine, legumes and vegetables.

[02] PAPANTONIOU WILL VISIT THE UNITED STATES

Greek minister of national economy Yiannos Papantoniou will meet with his US counterpart Mr. O'Neil and business officials during his visit to the United States next week.

Mr. Papantoniou will visit New York at the invitation of Mr. O'Neil and MIT University, while he will also have contacts with the leadership of the New York Stock Exchange.

He will also visit Washington to brief the US officials on the course of the economic developments in Greece and the prospects of the Greek economy in the Balkans and Europe.

[03] MOST OF THE TOURISTS WHO VISITED GREECE IN 1999 WERE FROM GERMANY

Most of the tourists who visited Greece in 1999 came from Germany followed by the British, Italians and Austrians, according to the European Union Statistics Agency, Eurostat.

For the record, the tourists from Germany, Britain, Italy and Austria make up 59.9% of the tourists visiting Greece.

Also, according to figures provided by Eurostat, there was a 4% increase in internal tourism in the European Union in 1999 compared to 1998.

[04] THE WORKERS' UNIONS WILL HOLD A NEW STRIKE ON MAY 17

The workers' unions will organize a new strike in Greece to take place on May 17 within the framework of the efforts to pressure the government to withdraw the measures for the reform of the social security system.

Meanwhile, prime minister Kostas Simitis stated that the government is open to any solution that will offer security to the workers.

Greek General Confederation of Labor president Christos Polizogopoulos stressed characteristically that "the dialogue will be held in the streets".

State Employees Union president Spiros Papaspirou stated that both his union and the General Confederation of Labor will present new positions for the reform of the social security system in a joint press conference after May 1st.

Meanwhile, according to a public opinion presented yesterday by the private TV station ANT1, just 9.2% of those questioned agree with the government positions compared to 76.3% disagreeing with the reforms.

[05] CULTURE MINISTER EVANGELOS VENIZELOS IS ON A VISIT TO ISTANBUL

Greek culture minister Evangelos Venizelos opened the 3rd Meeting of the Greek-Turkish Business Council in Istanbul, presided over by businessmen Sarik Tara and Panagiotis Koutsikos.

The meeting is attended by 150 Greek and 150 Turkish businessmen.

Mr. Venizelos met today with his Turkish counterpart Istemihan Talai and minister Fikret Unlu, responsible for sports issues, while yesterday he met with tourism minister Erkan Mumtzu.

In his meetings with the Turkish ministers of culture and sports, Mr. Venizelos discussed issues concerning the implementation of the new Greek-Turkish agreement on cultural cooperation and exchange programs, the protection of Byzantine monuments in Turkey and Ottoman monuments in Greece as well as, the joint organizing of the European Football Championship in 2008 or 2012 by Greece and Turkey.

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