Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 01-06-15

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

CONTENTS

[01] MILITARY INTERVENTION IN FYROM MIGHT BE NEEDED

[02] PM AT SUMMIT: NO STRICT TIMEPLAN FOR ACCESSIONS

[03] THREE GREEK AGENCIES FILE DU CLAIM WITH ICTY

[04] NUMBER OF TEENAGERS GETTING HIGH GETS HIGHER

[05] SAMARANCH: THE ATHENS 2004 SUCCESS IS CERTAIN

[06] HITIRIS' COMMENTS ON "MONEY LAUNDERING"

[07] CYPRUS IN THE 1ST EU ENLARGEMENT GROUP

[08] HITIRIS ON THE GREEK-US DEFENSE AGREEMENT

[09] STRANGE DISAPPEARANCE OF A CZECH ELDERLY COUPLE

[10] SIMONOV: PARTHENON WAS MY HOME IN A PREVIOUS LIFE

[11] NATO VESSELS IN THESSALONIKI ON JULY 8

[12] DALARAS CONCERT ON THE WORLD REFUGEE DAY

[13] MARGINAL GAINS IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE

[14] SALES OF SKYROS MARBLE SOAR BY 120 PERCENT

[15] ΠΡΟΤΑΣΗ ΓΙΑ ΠΡΟΣΘΗΚΗ ΠΕΝΤΕ ΚΟΙΝΩΝΙΚΩΝ ΠΡΟΤΕΡΑΙΟΤΗΤΩΝ ΣΤΗ ΒΕΛΓΙΚΗ

[01] MILITARY INTERVENTION IN FYROM MIGHT BE NEEDED

The international community may now have to embark on military intervention in FYROM in order to handle the problem of terrorist activities by Albanian extremists, main opposition New Democracy party leader Costas Karamanlis stated during a press conference at the end of the European Peoples' Party's (EPP) summit held in Goteborg yesterday.

Addressing the summit in his capacity as EPP vice president, Mr. Karamanlis outlined the main points of his political recommendation on developments in the Balkans, which was unanimously ratified by the leaders of Europe's center-right.

As the EPP's summit focused primarily on developments in FYROM, Mr. Karamanlis told Greek reporters that both ND and the EPP had warned some time ago that developments in FYROM were on a dangerous course. 

Mr. Karamanlis, whose special report on the Balkans was unanimously adopted by the EPP summit, said that both KFOR and NATO should have taken all necessary measures to prevent the activities of extremist forces and safeguard borders with Kosovo.

Unfortunately, this did not happen and the international community should assume its responsibilities now," he said, adding that it is now extremely probable that the intervention of the international factor will be necessary to restore peace and order in FYROM. 

Moreover, Mr. Karamanlis stressed the need for the discovery of a solution based on specific principles which will safeguard peace and the protection of the Albanian minority's rights in FYROM.

The ND leader had a lengthy telephone conversation with FYROM's Prime Minister Ljubco Georgievski on Wednesday, who briefed him on the gravity of the situation in FYROM and on the measures his government is promoting.   

A.F.

[02] PM AT SUMMIT: NO STRICT TIMEPLAN FOR ACCESSIONS

Greece will not insist that a specific date for the candidate countries' accession to the European Union should be fixed during today's EU Summit at Goteborg, Sweden, according to Prime Minister Costas Simitis.

Speaking prior to the Summit's commencement, Mr. Simitis stated that proposals to conclude negotiations at the end of 2002, would result in a strict framework could create difficulties.

Instead, Greece will insist on the need for accession negotiations to proceed expeditiously in order to enable acceding countries to participate in Euroelections in 2004. 

Moreover, the Premier stated that the decision's text should ascertain the very good course of Cyprus and the observance of its timetable.

Other issues on the summit's agenda will be foreign relations, the situation in FYROM, as well as the Middle East and relations between the EU and Russia, while the results of U.S. President George W. Bush's visit to Europe will also be assessed.   

A.F.

[03] THREE GREEK AGENCIES FILE DU CLAIM WITH ICTY

A report calling for an investigation and prosecution against NATO's political and military officials, as well as any other person responsible, for the use of depleted uranium bombs in former Yugoslavia has been filed by three Greek agencies, among them the Athens Bar Association, to the prosecutor of the International Penal Court on former Yugoslavia (ICTY) Carla del Ponte.

The three agencies, ABA, Society of Greek Judicial Functionaries for Democracy and Freedoms and the Marangopoulos Foundation for Human Rights, claim that two definite offences perpetrated concern the violation of war laws regarding the use of toxic or other weapons and serious violations of the 1949 Geneva Conventions concerning willful homicide and the willful causing of great pain or serious bodily harm.

The three agencies are also requesting a probe into whether the offense of genocide has been committed. 

They further said that when the orders for bombings were issued the toxicity of uranium and its disastrous effects on the health of the population of Yugoslavia, regardless of whether people were combatants or not, were known to senior officials in the United States and the United Kingdom. 

The presidents of the three agencies are: Antonis Roupakiotis, President of ABA; Costas Menoudakos, President of the Society of Greek Judicial Functionaries for Democracy and Freedoms and a Council of State councilor; and Aliki Yiotopoulou-Marangopoulou, President of the Marangopoulos Foundation for Human Rights.

A.F.

[04] NUMBER OF TEENAGERS GETTING HIGH GETS HIGHER

The number of Greek teenagers who resort to the use of cannabis has increased dramatically during the last five years, rising from 11.4 percent in 1996 to 21.5% this year, according to a recent survey.

Conducted by the Center for the Treatment of Addicted Persons (KETHEA), the survey was carried out in six KETHEA advisory centers around the country from the responses of 7,450 people who sought help from the centers.

The survey also showed that the number of heroin users has been gradually falling, while cocaine use has risen significantly in recent years.

Specifically, heroin users have fallen in number from 83 per cent (of overall drug addicts) five years ago, to 73.7 per cent this year. According to KETHEA, most heroin addicts now smoke or snort the drug and very few still inject it, thereby reducing the hazard of contracting AIDS or hepatitis among addicts.

On the other hand, while cocaine now represents only 2.6 per cent of drug use in Greece, it is estimated that cocaine will overtake other substances as the drug of choice if its use continues to increase at present rates.

The survey also reported that six out of ten drug users in Greece begin to take drugs between the ages of 15 and 19, while three out of 10 begin before they turn 15 years old.

A.F.

[05] SAMARANCH: THE ATHENS 2004 SUCCESS IS CERTAIN

International Olympic Committee, IOC, president Juan Antonio Samaranch expressed his confidence in the "Athens 2004" Organizing Committee and his belief that the Olympic Games that will be organized in Athens will be unique.

Speaking in the African National Olympic Committees (ANOCA) general assembly meeting in Mombassa, Kenya he underlined that the 2004 Olympic Games, apart from their two dominant and known characteristics namely, sports and culture, will have a third one, which is especially important, that of the history of Olympism that belongs to Greece.

ANOCA general secretary, IOC member and member of the Athens 2004 coordinating committee, Thomas Sithole, also expressed certainty that the Olympic Games in Athens will be unique in the history of the events.

ANOCA president and IOC member Maj. Gen. Francis Nyangweso presented the "Athens 2004" organizing committee representatives to the general assembly and stated that he has confidence in their work.

[06] HITIRIS' COMMENTS ON "MONEY LAUNDERING"

Undersecretary of press and acting government spokesman Tilemachos Hitiris commented on a news report published by the Athens newspaper "Ektropi" that referred to alleged 3 trillion drachmas "money laundering" operations. Mr. Hitiris stated that the amount in question is based on speculations, adding that those speculations were not made by the responsible parliament committee.

Mr. Hitiris stated that a special committee examines every report on "money laundering" or, in some cases, it even intervenes itself, adding that the head of the committee is judge Nikoloudis who was successful in 27 similar cases.

However, he stressed that it is difficult to keep things under control as a result of globalization and electronic money and added that formal cooperation with international organizations is in effect.

[07] CYPRUS IN THE 1ST EU ENLARGEMENT GROUP

The primary and final goal is for Cyprus to be in the first EU enlargement group, while the EU enlargement itself must take place as soon as possible, stressed acting government spokesman Tilemachos Hitiris.

He referred to the relevant statements made yesterday by prime minister Kostas Simitis, pointing out that the Greek government maintained that enlargement must take place as soon as possible, the pace must accelerate and accession procedures should move faster, allowing all the first wave EU accession countries to participate in the 2004 Euro-elections.

[08] HITIRIS ON THE GREEK-US DEFENSE AGREEMENT

The defense agreement between Greece and the United States signed by the foreign ministers of the two countries concerns the US soldiers in Greece (in the US army bases of Souda and Tirnavos) and the Greek military personnel in the United States, said undersecretary of state and acting government spokesman Tilemachos Hitiris when he was asked to comment on the content of the agreement.

Mr. Hitiris clarified that the Greek military personnel in the United States are 60-70 officers, who are in American military training schools.

[09] STRANGE DISAPPEARANCE OF A CZECH ELDERLY COUPLE

Police authorities in the region of Pieria in northern Greece investigate a mystery case concerning the disappearance of an elderly couple of tourists from the Czech Republic, who vanished a week ago in the region of Leptokaria.

Sixty-five-year-old Yiri Kominek and his wife, Marie, arrived in Greece for vacations with a group of fellow Czechs and early last week checked in at a seaside hotel.

As it was announced by the police, the couple left from Leptokaria last Friday without notifying anyone from the group and since that day any trace of them has disappeared. Their disappearance was reported to the police on the next day and an investigation got underway.

Based on information, police has directed its investigation to north-central Greece, and specifically, to the region of Mount Olympus as it is possible that the elderly couple went on a mountain-hike without informing anybody about it.

[10] SIMONOV: PARTHENON WAS MY HOME IN A PREVIOUS LIFE

One of the most important symphony orchestras in the world, the Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra under the direction of maestro Yuri Somonov will perform within the framework of the Athens Festival on June 22-23.

Yuri Simonov in an interview he gave on the occasion of the two concerts his orchestra will give in Athens, stated that he feels as if he lived in the Parthenon in a previous life. He said characteristically that he feels wonderful just walking in the city and thinking, adding that Athens is a great place where the artists feel charged with the energy of those who lived in this place centuries ago.

[11] NATO VESSELS IN THESSALONIKI ON JULY 8

Eight warships that belong to NATO's Permanent Naval Force in the Mediterranean will sail into the port of Thessaloniki on July 8, according to the Thessaloniki newspaper "Angelioforos".

The Navy General Staff announced that the arrival of the vessels in question (among them, a Greek and a Turkish) had been scheduled months ago. Currently, the ships are in the Black Sea region participating in an exercise and they are expected to sail into Istanbul.

Also, two French warships with supplies for the French troops in the peacekeeping force in the Balkans are expected to arrive at the port of Thessaloniki at the end of June.

[12] DALARAS CONCERT ON THE WORLD REFUGEE DAY

The World Refugee Day on June 23 will be celebrated in Greece with a concert by singer Giorgos Dalaras at the ancient theater of the Delphi archaeological site.

The concert is organized at the initiative of the UN High Commission on Refugees under the auspices of the Greek culture ministry. In the event will also participate the Moscow Ossipov Orchestra and US actress Jacqueline Smith.

In a press conference, culture minister Evangelos Venizelos stated that Mikis Theodorakis will be honored in the event as a creator and as a refugee.

UN High Commission on Refugees representative in Greece Ms. Rojas Rodrigez pointed out that one of the goals of the High Commission is to become the voice of millions of refugees.

[13] MARGINAL GAINS IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE

Marginal gains were recorded in the Athens Stock Exchange today. The general index rose to +0.21% at 2.859,66 points, while the volume of transactions was disappointing at 128.01 million Euro or 43.6 billion drachmas.

Of the stocks trading today, 192 recorded gains and 123 had losses, while the value of 67 stocks remained stable.

[14] SALES OF SKYROS MARBLE SOAR BY 120 PERCENT

A producer specializing in the quarrying and exploitation of the characteristic Skyros marble has reported a whooping 120-percent increase in domestic market sales, coupled with a 70% percent rise in foreign sales since the start of the year.

Established in the island of Skyros, the heart of the Aegean Sea, K&G Skarlis S.A. posted a turnover of 388 million drachmas for the 2000 fiscal year, with gross profits amounting to GRD48 million.

The island's marble outcrop is of exquisite quality, world-known for its beautiful appearance and transparent coloring.

A.F.

[15] ΠΡΟΤΑΣΗ ΓΙΑ ΠΡΟΣΘΗΚΗ ΠΕΝΤΕ ΚΟΙΝΩΝΙΚΩΝ ΠΡΟΤΕΡΑΙΟΤΗΤΩΝ ΣΤΗ ΒΕΛΓΙΚΗ ΠΡΟΕΔΡΙΑ

Πέντε κοινωνικού περιεχομένου προτεραιότητες προτείνουν να συμπεριλάβει η βελγική προεδρία της Ευρωπαϊκής Ενωσης, τρεις σοσιαλιστές υπουργοί της ομοσπονδιακής κυβέρνησης του Βελγίου.

Πρόκειται για τους υπουργούς Εργασίας, Laurette Onkelinx, Koινωνικών Υποθέσεων και Συντάξεων Frank Vandenbroucke και Κοινωνικής Ολοκλήρωσης, Johan Vande-Lanotte, οι οποίοι πρότειναν την επόμενη βελγική προεδρία να προστεθούν οι εξής προτεραιότητες: α) ποιότητα εργασίας και ενεργή συμμετοχή των εργαζομένων στις οικονομικές μεταβολές, β) ισότητα ανδρών και γυναικώ, γ)κοινωνική προστασία, δ) κοινωνική αυτονομία και ε) κατάργηση των διακρίσεων και διασφάλιση των δικαιωμάτων του ανθρώπου.

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