Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 01-08-30

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

CONTENTS

[01] COMMENTS BY REPPAS ON THE GREEK-TURKISH RELATIONS AND THE CYPRUS ISSUE

[02] NIOTIS: RELATIONS WITH GEORGIA ARE EXCELLENT

[03] REPPAS ON THE IDENTITY CARDS ISSUE

[04] A PERSONAL VOTING NUMBER WILL REPLACE THE VOTING BOOKLET

[05] JOSPEN AND VEDRINE WILL VISIT ATHENS

[06] DEVELOPMENT POLICY ANNOUNCEMENTS

[07] MARGINAL LOSSES IN THE ASE

[08] THE OTE MONOPOLY HAS ENDED

[09] THE SERB INTERIOR MINISTER IS IN CORFU

[10] DEEP PURPLE IN ATHENS AND THESSALONIKI

[11] SCIENTISTS REASSURING ON DEPLETED URANIUM

[12] AGAINST THE EUROPOLICE

[01] COMMENTS BY REPPAS ON THE GREEK-TURKISH RELATIONS AND THE CYPRUS ISSUE

Government spokesman Dimitris Reppas was called by reporters to comment on the joint bid by Greece and Turkey to host the "Euro 2008" football championship while the Cyprus problem remains unsolved. He was also called to clarify if it is true that the Turkish Cypriots have their own passports based on a decision by the European Union and with the silent approval of Greece.

Mr. Reppas categorically denied the passport issue, while responding to the question on the hosting of the European football championship, underlined that the Cyprus problem is still a major issue for the Greek government.

The reporters also asked for clarifications by Mr. Reppas on the issue that arose when the governor of the US state of Alabama Don Stingberman declared August 30 as Turkey's Independence Day using heavy characterizations against Greece. For the record, the Alabama governor has signed a declaration describing the Turks as "the victims of the tragic events in the 1912-1922 decade".

Mr. Reppas stated that an attempt is being made for the falsification of history and stressed that there are different parties everywhere which, for selfish and suspicious purposes, undertake initiatives that have nothing to do with the truth.

[02] NIOTIS: RELATIONS WITH GEORGIA ARE EXCELLENT

Greek undersecretary of foreign affairs Grigoris Niotis met in Tblisi, Georgia with his counterpart and also with foreign minister of Georgia Iraklis Gurduli within the framework of the political consultations between the two countries that are held every year.

Mr. Niotis stated to Macedonian Press Agency that in the meetings were discussed issues concerning bilateral relations as well as, issues of multilateral cooperation, the relations of Georgia with the European Union and Greece and problems of regional character.

Mr. Niotis stated that Greece and Georgia share strong and friendly relations founded on the traditional relations between the two peoples, religion and the strong Greek presence in this former Soviet republic.

He also pointed out that bilateral relations are excellent, stressing that there is a need to expand economic cooperation. In addition, he announced that the Greece

-Georgia joint ministerial economic committee will meet in Tblisi in the fall in the presence of Greek undersecretary of national economy Yiannis Zafiropoulos.

[03] REPPAS ON THE IDENTITY CARDS ISSUE

Government spokesman Dimitris Reppas commented on the intervention made yesterday by president of the republic Kostis Stephanopoulos on the identity cards issue and the statement of right-wing main opposition party of New Democracy honorary president Konstantinos Mitsotakis, who expressed regret over the stance adopted by president Stephanopoulos on the issue.

Mr. Reppas stated that the government does not comment on the statements made by president Stephanopoulos, characterizing him as the guarantor of the constitution, while referring to the statements by Mr. Mitsotakis he said that they are "sad" at the least.

He added that the government keeps in mind the interests and rights of the people and said that the policy it follows on the issue of the identity cards is the right one, adding that it has a legal basis. Mr. Reppas stated that the government wants a dialogue with the Church on issues other than the identity cards.

[04] A PERSONAL VOTING NUMBER WILL REPLACE THE VOTING BOOKLET

A 13-digit personal voting number will replace the voting booklet in the next local elections in Greece that will take place in October 2002.

The announcement was made by interior minister Vaso Papandreou, who pointed out that the new voting registers that will be completed early next year will coincide with the municipal rolls.

The creation of the new voting registers is in progress and according to Ms. Papandreou, the whole procedure moves ahead in a satisfactory manner with the cooperation of the local administration.

[05] JOSPEN AND VEDRINE WILL VISIT ATHENS

French prime minister Lionel Jospen and foreign minister Hubert Vedrine will be in Athens on September 10.

According to a statement made by government spokesman Dimitris Reppas they will meet with prime minister Kostas Simitis.

[06] DEVELOPMENT POLICY ANNOUNCEMENTS

Prime minister Kostas Simitis is expected to announced the social and development policy measures for the three year period of 2002-2004 on Tuesday after the governmental committee meeting.

Apart from the social benefits package for the economically weaker classes, the prime minister will announce the basic regulations included in the draft bill for the strengthening of business activities which is expected to give a boost to the Athens Stock Exchange.

According to the Athens newspaper "Imerisia", the draft bill is made up of four basic points namely, tax incentives for the merger of companies trading or not in the Athens Stock Exchange, tax reductions for the real estate investment companies, tax reductions for the overseas shipping and measures for the strengthening of the companies active in the sector of the new economy.

[07] MARGINAL LOSSES IN THE ASE

Marginal losses were recorded in the Athens Stock Exchange today. The general index dropped to -0.24% at 2.769,02 points, while the volume of transactions was 110.91 million Euro or 37.79 billion drachmas.

Of the stocks trading today, 94 recorded gains and 242 had losses, while the value of 40 stocks remained stable.

[08] THE OTE MONOPOLY HAS ENDED

The new telecommunications company established by the Greek State Electricity Company and "Wind" will start operating in the next six months and will be the first to compete with the Greek Telecommunications Organization, OTE in every sector of the domestic telephone services market.

The goal of the new company is to control 18% of the corporate and 14% of the domestic consumers by the year 2006. In the new company, "Wind" will have 50% plus 1 stock and the State Electricity Company will have 50% minus 1 stock.

"Wind" will take over the management of the new company and according to the contract signed, in three years the state Electricity Company will have the right to claim the majority stocks based on the terms included in the deal.

[09] THE SERB INTERIOR MINISTER IS IN CORFU

The commemorating events, on the occasion of the 85th anniversary of the arrival of the Serb soldiers at the Ionian island of Corfu during WWI driven off by the Austrian forces, will start tomorrow.

This year's events have acquired a formal character as for the first time they are being co-organized by the municipality of Corfu and the Yugoslav embassy.

Serb prime minister Zoran Djindzic will not be among the Yugoslav officials attending the events as it was initially announced but he will be represented by the deputy prime minister and interior minister.

[10] DEEP PURPLE IN ATHENS AND THESSALONIKI

Deep Purple are coming to Greece for two concerts. the veteran hard rockers will appear at the Likavitos Theater in Athens on September 4 and the next day will appear in Thessaliniki at the "Theatro Gis".

[11] SCIENTISTS REASSURING ON DEPLETED URANIUM

The scientists that participated in the seminar which took place in the Interbalkan Medical Center of Thessaloniki, under the aegis of the Greek Committee of Atomic Power, were reassuring on the of depleted uranium on the environment and on human health. The seminar is part of the 11th inter-university oncology conference which is being organized by the "Aristotle" Institute and will be completed on September 1.

Scientific data and epidemic studies do not confirm that depleted uranium causes leukemia and carcinogenesis, and consequently the noise generated by the media about the "Balkan Syndrome" was uncalled for, pointed out the radiation-biologist and staff member of the "Dimokritos" Research Center, Eleftherios Sideridis.

AS he mentioned, exposure to depleted uranium radiation, which is the most interesting from a radiation-biological point of view, causes DNA alterations, which can develop into cancers. But for this to occur, a much greater multiple of radiation is needed, than that which a soldier gets near a depleted uranium detonation area.

[12] AGAINST THE EUROPOLICE

After the various protests against globalization during summit meetings, German Minister of Internal Affairs, Otto Silly, proposed that a special European Police Force which will deal with the protests is created. Anna Karamanou, EU MP of PASOK, asked for the European Committee's intervention on the issue.

As she underlined, the proposal of the German minister, assisted from more planning (the creation of a data bank in each country on particular people, or their surveillance by the authorities due to protests of the kind) lacks legal basis and circumvents the clauses on free movement in the European Union. She calls the Commission to intervene and reply as to how much the German minister's proposition is consistent with the clauses of the Amsterdam Treaty.

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