Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 02-01-10

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

CONTENTS

[01] BUSH-SIMITIS MEETING CRUCIAL

[02] GREECE SUPPORTS STRUGGLE AGAINST TERRORISM

[03] KOURAKIS - IVANOF MEETING

[04] HITIRIS ON THE DIGITAL MAPS ISSUE

[05] GAINS IN THE ASE

[06] GREECE OFFERED NO COOPERATION IN THE DRAWING UP OF THE US MAPS

[07] INFLATION 3% IN DECEMBER

[08] MILLER: CYPRUS ISSUE PRIORITY

[09] MR. ANNAN IS OPTIMISTIC THAT THE CYPRUS ISSUE WILL BE RESOLVED BY JUNE

[10] EUROPEAN COMMISSIONER BOLKESTEIN ON THE PUBLIC WORKS IN GREECE

[11] SIMITIS ON THE CONTRIBUTION OF THE GREEK-AMERICANS

[12] SIMITIS-ANNAN MEETING

[13] SIMITIS-BUSH MEETING TODAY

[01] BUSH-SIMITIS MEETING CRUCIAL

At 3:10pm local time (10:10pm, Greece), Prime Minister Kostas Simitis will cross US President George Bush's threshold in the White House, and will talk with him for about 40 minutes.

The meeting is considered especially important, since the discussion will include crucial events which have caused friction in the two countries' relations lately, and the annoyance of the Greek side with US positions. A characteristic example is the composition of the Euroarmy, for which the US and the UK have drawn up a plan rejected by Greece at the Laaken Summit Meeting. NATO's US digital maps, which do not include sea borders between Greece and Turkey, caused great discontentment in Greece, and on New Year's day, President of the Greek Republic Kostis Stefanopoulos characterized that action as a non-friendly gesture. The issue of a global alliance in order to fight terrorism will be discussed. US Ambassador in Athens Thomas Miller pointed out that the issue of November 17, a terrorist organization in relation to which US media has presented completely unsubstantiated accusations towards Greece, with CBS's 60 Minutes as a climax, will also be discussed. Mr. Miller stated that that show did not represent the official US view on the matter, but that it has created a heavy climate. The 2004 Athens Olympics and the Cyprus issue are also on the agenda.

Mr. Simitis will give the Greek answers on all these issues, as he said before departing for the US, and he will present Greece's positions on national issues and developments in Europe, the Balkans and the broader region. Specifically on terrorism he will point out that weeding it out is a Greek government priority, and that there is good cooperation with the US in that sector. The position of the Greek government is reinforced by the public support of the President of New Democracy, Kostas Kramanlis, who stated that there is no room for backing up on national issues.

Prior to his meeting with Mr. Bush, at 2:30pm, Mr. Simitis will meet with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Colin Powell, and it, at 4:15pm, with the Minister of Defense, Donald Rumsfeld. Right after the end of the discussions Mr. Bush and Mr. Simitis will make statements to the press and will answer a few questions. The Greek Prime Minister will hold a press conference after the completion of his meeting with the Minister of Defense.

[02] GREECE SUPPORTS STRUGGLE AGAINST TERRORISM

Prime Minister Kostas Simitis expressed the sorrow and sympathy of the Greek people for the September 11 attacks, during his visit to ground zero, in Manhattan, New York.

Mr. Simitis was accompanied by Archbishop of all America Dimitrios, Minister of Press, Christos Protopapas, and Foreign Minister, Giorgos Papandreou, as well as relatives and friends of those lost in the twin towers.

Mr. Simitis walked round the site for quite some time, despite the rain, while Senator Summers, who spoke with warm words of Greece, Greek Democracy and Mr. Simitis, personally.

In this area, this tragic space, we think of all those who lost their lives, including many Greek Americans. Innocent existences wiped out by these unbelievably barbaric terrorist attacks. We mourn the victims, and our thoughts are with their families and their friends. From the first moment of this terrorist attack, the Greek government and the Greek nation have been at the side of all American families, grieving with their relatives, feeling the sorrow of every Greek-American, and the families that lost members, stressed Mr. Simitis.

We support, Greece supports the just struggle against terrorism, because we want a world where there will be peace, cooperation and common attempts for development. he underlined.

The Prime Minister repeated the Greek government's commitment to financially contribute to the rebuilding of the Greek Orthodox Church of St. Nikolaos, not only so that it may honor those fallen in this tragedy, but as a symbol of human spirit and hope.

Earlier, in Mr. Simitis meeting with the Archbishop, which lasted about an hour, issues on Greeks living abroad and Greek schools were discussed.

[03] KOURAKIS - IVANOF MEETING

Undersecretary of Culture Yiannis Kourakis, responsible for sports issues, met with his Bulgarian counterpart Vasil Ivanof who is on a visit to Athens.

As it was made known, the two agreed to undertake an initiative for a joint meeting of all the Balkan Sports Ministers to examine the levels of cooperation among the Balkan countries in sports. He said that Mr. Ivanof suggested that the Greek teams and athletes can be prepared in specialized sports centers in his country.

Mr. Ivanof stated that in the meeting they defined the general framework of their future cooperation, stressing that Bulgaria and Greece cooperate in the 2004 Olympic Games preparations.

[04] HITIRIS ON THE DIGITAL MAPS ISSUE

The issue of the digital maps drawn up for NATO use will be raised in the talks Prime Minister Kostas Simitis will have in Washington today with US President George Bush and members of the US government, stated acting Greek government spokesman Tilemachos Hitiris. He also said that the Greek side will make all necessary remarks to foreign embassies via the diplomatic route.

Mr. Hitiris stressed that the Greek borders are not an issue of digital maps and are not set by them, stressing that they are already set and secure.

[05] GAINS IN THE ASE

Marginal gains were recorded in the Athens Stock Exchange today. The general index rose to +0.20% at 2.587,41 points, while the volume of transactions was 101.65 million Euro or 34.64 billion drachmas.

Of the stocks trading today, 196 recorded gains and 103 had losses, while the value of 51 stocks remained unchanged.

[06] GREECE OFFERED NO COOPERATION IN THE DRAWING UP OF THE US MAPS

Deputy Foreign Minister Tasos Yiannitsis categorically denied in parliament that the Greek government cooperated in any kind of way in the drawing up of the US Army Geographic Agency digital maps that do not include the sea borders between Greece and Turkey.

Mr. Yiannitsis clarified that the US Army Geographic Agency undertook to draw up the digital maps in question and it used the argument that the sea borders between Greece and Turkey will not appear on them because the specific maps will be used for military exercises. Mr. Yiannitsis also stated that the Greek government reacted in a negative way and offered no cooperation for the drawing up of those maps.

[07] INFLATION 3% IN DECEMBER

The inflation rate in December was 3%, notably increased compared to November's 2.4%, according to the National Statistics Agency. The harmonized index rose to 3.5% in December compared to 2.9% the previous month.

The taking off of inflation was mainly the result of the recent bad weather which increased the fresh fruit and vegetable prices. The introduction of the single EU currency, the Euro, also had an unfavorable effect on inflation causing overpricing in a number of products.

The predictions are not good for the month of January as there are fears that inflation will continue to rise.

[08] MILLER: CYPRUS ISSUE PRIORITY

US Ambassador in Athens Thomas Miller, in an interview to the Greek Service of the BBC, pointed out the importance and wide range of topics to be covered in the meeting between Prime Minister Simitis and President Bush, which is to take place today in the White House.

Mr. Miller stated that the Bush-Simitis meeting will cover all issues and will include US worries on November 17 activity in Greece.

However he rejected the content of the recent 60 Minutes on CBS, saying that it does not reflect US positions.

Mr. Miller revealed that the Euroarmy discussion will take place behind closed doors and said that resolving the Cyprus issue is a US government priority.

In his interview with Maria Kartsinaki of the Greek BBC Service, he stressed that the issues to occupy the two sides have not been put in strict order of importance, as the Greek media has presented them.

"The reason I do not want to put these issues in order of importance is because these meetings don't turn out like that, especially when two leaders meet for the first time. The issues to be discussed are obviousthe campaign against terrorism, developments in Europesince Mr. Simitis is the first European leader to visit Mr. Bush after the circulation of the Euro", stated Mr. Miller.

[09] MR. ANNAN IS OPTIMISTIC THAT THE CYPRUS ISSUE WILL BE RESOLVED BY JUNE

UN secretary-general Kofi Annan appeared optimistic that the talks between Cypriot President Glafkos Clerides and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash that will be launched on January 16 will lead to a solution of the Cyprus problem by the end of June. Mr. Annan had a half-hour meeting with Prime Minister Kostas Simitis at the UN headquarters in New York yesterday afternoon. The meeting was held in the presence of Foreign Minister Giorgos Papandreou and UN secretary-general special adviser on Cyprus Alvaro de Soto.

According to diplomatic sources, Mr. de Soto said to Mr. Papandreou that he will visit Cyprus this weekend and that initially the UN will observe the procedure if it is requested by the parties involved. He also said that there will be ten rounds of talks in Nicosia and one in New York.

[10] EUROPEAN COMMISSIONER BOLKESTEIN ON THE PUBLIC WORKS IN GREECE

Dutch European Commissioner Frits Bolkestein characterized as problematic the public works construction system in Greece, responding to a question by Greek Euro-parliament deputy Antonis Trakatelis, head of the Greek right-wing main opposition party of New Democracy Euro-parliament deputies.

Mr. Bolkestein accused the government of delays in the process of the harmonization of the Greek legislation with the European Union legislation concerning the public works contracts.

[11] SIMITIS ON THE CONTRIBUTION OF THE GREEK-AMERICANS

The Greek-Americans in New York, through their work and contribution, rose to the top levels of the local society and the United States in general, stressed Prime Minister Kostas Simitis speaking yesterday in an event given in his honor by the Greek community in New York. Mr. Simitis also added that the Greek-Americans have contributed in a decisive manner to the strengthening of the ties between the United States and Greece.

He underlined that the Greek people offered their true support to the United States after the September 11 tragedy and declared his government's will to cooperate closely with the US in the effort to combat terrorism.

Mr. Simitis pointed out that 2002 is the start of a new creative period for Greece and the Greeks. He stressed that the replacement of the drachma by the single European currency, the Euro, shows that Greece came a long way to be able to reach the level of the rest European countries.

Referring to the Olympic Games in 2004, Mr. Simitis stated that in spite of the difficulties and the delays preparations proceed in a very satisfactory manner.

[12] SIMITIS-ANNAN MEETING

The Cyprus issue, and the situation in Afghanistan and the Balkans dominated in the meeting Prime Minister Kostas Simitis had in New York yesterday with UN secretary-general Kofi Annan.

Mr. Simitis stated after the meeting that Mr. Annan expressed the belief that a solution will be reached on Cyprus by the end of June, and stressed that the UN decided that there should be intensive negotiations between the two sides with meetings three times a week.

In the meeting they also discussed the UN security force in Kabul and Greece's participation. According to Mr. Simitis, Mr. Annan pointed out that in the period of the next 3-6 months this force will not be needed anymore in Afghanistan as the people of the country will be able to take their future into their own hands. He added that a meeting of donor countries for Afghanistan will be held in Japan next month with the participation of Greece.

Mr. Simitis stressed that if Turkey has problems with neighboring countries, such as Greece, it is up to it to undertake the initiative to solve them. He said that if the differences are not settled then they should be brought to The Hague, adding that the only issue for Greece is that of the continental shelf.

Referring to the news reports on security during the Olympic Games in Athens in 2004 published on US mass media, Mr. Simitis stated that President Bush knows that Greece is on the same side with the Americans and the countries that decided to combat terrorism. He stressed that there is no issue regarding the Olympic Games security, adding that members of the FBI are in cooperation with the Greek Police on the specific issue since 1998.

On the Balkans, Mr. Simitis stated that Mr. Annan pointed out the need to continue the efforts for the reconstruction of the countries in the region. On Turkey's participation in the Euro-army, he stated that Turkey is a member of NATO and the issue that is being raised is the framework of cooperation between the EU and NATO.

He also stated that Mr. Annan backed the Greek proposal concerning the Olympic Truce and that the UN will make an announcement on the issue.

[13] SIMITIS-BUSH MEETING TODAY

Greek Prime Minister Kostas Simitis' meeting with US President George Bush, as well as Vice-President Dick Cheney, today, is being expected with high diplomatic interest.

The Cyprus issue, the situation in Afghanistan and the Balkans, and specifically the naming of FYROM, were the dominant issues at the meeting Mr. Simitis and the Secretary General of the UN, Kofi Annan, had in New York.

As Mr. Simitis stated after the meeting, the Secretary General of the UN expressed his belief that the Cyprus issue will be resolved by the end of June.

He also stressed that the UN decided there should be intense negotiations between the two sides, with meetings about three times a week.

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