Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 02-01-12

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

CONTENTS

[01] THE GREEK-US DIFFERENCES CAN BE SETTLED

[02] ΑΛΒΑΝΟΙ ΠΑΡΕΜΠΟΔΙΖΟΥΝ ΤΗΝ ΑΝΑΠΤΥΞΗ ΠΕΡΙΠΟΛΩΝ ΣΤΗΝ ΠΓΔΜ

[03] THE FILES OF FOUR "17 N" MURDERS HAVE CLOSED

[04] TSOCHATZOPOULOS' CONTACTS FOR THE SPEEDING UP OF PRIVATIZATIONS

[05] ARCHBISHOP DIMITRIOS OF AMERICA WILL VISIT THESSALONIKI

[06] THE POPULATION OF GREECE REACHED 10.596.400 PEOPLE

[07] PRIME MINISTER SIMITIS RETURNED FROM THE UNITED STATES

[01] THE GREEK-US DIFFERENCES CAN BE SETTLED

Foreign Minister Giorgos Papandreou stated that the meeting of Prime Minister Kostas Simitis with US President George Bush was positive, adding that common ground can be found to settle the differences between the two countries.

The Foreign Minister stated that the US President thanked Greece for its contribution to the international struggle against terrorism and for its stance in the Greek-Turkish relations, contrary to certain voices that maintained that Greece would lose ground and be pressured. Mr. Papandreou also stated that the US President wants to back the solution of the Cyprus problem.

He stated that Americans back Greece in basic issues but this does not mean that there is agreement in every issue. He said that there are the Greek positions and the US positions but a common ground can be found.

[02] ΑΛΒΑΝΟΙ ΠΑΡΕΜΠΟΔΙΖΟΥΝ ΤΗΝ ΑΝΑΠΤΥΞΗ ΠΕΡΙΠΟΛΩΝ ΣΤΗΝ ΠΓΔΜ

Εκατοντάδες άοπλοι Αλβανοί εμπόδισαν την ανάπτυξη περιπόλων της αστυνομίας της πρώην Γιουγκοσλαβικής Δημοκρατίας της Μακεδονίας στις οποίες συμμετείχαν άνδρες από όλες τις εθνοτικές κοινότητες της χώρας.

Οι διαδηλωτές απέκλεισαν το δρόμο που συνδέει το Τέτοβο με το Κοσσυφοπέδιο και εμπόδισαν τις περιπόλους να μπουν σε τρία άλλα χωριά. Σε άλλες περιοχές δεν παρουσιάστηκαν προβλήματα.

Ανταποκριτής του BBC μεταδίδει ότι η αστυνομία επιχειρεί να αποκαταστήσει τον κρατικό έλεγχο στα χωριά που είχαν καταλάβει οι Αλβανοί αντάρτες κατά τις περσινές ένοπλες συγκρούσεις.

[03] THE FILES OF FOUR "17 N" MURDERS HAVE CLOSED

The files of four murder cases in which the terrorist organization 17 November is involved have closed, as the specific cases fall under the statute of limitations, given the fact that 20 years have passed since the murders in question were committed, according to the Athens newspaper TA NEA.

They are the cases concerning the murders of CIA's Richard Welsh in Psihiko, Athens in December 1975, the dishonorably discharged police officer Evangelos Mallios in Palio Psihiko on 14 December 1976, and the murder case of deputy director of the Special Police Force Pantelis Petrou in Pangrati, Athens on January 16, 1980 and his driver Sotiris Stamoulis, who died from his injuries a few days after the attack.

The files of the above mentioned cases have closed due to the fact that a period of 20 years has passed since they were committed.

The next file that will soon be closed is that of the case of the murder of Captain George Cantes and his driver Nikos Veloutsos in Psihiko, Athens on November 15, 1983.

According to the news report, the new law against organized crime, also known as anti-terrorist law, does not cover the legal void that has to do with the statute of limitations.

[04] TSOCHATZOPOULOS' CONTACTS FOR THE SPEEDING UP OF PRIVATIZATIONS

The privatization of a number of state-run companies is an issue of top priority for Minister of Development Akis Tsochatzopoulos starting with the State Company of Natural Gas, the Hellenic Petroleum and the Skaramanga Shipyards.

Next week, the minister will have a new round of consultations and contacts with the management of those companies to speed up their privatization.

On the case of the State Company of Natural Gas, the strategic investor will purchase 30-35% of its capital share. Regarding the Hellenic Petroleum, the investor will purchase 23% of its shares and among its prospective buyers are the Austrian OMV, the joint venture Lukoil-Latsis and Yukos. The case of the Skaramanga Shipyards is more complicated as its privatization is linked with the final transfer of the Greek Bank of Industrial Development to the Bank of Piraeus..

[05] ARCHBISHOP DIMITRIOS OF AMERICA WILL VISIT THESSALONIKI

Archbishop Dimitrios of America will be on a visit to Thessaloniki on Thursday.

The Archbishop of America will meet with Metropolite Panteleimon, while mayor of Thessaloniki Vasilis Papageorgopoulos will honor him with the gold metal of the city in a special ceremony that will be held at the City Hall.

For the record, Thessaloniki is the hometown of Archbishop Dimitrios.

[06] THE POPULATION OF GREECE REACHED 10.596.400 PEOPLE

The population of Greece increased by 31.000 people in 2001 and most of the increase is due to the immigrants in the country.

The Greek population is now 10.596.400 people.

[07] PRIME MINISTER SIMITIS RETURNED FROM THE UNITED STATES

Prime Minister Kostas Simitis returned today from the United States where he met with US President Bush at the White House.

In statements he made during the flight back to Athens, Mr. Simitis referred to the issue of terrorism, stressing that there never was any list of suspects, while he pointed out that the change in legislation is being considered to abolish the statute of limitations concerning terrorist acts.

He expressed satisfaction for the contacts he had in Washington both with US President Bush and the Secretaries of State and Defense, while he reiterated that the talks they had were warm and friendly.

The Prime Minister in earlier statements had characterized as meaningful and fruitful the talks he had with the US President and had reiterated that the presence of the US forces in the Balkans is necessary, stressing that Greece will submit its own proposals on the Euro-army.

Government spokesman Christos Protopapas stated to the Athens radio station Flash that the visit to the United States was not held to offer any apologies as Greece has its own voice. He also added that certain circles want to create a negative climate toward Greece on the issue of terrorism.

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