Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 02-01-22

Macedonian Press Agency: Brief News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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

CONTENTS

[01] SIMITIS IN BULGARIA

[02] 5.9 R EARTHQUAKE NEAR KOS

[03] THE IOC COORDINATING COMMITTEE PRESIDENT VISITED ATHENS

[04] THE EARTHQUAKE IN THE AEGEAN MEASURED 6.6 ON THE RICHTER SCALE

[05] KARAMANLIS' PRESS CONFERENCE TO THE FOREIGN PRESS CORRESPONDENTS

[06] GAINS IN THE ASE

[07] THERE WILL BE NO STRONG AFTERSHOCKS ACCORDING TO SEISMOLOGISTS

[08] THE GREEK INVESTMENTS IN GEORGIA

[09] D. OSWALD MEETS MINISTERS

[10] EDA 50TH ANNIVERSARY

[11] GREECE SUPPORTS BULGARIA'S EFFORTS TO BECOME A MEMBER OF NATO AND THE

[12] AGREEMENT ON TAXATION SIGNED BY GREECE AND BULGARIA

[13] GREEK AID TO ALBANIAN REGIONS MADE INACCESSIBLE BY THE SNOW

[14] PARVANOV TOOK OVER HIS DUTIES IN THE PRESENCE OF THE GREEK PRIME

[01] SIMITIS IN BULGARIA

Prime Minister Kostas Simitis is in Sofia tomorrow, heading a government delegation, and escorted by a group of entrepreneurs. Mr. Simitis will have discussions with the President of the Bulgarian Republic and the Prime Minister of Bulgaria in furthermore developing bilateral relations, creating the Burgas Alexandroupoli, the restructuring of the Balkans and the 2004 Olympics.

Sofia is the first stop of the Prime Minister's Balkan tour, who is taking initiative in issues of foreign policy, aiming at strengthening Greece's international position as a factor of peace and cooperation in the broader region.

[02] 5.9 R EARTHQUAKE NEAR KOS

A powerful seismic vibration took place this morning at 6:54am, affecting all of the Dodecanese as well as Crete. The epicenter of the earthquake according to the Athens Geodynamic Institute, was in the sea region between Astypalia and Kos, and had a very deep focal point, thus preventing damages on the surface.

The vibration worried all the islands' residents, without, however, causing panic. So far, no injuries or damages have been reported in the Dodecanese or Crete.

As the General Secretariat for Civilian Protection announced, orders have been given to the police to patrol the islands and look for damages. The Secretary General of Civilian Protection contacted Minister and Deputy Minister of the Interior, Kosta Skandalidi and Lambro Papadima, in order to inform them of the situation.

[03] THE IOC COORDINATING COMMITTEE PRESIDENT VISITED ATHENS

International Olympic Committee, IOC, Coordinating Committee President Dennis Oswald characterized as positive the overall picture of the Athens 2004 Olympic Games preparations, in statements he made after his mini inspection of the Olympic projects. He stressed, however, that time pressures and expressed concern regarding the problems in the sectors of hospitality and transportation.

Referring to the document on the course of the Olympic projects presented by right-wing main opposition party of New Democracy leader Kostas Karamanlis in parliament, he said that such documents exist and will exist. He stressed that different colors are being used for different projects to underline which of them fall behind schedule, and added characteristically, that colors can change.

Athens 2004 Organization president Ms. Yianna Angelopoulou stated there is improvement in coordination and a considerable progress in the Olympic projects, pointing out that preparations have made a significant progress compared to last November.

[04] THE EARTHQUAKE IN THE AEGEAN MEASURED 6.6 ON THE RICHTER SCALE

The strong earthquake that hit the sea region between the southeastern Aegean islands of Astipalea and Kos at 06:54am this morning, measured 6.6 on the Richter scale, according to the latest announcement by the Geo-dynamic Institute in Athens.

Initially, the Geo-dynamic Institute in Athens had announced that the earthquake measured 5.9 on the Richter scale, while the Seismology Institute in Patras had measured it at 6.2 on the Richter scale. According to the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki Geo-physics Laboratory, the earthquake was between 6.3 and 6.4 on the Richter scale.

According to scientists, there is no agreement on the size of the earthquake because its epicenter was not close to the earth's surface.

[05] KARAMANLIS' PRESS CONFERENCE TO THE FOREIGN PRESS CORRESPONDENTS

Right-wing main opposition party of New Democracy leader Kostas Karamanlis expressed the certainty that his party will win the next parliamentary elections, in a press conference he gave in Athens today during the luncheon the Foreign Press Correspondents Association gave in his honor.

Mr. Karamanlis accused the government of adopting a compromise position in the Greek-Turkish relations and of handling the failed merger of the National Bank of Greece with Alpha Bank in a thoughtless manner. He said that ND backs Turkey's European prospect but this will mean that Turkey should adjust to the European standards. He also criticized the government's stance on the issue of the Euro-army and pointed out that major issues of national importance are at stake.

On the Cyprus issue, he said that the Turkish Cypriot side has adopted a different approach and the question is if this is a real change of policy or a communication trick. He called on the Greek government to make it clear to the EU partners that there can be no EU enlargement without the participation of Cyprus and expressed the belief that the Cyprus EU accession can take place during the EU presidency in the first half of 2003.

On the merger attempt by the National Bank of Greece and Alpha Bank, he said that his party had expressed reservations from the beginning which have been confirmed, adding that the developments have proved that there are big political responsibilities.

On the 2004 Olympic Games preparations, Mr. Karamanlis stressed that International Olympic Committee (IOC) Coordinating Committee president Dennis Oswald and other members of the IOC use the tongue of diplomacy but still their concern is obvious.

Regarding terrorism, he said that the lack of effectiveness can be dealt with seriousness and not through the issuing of declarations.

[06] GAINS IN THE ASE

Gains were recorded in the Athens Stock Exchange today. The general index rose to +0.76% at 2.563,17 points, while the volume of transactions was at 130.2 million Euro or 44.4 billion drachmas.

Of the stocks trading today, 237 recorded gains and 85 had losses, while the value of 38 stocks remained unchanged.

[07] THERE WILL BE NO STRONG AFTERSHOCKS ACCORDING TO SEISMOLOGISTS

Aristotle University of Thessaloniki Geophysics Laboratory seismologists expressed the belief that there will be no strong aftershocks after the earthquake measuring 5.9 on the Richter scale that was recorded this morning and its epicenter was located at the sea region between the islands of Astipalea and Kos in southeastern Aegean.

According to statements he made to MPA, assistant seismology professor Dimitris Panagiotopoulos stated that the epicenter of the earthquake was in a depth of 70 kilometers at the southeastern tip of the Greek Arc. Usually, the earthquakes that come from such depth do not give strong aftershocks but still the phenomenon will have to be observed for the next 48 hours to be able to reach safe conclusions.

The earthquake was felt in the Aegean Sea region and in regions at the Greek mainland as well as, Cyprus but no damages were recorded.

For the record, in August 1926 a catastrophic earthquake measuring 8 on the Richter scale, coming from a depth of 120 kilometers, shook the sea region off the coasts of the southeastern Aegean island of Rhodes. It was one of the deadliest earthquakes ever recorded in he wider Greek region since ancient times.

[08] THE GREEK INVESTMENTS IN GEORGIA

The market of the former soviet republic of Georgia still is terra incognita for the Greek businessmen as the Greek investments made in the country continue to be limited as a result of the climate of insecurity that dominates.

Indicative of the caution displayed by the Greek businessmen is the fact that almost no Greek investments were made in Georgia during the past year. The only exception was the LOBAT Ltd company, which created a production unit for timber processing and export in the region of Senaki.

However, in spite of the disadvantages observed in the Georgian market nobody can dispute the fact that it has several advantages such as, access to a region with tens of millions of consumers and potential buyers of Greek products.

[09] D. OSWALD MEETS MINISTERS

Greece is showing progress, in general terms, in Olympic preparations, noted, according to information, the IOC coordination committee delegation, headed by Dennis Oswald, who met with staff members of the Athens 2004 organizational committee.

However, the Vice-President of the IOC criticized certain points in Greece's preparations. As far as hospitality is concerned, he stressed that Greece is 3.000 beds short, and he pointed out the delays in the Elliniko and Falliro works. He also asked that the creation of three lanes be created on Kifisias Avenue.

Today Mr. Oswald is having consecutive meetings with the Ministers of PEHODE (Environment, Planning and Public Works), Vaso Papandreou, Culture, Evaggelos Venizelos, Development, Akis Tsohatzopoulos, Transportations, Christos Verelis, and Deputy Labor Minister, Lefteris Jiolas.

Later in the day, Mr. Oswald will hold a press conference on the progress of the Olympic preparations. However the delegation of the International Olympic Committee seems satisfied from the progress so far.

[10] EDA 50TH ANNIVERSARY

An event for the 50th anniversary of EDA (United Democratic Left) took place last night at the Acropol theater, in the presence of many historical figures of the Left, and other representatives of Greece's political scene.

The President of the Parliament, Apostosolo Kaklamanis, referred to the contribution of EDA members, underlining that their visions and ideas belong to the future. EDA was a corner stone in my opinion, in the course for stability in political life and our national life, and democratization, he pointed out.

The Secretary General of PASOK, Kostas Laliotis, made an opening to the parties of the Left during his speech: We can, through reliable discussion, create terms of policy convergence, policy cooperation, policy solidarity, in social contexts, institutions, and why not, in governing, he noted.

Former MP and member of the Executive Committee, Leonidas Kirkos, spoke of the contribution of EDA: EDA, defending the front of evenness, the only progressive, truly revolutionary front at the time, was also seeking to broaden its alliances on a social and political level, he mentioned.

The President of New Democracy, Kostas Karamanlis, congratulated the Coalition of the Left and its President Nikos Konstantopoulos, for the forming of the Initiative Committee for EDA's 50th Anniversary, and thanked the Committee and its President Manolis Glezos, who addressed an invitation to him.

The presence of all of us, as a separate event, may be the greatest, and surely the one we owe to them the most, form of tribute to those who believed and fought for principles and values. For freedom, the restructuring of the country, national reconciliation. We honor faith and perseverance. We honor the action that developed with the belief of a contribution, he said.

[11] GREECE SUPPORTS BULGARIA'S EFFORTS TO BECOME A MEMBER OF NATO AND THE EU

Greek Prime Minister Kostas Simitis reiterated Greece's support to Bulgaria's efforts to become a member of NATO and the EU, in a joint press conference with his Bulgarian counterpart Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha that was given after their meeting in Sofia.

Mr. Simitis welcomed Bulgaria's agreement with the EU to shut down the four nuclear reactors of the Kozloduy nuclear plant. On the issue, the Bulgarian Prime Minister expressed his country's intention to shut down the first two nuclear reactors by the end of the year, while the other two will be closed based on a timetable.

On the Burgas-Alexandroupolis oil pipeline, the Greek Prime Minister stated that it has entered its final phase. He said that the only thing that remains to be done is a tripartite meeting of the responsible agencies from Greece, Bulgaria and Russia to discuss economic and technical issues.

On the Greek-Bulgarian relations, the two Prime Ministers stated that there is room for further improvement and expressed their common will to contribute to the efforts for the promotion of stability in the Balkans.

Meanwhile, the draft bill that will promote the Greek plan for the economic reconstruction of the Balkans was given to publicity in Sofia. The plan, that will be materialized by the Greek Foreign Ministry, will last from 2002 to 2006 and provides for 550 million Euro credits to fund projects, investments and actions in Bulgaria, Albania, Yugoslavia, FYROM and Romania.

[12] AGREEMENT ON TAXATION SIGNED BY GREECE AND BULGARIA

An agreement aimed at avoiding parallel taxation, was signed by Greek Prime Minister Kostas Simitis and his Bulgarian counterpart Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha in Sofia. In their meeting, the two Prime Ministers discussed ways to consolidate the climate of security in the Balkans, bilateral relations, Bulgaria's EU accession course and the increase of Greek investments in the neighboring country.

Mr. Simitis responded to questions by reporters on the latest statements made by Turkish Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit and stressed that Greece is firm on the policy of initiatives and dialogue it has been exercising for a long time.

Later this afternoon, Mr. Simitis will meet with President Georgi Parvanov, while he will attend the proceedings of a business conference held with the participation of Greek businessmen.

[13] GREEK AID TO ALBANIAN REGIONS MADE INACCESSIBLE BY THE SNOW

A Greek armed forces helicopter will carry aid for the residents of regions in northern and northeastern Albania made inaccessible by the heavy snow.

According to the Albanian mass media, a Greek military helicopter participates in an aid mission supplying with food and staple commodities the regions of northern and northeaster Albania hit by extremely bad weather.

[14] PARVANOV TOOK OVER HIS DUTIES IN THE PRESENCE OF THE GREEK PRIME MINISTER

The ceremony during which Bulgarian President Georgi Parvanov took over his duties was held in Sofia today in the presence of Greek Prime Minister Kostas Simitis and Turkish deputy Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz.

Mr. Parvanov swore-in during the weekend and today he formally took over his duties as Bulgarian President. The 44yearold Parvanov, who won the presidential elections last November, has as a main goal the speeding up of the procedure for his country's accession into the European Union.

Former Bulgarian President Petar Stoyanov also attended the ceremony and earlier he had a meeting with the current president.

Bulgaria together with the neighboring Romania is among the 12 former Communist countries, which are EU candidates.

Macedonian Press Agency: Brief News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article