Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 02-01-28

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] GREEK FORCE LEAVES FOR AFGHANISTAN

[02] NO INFECTED POULTRY IMPORTED

[03] INFLATION TO 3.8% IN JANUARY

[04] ANOMERITIS AT THE BRITISH MUSEUM

[05] PROTOPAPAS' COMMENTS ON THE CEM STATEMENTS

[06] THE GREEK GOVERNMENT BACKS THE CLERIDES STATEMENTS

[07] FARMERS' MOBILIZATIONS IN GREECE

[08] PAPANTONIOU ON GREECE'S DISAGREEMENT WITH THE US-BRITISH EURO-ARMY

[09] GAINS IN THE ASE

[10] THE SKARAMANGA SHIPYARDS PRIVATIZATION MOVES AHEAD

[11] INTERNET PROTECTION FOR KIDS IN GREECE

[12] COCACOLA FINED 3 MIL. EURO

[13] 3 ARRESTED FOR TRAFFICKING

[14] NEWS AGENCIES' CONFERENCE IN ISTANBUL

[15] MPA DELEGATION VISITED THE PATRIARCHATE

[01] GREEK FORCE LEAVES FOR AFGHANISTAN

The first men of the Greek Force to be sent to Afghanistan are leaving next week, while the training of 132 officers and non-commission officers in New Santa, Kilkis, has nearly been completed.

An advanced party of the force, will leave before February 5 for Pakistan. A week later, 18 commandos will depart for Afghanistan, who will be in charge of security measures for the rest of the force. By February 20, the entire force will have arrived in Afghanistan.

The Greek Force will be stationed 11 km outside Kabul, in a region controlled by the Northern Alliance. The personnel of the Greek Force will travel to the region on c-130, while two air transports will be rented for the transfer of 65 vehicles.

[02] NO INFECTED POULTRY IMPORTED

The Unified Body for Food Control made assurances that none of the dioxin-infected poultry that was found in Belgium was imported to Greece, calming consumers.

On January 18, Belgian authorities traced dioxin in chicken feed in the factory producing it, and Belgian shops took 14.000 chickens off the shelves.

[03] INFLATION TO 3.8% IN JANUARY

Inflation is expected to reach its peak in January and will consequently climb to 3.8%. In 2001, inflation had an average 3.4%, marginally increased in relation to the estimations of the financial staff.

The inflation's increase during January, is mainly due to the increase in the cost of fruits and vegetables, because of the bad weather, as well as the rounding up of prices to accommodate the euro.

Nevertheless, according to government factors' estimations, the number to be reached by inflation in January, will be the highest point, since they added that it will decrease to approximately 2.5%, in the Autumn.

[04] ANOMERITIS AT THE BRITISH MUSEUM

Greece's request for the return of the Parthenon Marbles to their natural surroundings, was repeated by the Minister of Commercial Shipping, Giorgos Anomeritis, who, in the framework of his visit to London, visited the British Museum yesterday morning, accompanied by the Secretary General of the Ministry, Mr. L. Lambropoulos.

Further elucidating on the Greek position on the marbles issue, he pointed out that the request only has to do with the Parthenon, and clarified that Greece will not ask for all Greek artifacts in museums all over the world, to be returned.

The Parthenon is a unique case, not because it is one of the Seven Wonders, nor because it is a piece of history, but because it is a temple expressing and uniting Greeks, and is a symbol of Western civilization. So, for the restitution of the monument's integrity, we ask that the Sculptures of the Parthenon be returned to their natural surroundings, stated Mr. Anomeritis characteristically. He also said that in the framework of the proposal made by the Ministry of Culture, cooperation with the British Museum is sought after, so that there is a constant flow of artwork, which would enrich the museum and give millions of people the chance to view ancient Greek artifacts, in those rooms.

[05] PROTOPAPAS' COMMENTS ON THE CEM STATEMENTS

The only dispute between Greece and Turkey is the issue of the continental shelf in the Aegean. It will be a positive development if Turkey accepts to draw up an agreement to refer the dispute to arbitrators by bringing the issue before the International Court of Justice in The Hague, stated Greek government spokesman Christos Protopapas. He added that the recent statements by Turkish Foreign Minister Ismail Cem are different from earlier Turkish positions that displayed intransigence.

Mr. Protopapas stated that there will be exploratory discussions at a Foreign Ministries directors level to determine if there can be headway in this area within the framework of International Law and the European institutions. He also said that Foreign Minister Giorgos Papandreou will also have exploratory contacts with his Turkish counterpart if it is deemed necessary.

[06] THE GREEK GOVERNMENT BACKS THE CLERIDES STATEMENTS

Greek government spokesman Christos Protopapas referred to the statements made by Cypriot President Glafkos Clerides when he was called to comment on whether Cyprus is pressured by the US on issues concerning its weapons systems.

Mr. Clerides had denied categorically the press reports according to which, the US ambassador had exercised pressures on the Cypriot government to do away with certain weapons systems of the National Guard. Mr. Clerides also denied the rumors that Defense Minister Socrates Hasikos has submitted his resignation because of a disagreement.

[07] FARMERS' MOBILIZATIONS IN GREECE

Farmers in Chalkidiki, northern Greece raised blockades and burned two tons of cotton. The farmers temporarily blocked traffic with 80 tractors and after half an hour they allowed the motorists to move freely at the Thessaloniki-Chalkidiki national motorway.

The farmers in Chania, Crete blockaded the national motorway at the Megala Chorafia intersection, while in Argos southern Greece over 250 farmers demonstrated outside the City Hall building where they unloaded tons of oranges and milk. Afterwards, they gathered at the city entrance and blocked the street for an hour.

Hundreds of farmers with their tractors, coming from all over central Greece, gathered in the region of Tempi and are expected to decide if there will be road blockades.

The police forces in the region are in a state of preparedness to stop any attempt by the farmers to close the motorways to traffic.

Meanwhile, government spokesman Christos Protopapas stated that the government has tried to find solutions to the problems of the farmers and stressed that they cannot expect anything better than what the government has already done. Mr. Protopapas invited them to a dialogue aimed at creating a competitive production for a better future.

The farmers don't want the price of cotton to drop, while one of their main demands is the subsidy of the whole cotton production in Greece. They also demand the immediate payment of compensation to the farmers who suffered damaged crops as a result of the recent bad weather that hit Greece. The Ministry of Agriculture will announce the new price of cotton on January 31.

[08] PAPANTONIOU ON GREECE'S DISAGREEMENT WITH THE US-BRITISH EURO-ARMY PROPOSAL

Minister of Defense Yiannos Papantoniou referred to Greece's disagreement with the US-British proposal on the issue of the Euro-army, speaking in a one-day conference in Athens organized by the National Defense General Staff that was held on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Greece's NATO membership.

Mr. Papantoniou underlined the need for Greece to express its different stance in a formal manner.

Earlier, the Minister of Defense briefed NATO Supreme Commander in Europe Air Force Lieutenant-General Joseph Ralston on Greece's stance and the NATO senior official stressed that Greece has a stabilizing role in the Balkans.

US ambassador to Athens Thomas Miller was also among the speakers in the one-day conference and characterized as healthy the EU effort to undertake military missions in cooperation with NATO.

[09] GAINS IN THE ASE

Stabilizing tendencies dominated in today's Athens Stock Exchange session. Gains were recorded in the ASE with the general index at +0.25% reaching 2.624,46 points, while the volume of transactions was at 137.4 million Euro corresponding to 46.8 billion drachmas.

Of the stocks trading today, 189 recorded gains and 120 had losses, while the value of 50 stocks remained unchanged.

[10] THE SKARAMANGA SHIPYARDS PRIVATIZATION MOVES AHEAD

The management of the Greek Bank of Industrial Development (ETBA) estimates that the buyout of the Skaramanga Shipyards by the German joint venture HDW/Ferrostaal will be completed within a month, while until then the specific privatization will have the approval of the EU Competitiveness Committee.

The above were included in a statement issued last Saturday by ETBA after the meeting that took place at the Finance Ministry with the participation of Finance Minister Nikos Christodoulakis, Development Minister Akis Tsochatzopoulos, HDW/Ferrostaal representatives as well as, ETBA management and employees representatives.

[11] INTERNET PROTECTION FOR KIDS IN GREECE

An open line of communication dedicated entirely to the issue of security on the Internet for children, has begun functioning today, organized by the Greek Consumer Organization (E.KA.TO.).

E.KA.TO.'s goal, is to inform on possible dangers children and teenagers using chat rooms may face, because of Internet abusers and aspiring pedophiles.

As the number of children and teenagers using the Internet is steadily rising throughout Europe and Greece, the need for immediate measures to be taken for their effective protection, in cooperation with all involved bodies, public and private, is growing, stressed E.KA.TO. in an announcement it made.

According to recent announcements, pedophiles often use chat rooms to draw out vulnerable children, while there are reports worldwide of children that have been abused, even disappearances of children that had given personal information or posted their picture on the Internet for some competition.

E.KA.TO. is trying to overtake the danger so that there are no similar cases in Greece, and thus has created an Open Line of Communication. 0801 11 35286 functions as a counseling center, giving advice for protection, practical ways of dealing with problems, information on Internet safety issues, while it will also accept any related crime reports.

[12] COCACOLA FINED 3 MIL. EURO

The Greek Coca-Cola Bottling Company has been called to pay 1 billion drachma, or 2.93 million euro, fine, after a decision made by the Competition Committee of the Ministry of Development.

This decision was made after reports from competing companies, and specifically the Panhellenic Refreshments Manufacturer's Association, which stated that during the 1991-1999 period, the company, which was at that time called 3E (Tria Epsilon), abused its dominating position in the Greek beverage market, something which resulted in financially damaging its competition.

[13] 3 ARRESTED FOR TRAFFICKING

Three individuals were arrested by Evros authorities as they were transferring 28 Kurdish illegal immigrants into Greece.

39-year-old Giannis Katsanis was arrested on the 10th km of the Alexandroupoli-Komotini freeway, while carrying the illegal immigrants in his truck, while 28-year-old Panagiotis Labatzidis and 26-year-old Thanasis Eskitzis, who were travelling ahead of the truck in rented cars as a scouting party, were also arrested.

All three will be taken to the Alexandroupoli DA. The illegal immigrants entered Greece from the Fera area, and boarded the truck that was to take them to Thessaloniki. There, the traffickers were to receive a payment of 2.5 million drs.

[14] NEWS AGENCIES' CONFERENCE IN ISTANBUL

Over 150 representatives of news agencies in Europe, the Balkans, Asia and Pacific states will meet next fall in Istanbul within the framework of a conference that will be organized by the Turkish news agency Anadolu.

The meeting will be held with the participation of news agencies that belong to the Organization of News Agencies of Asia-Pacific (OANA), European Association of Press Agencies (EAPA) and the Association of Balkan News Agencies (ABNA). The goal of the gathering is the exchange of views among representatives of news agencies from different countries in Europe, Asia and Oceania.

A future goal is to organize a second meeting with the participation of representatives of news agencies from North and South America, and Africa to make a first step toward the creation of a World Federation of News Agencies.

[15] MPA DELEGATION VISITED THE PATRIARCHATE

A Macedonian Press Agency (MPA) delegation, headed by MPA president Paraskevas Paraskevopoulos, visited Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos at the Fanar in Istanbul yesterday. During the visit, Mr. Vartholomeos referred to the ecumenical dimension of Orthodoxy, stressing that its meaning is broader than that of Hellenism.

Mr. Paraskevopoulos stressed that MPA backs the Ecumenical Patriarchate and wishes to promote it, while the Ecumenical Patriarch stated that MPA's work is significant.

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