Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 02-01-30

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

CONTENTS

[01] GREECE DOES NOT BARGAIN OVER ITS SOVEREIGN RIGHTS

[02] PROTOPAPAS ON THE IMMINENT GREEK-TURKISH DIALOGUE

[03] SIGNIFICANT LOSSES IN THE ASE

[04] GREECE PLANS AN ENERGY "EGNATIA ODOS"

[05] FIVE MAIN AXES FOR THE SOCIAL SECURITY SYSTEM REFORM

[06] THE FARMERS' MOBILIZATIONS CONTINUE IN GREECE

[07] NELLY'S LENS SEES THE ASIA MINOR DISASTER

[08] NO RECYCLED PLANE PARTS IN GREECE

[09] DIOXIN CHICKENS SEIZED

[10] CAMPAIGN FOR OLYMPIC ARMISTICE

[11] SIMITIS-PRODI MEETING

[12] SOLBES ON GREECE'S PUBLIC DEBT

[01] GREECE DOES NOT BARGAIN OVER ITS SOVEREIGN RIGHTS

The Greek government will not bargain over its sovereign rights in the discussion it will have with Turkey, stated Minister of Foreign Affairs, Giorgos Papandreou.

In statements to Flash Radio, he said he could not understand this fear of discussions "rocking the boat" for Greek-Turkish relations. "It is acceptable to be concerned; we are also concerned and take measures accordingly", he stressed, and assured that if Turkey raises any claims to sovereign rights, the Greek side will say "no" just as it has before.

All governments, and all Foreign Ministers have had discussions with Turkey, he pointed, out and added that after two years of discussions with Ismail Cem, 10 agreements of Greek-Turkish cooperation have been validated by the parliament, and another five are underway. Today Greece is stronger and there is a positive coincidence that may lead to the success of this venture. Turkey has every reason to want success, because if this attempt fails, and it is at fault, the position it held will be evaluated by the by the European Union, on its EU incorporation prospects.

He answered negatively to a question on the scenarios that would have him succeed Kostas Simitis within PASOK, stating that the issue will be resolved at the 6th Congress and he does not want to get involved. His relationship with Mr. Simitis is excellent, they work very closely and it would be harmful if certain individuals to undermine foreign policy for reasons that would serve them inside the Party or in favor of the Opposition.

Foreign Affairs and Defense Coordinator of New Democracy Dora Bakoyanni, was mildly optimistic in the results that Mr. Papandreou's discussions with Mr. Cem may yield. She supported that Turkey has to be willing for the procedure to succeed. She also supported that respect for sovereign rights, international law and bilateral agreements are requirements for discussions to be held.

[02] PROTOPAPAS ON THE IMMINENT GREEK-TURKISH DIALOGUE

Greece can say No if there are problems or irrational claims on behalf of Turkey that are in conflict with its national interests, stated government spokesman Christos Protopapas. The statement was made on the imminent dialogue with Turkey and Mr. Protopapas reiterated that the only issue that is open for Greece is that of the continental shelf.

When he was called to comment whether Greece regards Abdulah Ocalan as terrorist, Mr. Protopapas responded that the whole international community is against the Kurdish PKK organization placing it on the list of terrorist organizations. Regarding the allegations concerning the cooperation between Greek and Turkish secret services on the Ocalan case, Mr. Protopapas stated that secret agencies cooperate within the framework of the efforts to combat international terrorism.

[03] SIGNIFICANT LOSSES IN THE ASE

Significant losses were recorded in the Athens Stock Exchange today. The general index dropped to -1.12% at 2.595,87 points, while the volume of transactions was at 111.5 million Euro or 38 billion drachmas.

Of the stocks trading today, 53 recorded gains and 272 had losses, while the value of 33 stocks remained unchanged.

[04] GREECE PLANS AN ENERGY "EGNATIA ODOS"

The government is interested in creating an energy Egnatia Odos looking for new natural gas sources in the Caspian Sea countries. Negotiations are already underway with Turkey, Iran Azerbaidjan and Turkmenistan, according to revelations made by the Natural Gas Public Company president Dimitris Sotirlis, addressing in the international conference of The Economist on the energy market.

Specifically, Mr. Sotirlis clarified that negotiations with Turkey concern the link-up of the natural gas network, while the negotiations with the rest three countries concern the expansion of the existing pipeline for the supply of Greece with natural gas.

Mr. Sotirlis added that for the materialization of this project is necessary to build an 85-kilometers long pipeline in Greece and an additional 200 kilometers on Turkish soil. He also said that Greece intends to expand the pipeline to Italy for the supply of Western Europe with natural gas.

[05] FIVE MAIN AXES FOR THE SOCIAL SECURITY SYSTEM REFORM

The proposals for the reform of the social security system, to be forwarded to the social partners by Labor Minister Dimitris Reppas in February, are based on five main axes.

In the proposals' text it will be stressed that there is a need to hold a further discussion on issues of tax reform, namely, age limits, ways to calculate pension, auxiliary social security, the tripartite funding and the unification of social security funds.

According to information cited by the Athens newspaper Ethnos, the likelihood for Mr. Reppas to bring the national pension issue to social dialogue remains open.

[06] THE FARMERS' MOBILIZATIONS CONTINUE IN GREECE

The motorways leading to the border crossings of Evzoni and Doirani at the north of the country remain closed as farmers have used their tractors to stop traffic. The situation is similar in many parts of northern Greece.

Meanwhile, the stance that will be adopted by the farmers in the inauguration of the agriculture trade fair Agrotica, that will take place in Thessaloniki later this afternoon, is still unknown. Minister of Agriculture Giorgos Dris will formally open the trade fair.

Meanwhile, government spokesman Christos Protopapas called on the opposition parties to make it clear whether they support the farmers' road blockades.

[07] NELLY'S LENS SEES THE ASIA MINOR DISASTER

Human pain, as expressed during the Asia Minor Disaster, is represented through Nelly's Pictures, which will be on display from next Tuesday, at the Athens Intellectual Center.

The exhibition is titled, Refugee Grief (1925-1927) through Nelly's lens, and is being organized by the Cultural Organization of the Municipality of Athens and the Smyrna Community, drawing on the 80th anniversary of the Asia Minor Disaster. The photographs are from the photograph archive of the Benaki Museum, and the only ones of Nelly's depicting human pain.

[08] NO RECYCLED PLANE PARTS IN GREECE

The Civil Aviation Service assured that Greek companies do not use old or recycled parts of aircraft, after the scandal in Italy that has caused intense concern all over the world.

There are fears that defective aircraft parts have been sold to companies all over the world, and that fact is tied into recent airplane crashes.

The Italian authorities revealed a network that removed old or defective aircraft parts, which it then channeled back into the market as new. Several people have already been arrested in Rome, while the country's custom office has seized thousands of aircraft parts.

[09] DIOXIN CHICKENS SEIZED

Chicken parts, of a total weight of 5.4 tons, were seized yesterday in Athens in suspicion of dioxin presence, by the veterinarians of the Joint Foods Inspection Body (EFET).

Specifically, the inspectors of EFET seized 1,400 kilos of frozen Belgian chickens, frozen and packed on 18.10.2001 and 4,000 kilos dated to 11.01.2002, both dates after the detection of dioxin in Belgian poultry.

EFET has already asked Belgian authorities for specific information on the origin of the chickens seized in Athens, in order to ascertain if they came from the suspicious Belgian farms, and there will be immediate sample checks.

[10] CAMPAIGN FOR OLYMPIC ARMISTICE

With On your mark! Get set cease fire! as its slogan, the Olympic Armistice revival information campaign has begun in Greece.

This informative campaign will take place from February 2-15, 2002, aiming at the ceasing hostilities all over the world during future Olympics, mentioned Foreign Minister Giorgos Papandreou, in an interview to the press, underlining the significance of the message of peace through culture and sports.

Just as Greece managed to revive the modern Olympics at the end of the 19th century, it now has the obligation to revive the part of the event involving the armistice. The message of peace through culture and sports is important. The Olympics are a worldwide reference point for humanity. It is important to draw the connection between principles and human values, and the Games. We Greeks have something to say. Vision and realism are both needed.

Mr. Papandreou stated that there is close cooperation with both the IOC and the UN, and noted that the US Senate unanimously decided to support the Olympic armistice, while there is also a relevant resolution of distinguished individuals. As he mentioned, the first signatures are his and Turkish Foreign Minister Ismail Cem's, and he pointed out that Foreign Ministers of certain Balkan countries have also signed.

A special letter will be sent to India and Pakistan, calling the two countries to lay down their arms in respect of the Olympic Armistice, while such a letter will be sent to both the Israelis and the Palestinians.

Mr. Papandreou also noted that during the Nagano Winter Olympics, Iraq was not bombed in respect of the Armistice and that the war in Sarajevo stopped for one day. The Foreign Minister also mentioned the participation of North and South Korea at the Sidney Olympics under a single flag.

The General Director of the Armistice Center, Ambassador Stavros Labrinidis, pointed out that the Olympic Armistice is not panacea or a utopia. People around the world will not stop fighting just because the Olympic Movement tells them they shouldn't fight. That is obvious. But it is not a utopia, because it does not ask for eternal peace, just a window of opportunity for 16 days, in connection to the most widely recognized event in the world, the Olympic Games, he underlined.

[11] SIMITIS-PRODI MEETING

The future of Europe, the priorities of the Greek EU Presidency in the first half of 2003 and the farm issue, were discussed in the meeting Greek Prime Minister Kostas Simitis had in Brussels today with European Commission President Romano Prodi.

Mr. Simitis underlined Greece's interest in a democratic European Union with a greater political role and social character. The Greek Prime Minister pointed out the need to respect the timetables for the enlargement procedure, while on the issue of Cyprus, he wished that the Turkish Cypriot side will adopt proposals that will lead to the solution of the Cyprus problem.

On the issues that concern the Greek farmers, he pointed out that he discussed them with Mr. Prodi, while he will also discuss the issue with the responsible European Commissioner Frantz Fischler. The Prime Minister characterized as a main issue the compensation that should be paid to the farmers who suffered damaged crops as a result of the recent bad weather.

Mr. Simitis also stressed the need to form a joint European policy to deal with illegal immigrants and asylum seekers.

[12] SOLBES ON GREECE'S PUBLIC DEBT

European Commissioner Pedro Solbes expressed the view that Greece should intensify its efforts to cut its public debt in order to gain greater fiscal stability. Earlier, the European Commission had examined the Greek stability and convergence program.

Similar warnings had been issued to Germany and Portugal as their deficits are very close to the 3% limit set by the European Union.

This was a so-called early warning to the states in question suggesting to them that they should make further efforts to cut their deficits. It is the first time the European Commission issues such a warning.

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