Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 02-03-03

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

CONTENTS

[01] GREEK BRONZE IN 60M DASH

[02] TRAFFICKERS ARRESTED IN CHIOS

[03] KARAMANLIS-BAKOYANNI ON EARLY ELECTIONS

[04] MITSOTAKIS PROPOSES SETTLEMENT WITH GLYXBURG

[05] KAKLAMANIS IN ALBANIA TOMORROW

[06] OFFICIAL SIMITIS WELCOME TO JAPAN TOMORROW

[01] GREEK BRONZE IN 60M DASH

G. Kokloni won the bronze medal in the finals of the women's 60 meter dash, in the framework of the third and final 27th European Track Championship, being held in Vienna.

The Greek champion got 3rd position with a time o 7.22 seconds, after Kim Gevert with 7.16 and the Russian Marina Kislova with 7.18.

After the end of the race, Kokloni stated she was completely satisfied from her performance and winning the bronze.

[02] TRAFFICKERS ARRESTED IN CHIOS

Two Greek traffickers, Vasilios Karajas, 50, and Konstantinos Fafoutis, 35, who were transporting 28 illegal immigrants to Greece, were taken to the Chios Misdemeanor District Attorney.

The boat with which the immigrants were being transferred to Chios started letting in water, seriously endangering them. After a rescue operation the illegal immigrants were taken to Chios, while the Greek traffickers were arrested. Four of the illegal immigrants were transferred to the hospital with signs of hypothermia.

[03] KARAMANLIS-BAKOYANNI ON EARLY ELECTIONS

His appreciation that early elections will not be held was expressed by the President of New Democracy Kostas Karamanlis in an interview to the Sunday Avgi, and to the question of why the Opposition does not ask for early elections, he answered that it does not ask for them because it cannot impose them.

Mr. Karamanlis ruled out the possibility of any discussions on reforming the present electoral law, since, as he underlined, he does not adequately trust the government in order to hold such a discussion, and announced that he will react to any possibility of change in every legal way.

In the same interview, ND President attacked the government on the issue of intertwined interests (as common parlance has shady business deals involving the government), and stated that he agrees with the proposal of the President of the Coalition of the Left, Nikos Konstantopoulos, in opening all controversial bank accounts. There cannot be a cloud lingering over Greece's public life. This issue must be cleared up, he said characteristically.

D. Bakoyanni

In contrast to Mr. Karamanlis' statements, Dora Bakoyanni does not rule out the eventuality of early elections, as mentioned in an interview to the Sunday Eleftherotypia, since there is governmental stagnancy and none of Greece's problems are being dealt with.

The Coordinator of New Democracy's Defense and Foreign Affairs Committee, avoided directly answering whether she will run for mayor of Athens, but she admitted that she has discussed the issue with the President of the Party. One does not cease to be a politician just because one participates in local government, the Parliament or elsewhere she stressed.

She appreciated that PASOK is using its cooperation proposal to the Left, in order to hem in Left, and called the governing party to appoint members of the Left to Ministerial positions if it really believes in this cooperation.

[04] MITSOTAKIS PROPOSES SETTLEMENT WITH GLYXBURG

An honest settlement with Konstantinos Glyxburg, is the solution proposed by Honorary President of New Democracy, Konstantinos Mitsotakis.

In an interview to the Sunday Eleftherotypia, Mr. Mitsotakis stressed: I urge the government move, even at this late time, to an honest settlement with the former king, one based on the principles accepted by both the Andreas Papandreou government and my government with N.D. Meaning that the palace properties in Tatoi, the graves, and a small portion of the Tatoi farm, should be recognized as property of the former king's family. And the royal family should return the rest of the fortune to the government with nothing in exchange.

Nobody had doubted, the royal property (which is rotting away today in the stables of Tatoi) for almost a century, until 1993, it is minimally convincing and devoid of seriousness, to dispute control without any evidence. And it is disparaging for Greece to ask for a Large Estate Tax on one hand, and deny the estate control on the other, while still asking for taxes on it.

Mr. Mitsotakis blames Prime Minister Kostas Simitis for handling the case, stating that it cannot stand legally, and that it was lost from the very beginning: Mr. Simitis and his government's ministers, with their inexcusable obstinacy and bitterness, will internationally expose Greece and burden Greek tax payers with several billion drachmas worth of damages, if they pursue this issue to the end. Would they act in the same way if it was their money that would pay for the damages?

[05] KAKLAMANIS IN ALBANIA TOMORROW

President of the Greek Parliament, Apostolos Kaklamanis, who will participate in the 3rd Conference of Parliament President's of Countries of Southeastern Europe, on: Good neighbors and regional cooperation, prerequisites necessary to accelerate the completion of the Euro-Atlantic procedure, will leave for Tirana tomorrow.

Mr. Kaklamanis will meet with Albanian President Rexhep Meidani, the Prime Minister, Panteli Maiko, Archbishop Anastasios, and counterparts from Southeastern European countries. On Wednesday he will visit Dervicani, where he will meet with representatives of the Greek minority.

[06] OFFICIAL SIMITIS WELCOME TO JAPAN TOMORROW

The official welcoming of Prime Minister Simitis to Japan, will take place tomorrow at Emperor Akihito's palace, in the framework of the Prime Minister's visit to Japan, which will last a week. Greek-Japanese relations are the main reason for this visit, while special attention is expected to be paid to the financial sector, due to Japan's financial position, as well as it's political position, since Japan is one of the G7.

Tomorrow, Mr. Simitis will meet with Emperor Akihito and Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, with whom he will sign a bilateral cooperation treaty.

Both sides characterize the cooperation between them as especially good, since there have been diplomatic relations between Greece and Japan since 1900. On the one hand Greece is interested in Japan's part in the Korean Peninsula, and on the other Japan recognizes Greece's role in the Balkan region.

At the same time, the Greek group accompanying the Prime Minister is paying special attention to contacts of a financial character that Greek businessmen will have with Japanese colleagues. An important part of Mr. Simiti's contacts is expected to be concentrated on Greek-Japanese cooperation in the sector of culture, since the Japanese greatly admire the history of the Greek spirit and culture. In fact, in view of the 2004 Athens Olympics, the Greek side expressed its interest in Japan's experience in this sector.

Mr. Simitis is accompanied on this trip to Japan, by his wife Daphne, Press Minister Christos Protopapas, alternate Foreign Minister Tasos Giannitsis, deputy Foreign Minister Andreas Loverdos, and a number of important businessmen.

The Prime Minister and his wife visited the Tokyo National Museum, watched the re-enactment of building a pagoda and were informed about life in Japan, from the 1830s onward. In the afternoon Mr. Simitis visited the Tokyo Shopping Center.

On Tuesday Mr. Simitis will meet with Japanese financial agents, as well as Japanese journalists, while he will hold a press conference on a television network. On Wednesday he will visit Kyoto.

Minister of Press Christos Protopapas, stated that the government attributes great importance to the Prime Minister's visit, pointing out Japan's important international role, as well as the country's economy and technology.

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