Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 02-07-01

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

CONTENTS

[01] THE 56TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE OF THE PAN-MACEDONIAN ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA

[02] THE GREEK ELECTRICITY COMPANY WILL GIVE TO PRIVATE INVESTORS ANOTHER

[03] PROTOPAPAS ON THE EURO-ARMY

[04] LOSSES IN THE ASE

[05] INTRACOM STRENGTHENS ITS PRESENCE IN TURKEY

[06] THE THESSALONIKI-SKOPJE OIL PIPELINE WILL BE INAUGURATED TOMORROW

[07] BOMBER ARRESTED IN ATHENS

[01] THE 56TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE OF THE PAN-MACEDONIAN ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA

A declaration was approved by the Pan-Macedonian Association of America in its 56th annual conference that took place in Clearwater, Florida on June 26-30. The declaration refers to the September 11 terrorist attack on the United States, the Athens 2004 Olympic Games, the Cyprus issue, Turkey's provocative stance in the Aegean and the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Istanbul.

The September 11 terrorist attacks are being condemned, as well as every terrorist attack, while the efforts for successful Olympic Games inn Athens are being backed. Also, the declaration condemns the intentionally unfair stance toward Cyprus by the United States, the European Union and NATO compared to their stance in the case of Kosovo.

The Pan-Macedonian expresses its support to the rights of the ethnic Greeks in south Albania. On the continuous Turkish provocation and the demands for concessions in the Aegean, made in violation of all international laws and treaties, the Pan-Macedonian calls for the intervention of the United Nations and condemns the Turkish actions.

On the situation of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Istanbul, the Pan-Macedonian condemns the acts of discrimination on behalf of Turkey and the violation of religious freedom. Also, the declaration underlines the need for the reopening of the Theology School in Halki and the restoration of the property rights of the Greeks in Istanbul.

The Pan-Macedonian Association of America supports the return of the Parthenon Marbles to Greece and stresses that it will never accept an Orthodox Church with the term Macedonia, or any of its derivatives, in its name.

In a resolution signed on the issue of the name of FYROM, it is stressed that the name Macedonia is undoubtedly Greece's historical and cultural heritage and it is underlined that the history of Macedonia, and specifically its name, is non negotiable and cannot be given away. It is stressed that no name that will include in it the term Macedonia, or any of its derivatives, will be accepted for FYROM.

The Pan-Macedonian Association of America honored members of the Greek community in the United States and Greek parliament deputies Ilias Vlachopoulos of PASOK and Vasilis Pappas of New Democracy. Also, it honored Macedonian Press Agency general director Spiros Kouzinopoulos, who became honorary member of the Alexander the Great Macedonian Association in Florida, for MPA's great contribution to the better information of the Greeks living abroad.

Speaking to MPA, newly elected Pan-Macedonian President Ms. Nina Peropoulou stressed that the organization will give a special emphasis to the issue of the young Greeks living abroad, education, cultural heritage and voluntarism in the Athens 2004 Olympic Games.

[02] THE GREEK ELECTRICITY COMPANY WILL GIVE TO PRIVATE INVESTORS ANOTHER 15% OF ITS SHARES

By the end of 2002, the Greek Electricity Company will give another 15% of its shares to private investors, according to statements made by Minister of Development Akis Tsochatzopoulos.

Mr. Tsochatzopoulos also stated that 100% of the Parnitha Casino, near Athens, should be given to private investors because according to his opinion, there is no need for the Greek state to own a casino.

He also said that by 2010 electric energy production in Greece will be increased by 40%, while in the sector of tourism the goal for the Ministry of Development is to increase the number of tourists visiting Greece from 12 million they are today to 20 million by 2010.

[03] PROTOPAPAS ON THE EURO-ARMY

Greek government spokesman Christos Protopapas stated that until now there are no indications that Turkey has decided to adopt a positive stance on the issue of the Euro-army.

Mr. Protopapas stated that Greece wants the issue to be settled and hopefully Turkey will accept the new framework that was formed in Seville.

[04] LOSSES IN THE ASE

Losses were recorded in the Athens Stock Exchange today. The general index dropped to 0.84% at 2.218,98 points, while the volume of transactions was at 57.4 million Euro or 19.5 billion drachmas.

Of the stocks trading today, 69 recorded gains and 237 had losses, while the value of 70 stocks remained unchanged.

[05] INTRACOM STRENGTHENS ITS PRESENCE IN TURKEY

Greek telecommunications company INTRACOM signed a memorandum of cooperation aimed at controlling more than 20% of the METEKSAN Turkish group of companies share capital. The move is made within the framework of the efforts for the strengthening of INTRACOM's presence in Turkey.

At the same time, a plan of cooperation is being drawn-up between the METEKSAN and GANTEK groups where INTRACOM owns 20% since January 2001.

According to a statement issued by INTRACOM, the INTRACOM-METEKSAN-GANTEK cooperation will allow the materialization of big telecommunications projects in Turkey and the wider geographic region.

[06] THE THESSALONIKI-SKOPJE OIL PIPELINE WILL BE INAUGURATED TOMORROW

A double inauguration ceremony will be held tomorrow for the Thessaloniki-Skopje oil pipeline. FYROM Prime Minister Ljupco Georgievski and Greek Minister of Development Akis Tsochatzopoulos will inaugurate the project at the Hellenic Petroleum installations in Kalochori, Thessaloniki. At the same time, a similar ceremony will take place at the other end of the oil pipeline in Skopje in the presence of Greek Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs Yiannis Magriotis.

The oil pipeline is a US$100 million investment and links the OKTA oil refineries, which are a Hellenic Petroleum property, with Thessaloniki.

On Wednesday, Mr. Tsochatzopoulos will be in Skopje to visit part of the project. According to information, Mr. Tsochatzopoulos is likely to have contacts with the FYROM state leadership.

[07] BOMBER ARRESTED IN ATHENS

A forty-year-old artist from Thessaloniki, named Savas Xiros, is the bomber who was arrested after a bomb mechanism exploded in his hands at the Port of Piraeus on Saturday night. As it was made known, he is a resident of Athens and had no criminal record.

The bomber was taken to Evangelismos Hospital intensive care unit in Athens and he is seriously injured in the face, chest and right hand.

According to information, police has conducted an investigation among his friends and relatives and a number of people have been brought in for questioning. The investigation by the anti-terrorist agency focuses on two terrorist organizations namely, Popular Resistance and Revolutionary Cells.

The revolver found at the place of the explosion was not used in the past in any terrorist attack.

Meanwhile, the Greek-American US Senator Olympia Snow stated after the meeting she had with right-wing main opposition party of New Democracy leader Kostas Karamanlis that she was not the target of terrorists and the bomb attack in Piraeus has nothing to do with her visit.

Ms. Snow stated that the problem of terrorism concerns directly Greece and the United States. Present in the meeting was US ambassador to Athens Thomas Miller and among others, they discussed the Cyprus issue, the Euro-army and the Greek-Turkish relations.

Coalition of the Left leader Nikos Konstantopoulos stated that the problem of terrorism concerns everybody and the need to combat terrorism in an effective way is to the interest of democracy and society.

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