Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 02-07-31

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

CONTENTS

[01] NEW NOVEMBER 17 PROCLAMATION?

[02] N17 THREATENS TO TAKE HOSTAGES IN PROCLAMATION

[03] CHRYSOCHOIDIS: NEW N17 "PROCLAMATION" RIDICULOUS

[04] GREECE, AN ENERGY HUB

[05] GREECE ENTERING THE HIGH-TECH WORLD AT HIGH SPEEDS

[06] 2003 EU SUMMIT MAY CHANGE LOCATION

[07] PASSARIS DENIES CHARGES

[08] BUSH CONGRADULATES GREEK AUTHORITIES ON TERRORISM ARRESTS

[01] NEW NOVEMBER 17 PROCLAMATION?

Late last night, after the transfer of three more suspects accused of being members of the November 17 terrorist group to the special cells in the Corydallos penitentiary shortly after 4:30pm, the Eleftherotypia newspaper received a new N17 proclamation.

While Alexandros Giotopoulos (suspected leader or leading member of the organization), Pavlos Serifis (suspected leading member) and Konstantinos Telios are in their new cells, the authorities are examining the authenticity of the proclamation. According to their first appreciation it seems to be a fabrication, although they have not yet examined the original text sent, only what has been published by the newspaper.

The Direction of the Violent Crimes Response team, doubts that the proclamation was written by November 17, and specifically by any of its members still at large (Koufontinas, Sardanapalos, Anna), mainly because the stamp with the star is different from that used by the organization in any of its other proclamations, although the organization still holds it since it was found in none of the hideouts. It is a possibility in fact, that Dimitris Koufontinas is carrying with him the first historic 45mm handgun and other weapons and objects.

The proclamation also mentioned that photographs and videotapes of their preparations for the murder of industrialist Kostis Peratikos in Piraeus were also found by the authorities in the hideouts, a fact categorically refuted by the authorities, that supported that no photographic or video material was found of the specific action in any of the hideouts.

[02] N17 THREATENS TO TAKE HOSTAGES IN PROCLAMATION

Threats, even to take hostages, were expressed in the November 17 proclamation found last night in a waste disposal unit near the offices of the Eleftherotypia newspaper at 4am, with yesterday's date on it.

Specifically, the editor of the proclamation recognized that the main members of the organization are being held by the authorities, while in a large portion of the proclamation he tries to dispute that November 17 actions belong to the area of common penal law.

He also refutes that a mistake was made in person of Steven Saunders (The Times recently mentioned that they confused him with a US officer named Saunders), repeating what was mentioned in the proclamation sent after his killing. He referred to findings in the Damareos hideout, which concerned one of their victims, Kostis Peratikos, and apologized for the death of Thanos Axarlian, as well as other victims in N17 operations, which were not its targets.

The reference to future organization actions are noteworthy, if the authenticity of the proclamation is established. The editor supported that its plans have been postponed, but have not been cancelled, he insisted that the organization has been hurt but is still there, describing its structure as 4 circles with a common center, but no point of contact. In fact, he threatened that its activity will be connected to the course of the trials, characteristically stating that the next targets will serve a different purpose, the exchange of prisoners.

The simple, completely different style of writing is also characteristic, having nothing to do with previous proclamations, something which the editor says may lead to the questioning of its authenticity, however he called upon the need to use simple language.

[03] CHRYSOCHOIDIS: NEW N17 "PROCLAMATION" RIDICULOUS

Minister of Public Order Michalis Chrysochoidis characterized the sending and content of the November 17 proclamation sent to Eleftherotypia as ridiculous, while leaving a meeting with Prime Minister Kostas Simitis on the issue of illegal immigration.

[04] GREECE, AN ENERGY HUB

A memorandum of cooperation will be signed today by the Public Gas Corporation (DEPA) and the Edison Gas Italian private energy company, for the construction of the Greece-Italy natural gas underwater pipeline, a project aiming at transferring gas from the Caspian, which will reach Greece through the Turkey-Greece pipeline, to Italy and other European Markets.

In fact, DEPA and Edison Gas, according to today's Eleftherotypia newspaper, are going to call the Turkish Botas gas company to participate in their activities, while it is quite possible that other companies participate in the future, including natural gas producers, such as SOCAR-Azerbaijan, BP, and others.

[05] GREECE ENTERING THE HIGH-TECH WORLD AT HIGH SPEEDS

Greece is gaining access to the wondrous new world of high technology and is constantly reinforcing its position on an international level.

This is the basic conclusion of the annual study carried out by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) in cooperation with IBM, on the Internet profile of large economies: For 2002, out of a total of 60 countries, Greece holds the 23rd position with a score of 7.03 (out of 10), climbing three positions further up world the ladder.

On the one hand it is encouraging that Greece presents a higher degree of technological readiness than all other countries of the broader Central and Eastern Europe region. On the other hand, it is a problem that when compared to the other EU countries, Greece is at the end of the list, followed only by Portugal.

However, keeping in mind that the establishment of the information society is one of the basic goals of the government's financial staff, and that most studies make mention of a rapid development of medium term e-services, one can validly see Greece's position improving in coming years.

[06] 2003 EU SUMMIT MAY CHANGE LOCATION

The possibility of the EU Summit Meeting not being held in Thessaloniki, but somewhere along the 1st leg of Chalkidiki is being examined by the government, which discussed the issue at its meeting yesterday, in order to ensure better security conditions for the European leaders, according to today's Imerisia newspaper.

With a decision such as this, it must have the agreement of the city bodies, since the focal point of everyone's attention during the Summit will be outside the center of Thessaloniki. The Ministry of Public Order is handling the basic points of security planning, while other alternative sites are being looked into.

[07] PASSARIS DENIES CHARGES

Greek criminal Kostas Passaris denied that he was the perpetrator of the double homicide and armed robbery of currency exchange in Bucharest on the night of November 24, before the judges at the Bucharest criminal court.

When asked by the judges to address the charges against him, Passaris attributed the above criminal actions to Florin Melinte, who is expected to testify before the judicial authorities shortly. Melinte is Passaris' friend and they committed the robbery at the currency exchange in Galatsi in November, 2001. Melinte has not been jailed and is expected to testify at the trial soon.

Passaris explained that the money found at the apartment he was renting in Galatsi was not that taken from Le Petit Bijou currency exchange in Bucharest, but from a currency exchange in Galatsi, a city in eastern Romania, where they had split the take with Melinte.

[08] BUSH CONGRADULATES GREEK AUTHORITIES ON TERRORISM ARRESTS

Congratulations were given to the Greek authorities on their successes in the battle against terrorism by US President George Bush Jr., during a special ceremony in the White House, where the new Greek Ambassador, Georgios Savvaidis, presented his credentials.

"We are pleased with the recent positive developments in your fight against terrorism against the local terrorist organization, "November 17", and we will continue to cooperate with Greece against the scourge of terrorism", stated Mr. Bush, adding that it will be a long and difficult struggle.

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