Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 02-09-20

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

CONTENTS

[01] MAYORS OF THE WORLD SUMMIT IN ATHENS

[02] BILL FOR NIS REFORM

[03] TRADE SURPLUS OF 12 BILLION EURO IN THE EURO-ZONE IN JULY

[04] PROTOPAPAS ON THE LIKELIHOOD OF A US ATTACK ON IRAQ

[05] THE GREEK AGRICULTURE MINISTER WILL BE IN BRUSSELS

[06] KARAMANLIS ADDRESSED THE MAYORS OF THE WORLD SUMMIT IN ATHENS

[07] GAINS IN THE ASE

[08] EARTHQUAKE OF 3.7 ON THE RICHTER SCALE IN KAVALA

[09] FOFI GENNIMATA IS LEADING IN THE OPINION POLLS

[10] GREEK DEPUTIES IN THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE

[01] MAYORS OF THE WORLD SUMMIT IN ATHENS

The two-day Mayors of the World Summit began in Athens this morning, with the participation of 40 mayors from all over the world, while many more cities are represented at the meeting.

Issues to be discussed at the summit include the upgrading of the international role of cities, the development of cooperation between them, and the promotion of the new metropolitan role of Athens, in view of the 2004 Olympics. In this framework, the Athens Charter on diplomacy and the declaration for Olympic solidarity will be signed.

During the meeting, the first International Award of Athens for Democracy will be awarded to Burman politician Aurig San Suu Kyi for her participation in the resistance against the military junta in her country. The award will be received by the exiled Prime Minister of Burma, since the Burman politician is not allowed to leave her country.

Yesterday afternoon, mayors of New York, Michael Bloomberg, and Washington, Antony Williams, who are participants in the Summit, met with President of the Republic Kostis Stefanopoulos, accompanied by US Ambassador in Athens Thomas Miller and Mayor of Athens Dimitris Avramopoulos.

The Mayors of the World Summit has been greeted by representatives of UNESCO and the UN, and its results are greatly anticipated.

[02] BILL FOR NIS REFORM

The issue of modernizing the National Information Service (NIS) was discussed by Prime Minister Kostas Simitis and Minister of Public Order Michalis Chrysochoidis, during the one the meeting they had this morning at the Maximos Mansion.

Mr. Chrysochoidis delivered the bill on the modernization and reform of the NIS, which aims at making the Service more effective in its mission of keeping Greece secure, to Mr. Simitis.

One of the most significant changes included in the bill, is that the NIS will also be occupied with new threats to democracy and citizens, such as organized crime, human trafficking, money laundering, and drug trafficking, and will answer to parliamentary control, while the political head, the Minister of Public Order, will submit a report of its proceedings to the parliament annually.

[03] TRADE SURPLUS OF 12 BILLION EURO IN THE EURO-ZONE IN JULY

The trade surplus in the Euro-zone in the month of July was at 12 billion Euro compared to 8.7 billion Euro last year, according to Eurostat.

The amount surprised the economic analysts who had predicted that it would be at 11 billion Euro.

According to Eurostat, the Euro-zone exports dropped by 1% in July at 92 billion Euro and imports dropped by 5% at 79.9 billion Euro. Trade transactions dropped by 1% at 87 billion Euro.

[04] PROTOPAPAS ON THE LIKELIHOOD OF A US ATTACK ON IRAQ

The international reaction toward Iraq must be within the framework of the UN decisions, stressed Greek government spokesman Christos Protopapas pointing out that there should be no hasty moves.

Regarding Greece's preparation on the likelihood of a US attack on Iraq, Mr. Protopapas stressed that Greece is being fully prepared in view of the Greek EU Presidency. He added that all necessary measures are being taken in the economic field as well.

[05] THE GREEK AGRICULTURE MINISTER WILL BE IN BRUSSELS

Minister of Agriculture Giorgos Dris will be in Brussels on Monday to attend the EU Agriculture and Fishery Ministers Council Summit meeting that will take place on September 23-24.

In the meeting, Mr. Dris is expected to raise the Greek demand concerning the Greek economic assistance to cotton growers for the 2001 crop.

The council proceedings will be launched with a public discussion on the measures that have to be implemented for the protection of live animals during their transport.

In the farm front, the EU Ministers of Agriculture are expected to focus their interest on talks concerning the interim review of the Joint Farm Policy.

Also, they will examine the European Action Plan on organic production and agriculture methods.

[06] KARAMANLIS ADDRESSED THE MAYORS OF THE WORLD SUMMIT IN ATHENS

The counterbalancing tendencies formed in the new century government, were mentioned by right-wing main opposition party of New Democracy leader Kostas Karamanlis in his address to the Mayors of the World Summit meeting that is being held in Athens with the participation of 40 mayors from around the world.

Specifically, Mr. Karamanlis stated that supernational institutions are being formed to handle the world range problems, while central administration relegates authority to local administration.

The ND leader referred to the need to undertake initiatives aimed at the protection of the environment.

On the 2004 Olympic Games preparations, Mr. Karamanlis stated that Athens has a lot to offer and stressed that the Olympic Games will be a celebration of the spirit of emulation, closer relations between the peoples and peaceful coexistence.

[07] GAINS IN THE ASE

Today's Athens Stock Exchange session was a relief for investors as after the negative record lows that were recorded in the past few days, the general index was finally able to resist and follow an upward course.

The upward course of the main stock market indexes in the major European markets, as well as the selective investment in telecommunications stocks, contributed greatly to the improvement of the climate.

The general index rose to +0.96% at 1.886,67 points, while the volume of transactions was at 93 million Euro.

Of the stocks trading today, 225 recorded gains and 88 had losses, while the value of 62 stocks remained unchanged.

[08] EARTHQUAKE OF 3.7 ON THE RICHTER SCALE IN KAVALA

An earthquake measuring 3.7 on the Richter scale was recorded in the northeastern city of Kavala this morning and its epicenter was located in the region of Chrisoupolis.

The tremor caused alarm among the region's population. No damages were recorded.

Thessaloniki's Aristotle University Geophysics Laboratory announced that the earthquake was recorded at 8:17am and its epicenter was located 160 kilometers east of the city of Thessaloniki.

[09] FOFI GENNIMATA IS LEADING IN THE OPINION POLLS

Two opinion polls conducted by the Opinion polling company show that Fofi Gennimata, the governing Socialist Party of PASOK candidate, has a big lead over her rival for the post of the prefect of Athens and Piraeus Yiannis Tzannetakos, the candidate of the right-wing main opposition party of New Democracy. The conclusions of the two opinion polls were published on the Athens newspaper Eleftherotipia.

The first opinion poll was conducted by phone across the prefecture. According to it, Fofi Gennimata got 39.4%, followed by Giorgos Karatzaferis of the rightist LAOS Party (14.8%), Yiannis Tzannetakos (13.7%), Manolis Glezos of the Coalition of the Left Party (9.9%) and Thanasis Pafilis, backed by the Greek Communist Party and the Democratic Social Movement (1.9%).

The second opinion poll was conducted by ballot-box at the limits of the Municipality of Athens. Based on it, Fofi Gennimata got 33.3%, Yiannis Tzannetakos 17.5%, Giorgos Karatzaferis 8.4%, Manolis Glezos 5.2% and Thanasis Pafilis 2.2%.

[10] GREEK DEPUTIES IN THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE

A nine-member parliamentary delegation will leave for Strasbourg on Sunday to attend the proceedings of the 4th Part of the Council of Europe parliamentary assembly 2002 Summit that will take place on September 23-27.

The issues under discussion will include the implementation of the European Court for Human Rights decisions in Turkey, Yugoslavia's accession into the Council of Europe, the situation in Chechnya, the human rights and the future of the region of Kalingrant, the sexual exploitation of children, and crime in the cyberspace.

An emergency discussion will be held on the situation in Iraq.

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