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Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 02-11-09Macedonian Press Agency: Brief News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Macedonian Press Agency at http://www.mpa.gr and http://www.hri.org/MPA.CONTENTS
[01] PAPANDREOU: THE UN PLAN FOR THE SOLUTION OF THE CYPRUS PROBLEM WILL BE NEGOTIATEDThessaloniki, 9 November 2002 (15:28 UTC+2)The UN Secretary General Kofi Annan plan for the solution of the Cyprus problem is expected to be presented to Cypriot President Glafkos Clerides and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash on Monday. Negotiations will follow if there are objections to the plan, stated Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Papandreou. Mr. Papandreou stated in Thessaloniki today on the occasion of the signing of the Olympic Truce declaration by the European Youth Ministers, that it would have been best if the Annan plan was accepted immediately by the two sides but in the case of objections there will be negotiations. He stressed that Greece and Cyprus welcome the presentation of the plan solution which was anticipated for decades. He underlined that a solution should respect the UN decisions and the European principles, while he expressed the wish that the Turkish Cypriot side will recognize the great historic opportunity that is being presented. On the occasion of the signing of the Olympic Truce, Mr. Papandreou pointed out the role that will be played by the reconciliation of the two communities in Cyprus in the effort for the solution of the Cyprus problem. [02] THE GROWTH RATE OF THE GREEK ECONOMY IS DOUBLE THAN THE EURO-ZONE'SAthens, 9 November 2002 (12:55 UTC+2)The growth rate of the Greek economy in 2003 will be twice as high compared to the rest EU member-states, according to the European Commission's biannual report that will be made public on November 13. Based on the European Commission special analysts, the Greek GDP will increase in 2003 to 4% compared to 3.6% in the current year. It is reminded that in its spring report the European Commission had predicted a growth rate of 3.7% in 2002 and 4.2% in 2003. The picture presented in the OECD report that will be issued on November 21 is similar to the European Commission report. The OECD economic analysts estimate that the Greek economy with have a growth rate of 3.6% in 2002 and 4% in 2003. [03] THE 43RD THESSALONIKI FILM FESTIVALThessaloniki, 9 November 2002 (14:39 UTC+2)Culture Minister Evangelos Venizelos characterized the 43rd Film Festival of Thessaloniki that opened last night as a big celebration of the Greek and international cinema. The Culture Minister stated that the Film Festival of Thessaloniki managed to promote its distinguished personality at an international level, stressing that it has achieved a fragile balance as it hosts quality films that do not ignore the cinema audience and the reality of the film market. He also characterized as very important the fact that a total of 25 films are being produced on an annual basis while the tickets sold reach 15 million in a country like Greece with a population of 10 million. Over 150 recently produced and older films, both Greek and foreign, will be screened during the 43rd Thessaloniki Film Festival that will end on November 17. [04] GREEK-CYPRIOT COOPERATION IN SHIPPINGNicosia, 9 November 2002 (20:14 UTC+2)Within the next few months, Cyprus and Greece are going to sign a shipping agreement, announced Minister of the Merchant Marine Giorgos Anomeritis, who is on a formal visit to Cyprus. Mr. Anomeritis headed the delegation of the Ministry of Merchant Marine with the Cypriot delegation, headed by the Cypriot Minister of Works and Transport, Averof Neofytou, in the building of the Cypriot Ministry, during which meeting priorities, positions and plans in the shipping sector of the Greek Presidency of the EU were discussed. Mr. Anomeritis stated that issues of cooperation of the two countries with international organizations and issues of cooperation in European bodies were the main topics of discussion. [05] GEORGIA TRAKATELLI DIEDThessaloniki, 9 November 2002 (19:27 UTC+2)Georgia Trakatelli, mother of the Archbishop of America, Dimitrios, and ND EuroMP, Antonis Trakatellis, died yesterday morning in Athens, at the age of 95. At the service, which was officiated on behalf of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew by the Metropolite of Thessaloniki, Panteleimos II, took place in the Holy Church of Nea Panagitsa in Thessaloniki this afternoon, and the burial took place at the Cemetery of the Resurrection of the Lord. [06] PASCHALIDIS: EXCELLENT GREEK-BULGARIAN COOPERATION FIELDThessaloniki, 9 November 2002 (19:19 UTC+2)Greece supports Bulgaria's course towards the EU stated Minister of Macedonia-Thrace, Giorgos Paschalidis, during a speech at the seminar organized by the European Center for Communication, Information and Culture (EKEPP) in Thessaloniki, for Bulgarian civil administration officials. Mr. Paschalidis expressed his belief that at the NATO Summit in Prague on November 21-22, Bulgaria will be approved to participate in the Atlantic Alliance, and the hope that during the Greek Presidency of the EU in the first half of 2003, Bulgaria will be able to close most, if not all, negotiation chapters for European accession. He characterized the initiative of the seminar as useful, in the framework of the efforts of the Greek government, the European Commission, and the Bulgarian government to move towards EU accession of our neighboring country, as quickly as possible, and added that successful bilateral cooperation is a pole of peace and stability in the Balkans. Finally, the Minister referred to the Greek Plan for the Financial Reconstruction of the Balkans, and the positive results of the visit of the Bulgarian Prime Minister to Athens a few days ago, to end by saying that there is a very important field of cooperation for the two countries, both on the bilateral level, as well as on the level of preparing Bulgaria for EU accession. [07] THE TERRORIST GROUP 17N PLANNED AN ATTACK ON THE OLYMPIC VILLAGEAthens, 9 November 2002 (16:40 UTC+2)The terrorist group 17 November was targeting the Olympic Village, according to evidence collected by the Greek police. According to the Athens newspaper TA NEA, the terrorists planned an attack on the Olympic Village to be launched this fall signaling catastrophic developments for Greece. Based on the press report, indicative of the fact that the 17N was targeting the Olympic Village was that the alleged mastermind of the terrorist group Alexandros Yiotopoulos shortly after his arrest had referred to the number of industrial accidents recorded in the Olympic Village construction site this year. According to the authorities, the terrorists were planning to attack the Olympic Village either with rockets or explosives. [08] GREECE WILL RETURN TO SURPLUS BUDGETS IN 2005Athens, 9 November 2002 (16:09 UTC+2)Greece will return to surplus budgets by 2005 according to the revised Stability and Development Program that will be submitted to the European Commission on December 1, 2002. Based on the revised program, the Greek budget will have a surplus of 0.3% of the GDP in 2005 and 0.5% in 2006. A significant drop in spending will be recorded after 2004, given the fact that the funding of the Athens 2004 Olympic Games absorbs resources equal to 1% of the GDP on an annual basis. The growth rate is estimated to be slightly lower than 4%, while after the 2004 Olympic Games it is expected to be around 3.5%. [09] THE EU YOUTH MINISTERS SIGNED THE OLYMPIC TRUCE DECLARATIONThessaloniki, 9 November 2002 (15:46 UTC+2)The European Union Ministers, responsible for youth issues, signed the Olympic Truce Declaration in Thessaloniki today on the occasion of the completion of the proceedings of their 6th meeting that took place in the northern Greek city. Foreign Minister Giorgos Papandreou presented the Olympic Truce idea to the 35 participating ministers and representatives of the EU member-states and referred to its revival in the five continents on the occasion of the 2004 Athens Olympic Games. He stressed that the Olympic Truce is an important tool of diplomacy and added that today's conflicts do not call only for high diplomacy but for active participation of the citizens themselves. [10] ORPHANS FROM FORMER YUGOSLAVIA WILL BE HOSTED IN THESSALONIKIThessaloniki, 9 November 2002 (12:53 UTC+2)Greek families will host orphan children from the former Yugoslavia during the Christmas period. The children will arrive in Thessaloniki by bus on December 20 and they will stay until January 6. The expenses of the children will be covered by the host families which will pay for their transportation and accommodation. [11] KONSTANTOPOULOS: NEW WORLD ACTION INITIATIVE IN FLORENCEFlorence, 9 November 2002 (20:38 UTC+2)The European Social Forum is a meeting place of people and ideas, a womb for new social movements and struggles for a different Europe, stated President of the Coalition of the Left Nikos Konstantopoulos from Florence, where he participated in the great anti-war protest. Citizens from all over the world are against neoliberal globalization. They are fighting for the democracy of active citizens and reliable institutions. They are promoting a different form of practicing politics for the societies of solidarity and multicultural coexistence. They say no to war and defend the paths of peace, which are paths of life, he underlined. Here in Florence, with today's lively and fighting march, a new movement of global conscience and action for a different world is being expressed, a world which can be realized and is up to its citizens to contend for, pointed out the President of the Coalition of the Left. [12] A. ATHENS: IT IS WORTHWILE TO SAVE EVEN 1 GREEK!Frankfurt, 9 November 2002 (19:19 UTC+2)The intervention of SAE President Andrew Athens at the Regional SAE Europe convention being held in Frankfurt, was essential, in which he called the participants to move to specific steps in order to consolidate enlarge the SAE. On SAE Medical Centers, he stressed that they are important works if one considers that 40,000 patients refer to them each month. Even if we only save one Greek, it is very important to me, said Mr. Athens and was applauded by the participants. Today's speakers included SAE Alternate President Stefanos Tamvakis, speaking on the promotion of SAE, and the representatives of the Women's, Youth's, Culture, Scientists', and Entrepreneurs' SAE Networks. Other speakers were Deputy Foreign Minister Giannis Magriotis, the President and Vice President of the Special Standing Interparty Parliamentary Committee on Hellenes Abroad, Mr. Niotis and Mr. Skanalakis, and Secretary General for Hellenism Abroad, Dimitris Dollis. [13] THE RESOLUTIONS PASSED IN THE 6TH SAE ASIA-AFRICA CONFERENCEJohannesburg, 9 November 2002 (14:03 UTC+2)A number of resolutions were passed during the 6th World Council for Greeks living abroad, SAE, Asia-Africa Regional Conference held with great success in Johannesburg, South Africa. On Cyprus, the over 120 delegates expressed their support to the efforts made under the auspices of the UN for the solution of the Cyprus problem with the adoption of a fair and viable solution that will guarantee the basic freedoms and rights of all its citizens. They are also looking forward to Cyprus' EU accession. In another resolution, the delegates expressed their support to Patriarch Erineos of Jerusalem and All of Palestine and protested against the delay on behalf of the Israeli side to recognize his authority. They issued an appeal to the governments of Israel, Greece, United States, Russia and Cyprus the EU, the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Patriarchates of Alexandria, Antioch, Moscow, Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria and the Archbishops of Greece and Cyprus to exert their influence for the settlement of the issue. They called on all the Greek communities in Asia and Africa to register their property within a 6-month period and table proposals for its exploitation. They also suggested a commercial aid package to be established during the Greek EU Presidency for European exports to Asian and African countries based on the US aid model. A special resolution was passed on the problems faced by the Greeks living in Asia and Africa concerning military service, social security, nationality and education issues. They also decided the opening of a SAE office in Almaty of Kazakstan and in addition they called on the Greeks living abroad to contribute to the 2004 Athens Olympic Games through voluntarism. Macedonian Press Agency: Brief News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |