Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 02-12-10

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

CONTENTS

[01] UN CHIEF SENDS LETTER TO CLERIDES AND DENKTASH

[02] SIMITIS-RASMUSSEN AGREEMENT ON CYPRUS

[03] THE GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN ON THE CYPRUS ISSUE

[04] PROTOPAPAS ON THE IRAQI ARMAMENTS

[05] GAINS IN THE ASE

[06] THE CONTRIBUTION OF THE GREEK COMMUNITY IN SWEDEN CONTINUES

[07] KARAMANLIS: THERE CAN BE NO EU ENLARGEMENT WITHOUT CYPRUS

[08] GREECE AND DENMARK AGREED ON CYPRUS' EU ACCESSION BASED ON THE HELSINKI

[09] EU FOREIGN MINISTERS MEETING IN BRUSSELS

[10] EUROPARLIAMENT FOR CYPRUS

[11] KARAMANLIS: UNCONDITIONAL ACCESSION OF CYPRUS

[01] UN CHIEF SENDS LETTER TO CLERIDES AND DENKTASH

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan conveyed today to the two communities in Cyprus a revision of his proposed Basis for Agreement on a Comprehensive Settlement of the Cyprus Problem.

In a letter to President Glafcos Clerides and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash the Secretary-General "asks the two leaders to give the revision the most urgent consideration with a view to reaching a decisive conclusion this week, so that a reunited Cyprus may accede to the European Union. The Secretary-General has asked the two sides to be available in Copenhagen later this week should that prove necessary".

Cyprus has a rendez-vous with history. It should not be missed, the Secretary-General says in his letter.

A UN press release issued in Nicosia says the Secretary-Generals Special Adviser on Cyprus Alvaro de Soto delivered this morning letters from the Secretary-General ''to H. E. Mr Glafcos Clerides, the Greek Cypriot leader, and H. E. Mr Rauf Denktash, the Turkish Cypriot leader''.

''With these letters he conveyed a revision of his proposed Basis for Agreement on a Comprehensive Settlement of the Cyprus Problem, which had been conveyed to the two sides on 11 November 2002'', the prese release says.

It adds that ''the document was revised following intensive consultations with the two sides participating in the negotiation. These consultations were stepped up in the past few days following receipt last week of the two sides comments, suggestions and requests, with Mr de Soto and his colleagues shuttling between the two leaders and their colleagues with a view to improving the text''.

[02] SIMITIS-RASMUSSEN AGREEMENT ON CYPRUS

The common position that Cyprus' accession to the EU must proceed according to the Helsinki decisions, which do not require the solution of the Cyprus issue, was agreed on by Greek Prime Minister Kostas Simitis and the Prime Minister of Denmark and President of the European Council Mr. Rasmussen, who had discussions in the Maximos Mansion.

They also agreed that setting a date to begin Turkey's accession negotiations is completely unrelated to the resolving of the Cyprus issue.

The Helsinki decisions stand as far as Cyprus' accession is concerned, and according to them, as long as Cyprus meets the requirements that have been set, negotiations are closed, and Cyprus' accession should go through without any difficulties, underlined Mr. Simitis immediately after the meeting.

I believe that the UN proposal for the resolving of the Cyprus issue was a good basis to find a long-term solution, said the Danish PM, and added: I call both interested parties to come to an agreement based on the UN proposal. But if no solution is found prior to the Copenhagen Summit, we will make a decision at that meeting, based on what has already been agreed on at Helsinki, and I must stress that this is not a requirement. Resolving the Cyprus issue would just be a positive point. We will take into account all the decisive evidence.

Regarding the course of negotiations for the accession of other countries of the enlargement, Mr. Rasmussen informed the Greek PM that certain issues are still open, but both men expressed their hopes that they will be concluded with no difficulties on Thursday and Friday.

To the question on whether a date should be set for the initiation of accession negotiations for Turkey and what that date will be, Mr. Simitis repeated his view that a positive message must be given to Turkey, and such a positive message requires a date that is not too to distant to 2004. Perhaps it is a year in which the Copenhagen criteria can be met on the side of Turkey and negotiation can begin.

Both PMs made it very clear that there is no connection between Turkey's position on the Cyprus and setting a date for Turkey's accession negotiations.

[03] THE GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN ON THE CYPRUS ISSUE

The government is waiting for the National Council of Cyprus to meet this afternoon to discuss the UN Secretary General Kofi Annan revised plan for the solution of the Cyprus problem, stated Greek government spokesman Christos Protopapas.

Mr. Protopapas also stated that since this morning there have been a number of telephone communications between the Greek Prime Minister and Cypriot President Glafkos Clerides.

He stressed that in spite of the pressing timetables every effort will be made to reach an agreement,. When he was called to comment on whether the new plan will lead closer to a solution, he responded that the Cypriot Republic has the right to make such a decision.

Mr. Protopapas added that the negotiations will continue during the Copenhagen Summit meeting, while there is a likelihood to prolong the duration of the Summit if this will contribute to the efforts for an agreement between the two sides.

When asked to comment on Turkey's EU accession course, Mr. Protopapas stated that the EU will reach a decision in Copenhagen but he does not know what this decision will be.

[04] PROTOPAPAS ON THE IRAQI ARMAMENTS

Greek government spokesman Christos Protopapas stated that Greece is firm in its position according to which, the decisions concerning the Iraqi armaments should be reached within the framework of the UN procedures.

Mr. Protopapas added that Greece is ready to facilitate the United Nations in the moves that need to be made based on the UN decisions.

[05] GAINS IN THE ASE

Gains were recorded in the Athens Stock Exchange today. The general index rose to +0.68% at 1.815,52 points, while the volume of transactions was 82.7 million Euro.

Of the stocks trading today, 235 recorded gains and 84 had losses, while the value of 58 stocks remained unchanged.

[06] THE CONTRIBUTION OF THE GREEK COMMUNITY IN SWEDEN CONTINUES

The Federation of Greek Associations and Communities in Sweden organized a special event in Stockholm's Mediterranean Museum last Saturday to celebrate the 30th anniversary of its founding.

The event was held in a very emotional atmosphere with the presence of young Greeks and many of the so-called old guard, the founding members of the federation who undertook the initiative in December 1972 and carried most of the weight of the struggle against the Greek junta.

Federation President Komninos Haideftos stated that the federation was and continues to be a coordinating institution for the 25.000 Greeks living and working in Sweden.

Within the framework of the event, MPA General Director Spiros Kouzinopoulos was honored for the work done by the news agency for the promotion of the activities of the Greek communities abroad. Mr. Haideftos stated that MPA is the bridge linking the Greeks living abroad with their motherland and it is the main source of information from Greece for the Greeks of the Diaspora.

[07] KARAMANLIS: THERE CAN BE NO EU ENLARGEMENT WITHOUT CYPRUS

There can be no EU enlargement without Cyprus, underlined right-wing main opposition party of New Democracy leader Kostas Karamanlis in his meeting with European Parliament President Pat Cox.

Mr. Karamanlis pointed out that Cyprus' EU accession should secure that the Cypriot citizens will enjoy the same rights with the rest European citizens, while regarding the solution of the political problem in Cyprus he stressed that it should be viable, operational and in accordance with the European standards.

[08] GREECE AND DENMARK AGREED ON CYPRUS' EU ACCESSION BASED ON THE HELSINKI DECISIONS

Prime Ministers of Greece and Denmark, Kostas Simitis and Anders Fogh Rasmusen, who met in Athens, agreed that Cyprus' accession into the EU should proceed based on the Helsinki decisions that do not set as a precondition the solution of the Cyprus problem.

They also agreed that the setting of a date for the opening of negotiations for Turkey's EU accession is not associated with the solution of the Cyprus problem.

On the course of the negotiations on the EU accession of the rest candidate-states, Mr. Rasmusen briefed the Greek Prime Minister that certain issues are still open and both expressed the wish that they will close without difficulties on Thursday and Friday.

Mr. Rasmusen pointed out that the EU cannot make concessions to Turkey on the political criteria issue, stressing that for Turkey to receive a date for the opening of the EU accession negotiations should meet certain criteria and no concessions can be made.

[09] EU FOREIGN MINISTERS MEETING IN BRUSSELS

Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Papandreou stressed that Cyprus' EU accession should be seriously considered without necessarily an earlier solution of the Cyprus problem. The statements were made by Mr. Papandreou in Brussels yesterday where he attended the EU Foreign Ministers meeting. Mr. Papandreou commented that the Helsinki decision was confirmed according to which, the solution of the problem in Cyprus before its accession into the EU would be preferable without being a precondition.

The EU Foreign Ministers discussed the developments regarding the Cyprus problem and the prospects for its solution before the Copenhagen Summit meeting. Mr. Papandreou expressed the Greek Cypriot side's will for a solution of the Cyprus problem underlining, however, that there is limited time and the likelihood of Cyprus' EU accession without an earlier solution of the Cyprus problem should be considered. He also characterized as significant the confirmation of the EU will to continue the efforts for the solution of the Cyprus problem after the Copenhagen Summit meeting.

[10] EUROPARLIAMENT FOR CYPRUS

The view that Cyprus will be incorporated to the EU was expressed by Prime Minister Kostas Simitis and President of the European Parliament Pat Cox, in statements following their meeting in Athens.

The Prime Minister repeated the steady position of the Greek government, that according to Helsinki decisions, the solution of the Cyprus issue will not be a prerequisite for Cyprus' accession to the EU. We did stress, however, that we are after a solution of the political problem. Because we believe that without this solution, Cyprus will have difficulties in the future and the division of the island may be consolidated with Turkish Cypriot practices, which will aggravate the two communities' relations. It is, therefore, in everybody's best interest to resolve the problem as soon as possible, he added.

Mr. Simitis pointed out that the belief that the Helsinki decisions should be applied in Cyprus's accession, was common among the European leaders with whom he recently met.

As Mr. Simitis stressed, his European interlocutors appreciated that the Cypriot side has done everything it could, in relation to resolving the political problem and that its position has always been fair.

On his side, Mr. Cox stressed that the European Parliament firmly believes that Cyprus will be able to be incorporated to the EU. We hope that we will be able to find the wisdom that is necessary and which will begin at Copenhagen and not end there, so that there is a reconciliation, so that a reconciled Cyprus can join a reconciled Europe, he added.

He also added that the meeting he had during his last visit to Cyprus with the so-called president of the pseudo-state's parliament was informal and did not signify the recognition of the pseudo-state.

The European Parliament is completely clear that there is an international order of things and only one official government, he underlined.

[11] KARAMANLIS: UNCONDITIONAL ACCESSION OF CYPRUS

The need for the decision to be made on the Cyprus issue at Copenhagen to be completely clear, with no terms and footnotes, was pointed out by President of New Democracy Kostas Karamanlis, in his speech at the annual Hellenic American Chamber of Commerce.

The only protocol that can be affixed to the Accession Act of the Cypriot Republic is that which will include the accession of the occupied part, according to the German precedent, as soon as the island is reunified. And that (the immediate resolving of the Cyprus issue) is what we Greeks want more than anything else. But we want a functional and viable solution. A solution based on UN resolutions and European acquis. That is why pressures should be concentrated on the attacker and not the victim. The wall of shame that divides the island cannot but hinder the process of those who created it and are maintaining it, with occupation forces, he added.

The President of ND attacked the government head on, concentrating on its financial policy.

It is sad that official services and international organizations certify that our country has the most bureaucratic and corrupt services in Europe. That we are downgraded in international classification every year due to corruption. That this mismanagement, overspending, and robbing of public funds has taken on unprecedented dimensions. It is incomprehensible that the government would systematically and premeditatedly create false budgets and false fiscal numbers on the course of the economy. The Bank of Greece has been pointing out that (based on the Government's deficit) the supposedly surplus budgets are factitious for a long time. Just recently (after the pressure of community audits) did the government have to admit that the surplus in the budget, that it was presenting until that time, were fictitious, he added.

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