Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 03-11-25

Macedonian Press Agency: Brief News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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

CONTENTS

[01] THE EURO-ARMY WAS DISCUSSED IN A MINISTERIAL MEETING

[02] SHOCKING VIOLENCE

[03] STEFANOPOULOS - PAPADOPOULOS MEETING

[04] REPRESENTATIVES OF LEADING BALKAN MASS MEDIA TO MPA'S 8TH INTER-BALKAN

[05] IRANIAN FILM DIRECTOR J. PANAJI IN THESSALONIKI

[06] PROTOPAPAS ON THE SAFETY OF THE OLYMPIC GAMES

[07] HEAD OF NATIONAL DEFENSE STAFF IN SLOVENIA

[08] GAINS IN THE ASE

[09] SPYRIOUNIS REMOVED

[01] THE EURO-ARMY WAS DISCUSSED IN A MINISTERIAL MEETING

The likelihood of the autonomous operation of the European Rapid Reaction Force was discussed in view of the NATO Defense Ministers Summit meeting in Brussels next Monday and Tuesday. The discussion was held in a meeting of Minister of Defense Yiannos Papantoniou and Foreign Minister Giorgos Papandreou presided over by Prime Minister Kostas Simitis.

After the meeting, Mr. Papantoniou reiterated the Greek position, which is in agreement with the position of Germany and France regarding the need to secure autonomous EU action.

On the same issue, Mr. Papandreou stated that the issue of the EU relations with NATO was also discussed with US Secretary of State Colin Powell.

Regarding the Athens 2004 Olympic Games, Mr. Papantoniou stated that no NATO forces will participate in the security of the games, adding that there will be cooperation with foreign agencies for the exchange of information to face any possible threat.

On his part, Foreign Minister Giorgos Papandreou assured that Greece has taken all necessary measures and expressed the belief that the Athens Olympic Games will be safe.

[02] SHOCKING VIOLENCE

The 25th of November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, is dedicated to women who are daily victims of violence from their social, family and professional environment stated PASOK EuroMP and President of the Committee for Womens' Rights and Equal Opportunities of the European Parliament Anna Karamanou . According to the Greek support center, 7,500 women asked for help in person at the office and another 15,000 telephoned for help.

[03] STEFANOPOULOS - PAPADOPOULOS MEETING

The period we are going through is crucial for Cyprus, as on May 1, 2004, its accession to the European Union will become a reality, pointed out President of the Greek Republic Costis Stefanopoulos, during his meeting with the President of Cyprus, Tassos Papadopoulos.

The two Presidents discussed issues concerning the coordination of Greek and Cypriot actions in view of Cyprus' accession to the EU, as well as developments in Cyprus and the elections in the occupied territories.

In the statements made after the meeting, the President of the Cypriot Republic stressed that he is ready to participate in negotiations to find a solution to the Cyprus issue in the framework of the plan proposed by UN Secretary General Kofi Annan. The initiative for the recommencing of negotiations belongs to the UN Secretary General, he added.

Mr. Stefanopoulos noted that the Annan proposal has been accepted as a basis of cooperation by the Cypriot and Greek sides, and he observed that changes must be made to issues concerning immigrants and settlers for adjustment to communal acquis.

Mr. Papadopoulos also signed the Declaration for the Olympic Truce.

[04] REPRESENTATIVES OF LEADING BALKAN MASS MEDIA TO MPA'S 8TH INTER-BALKAN CONFERENCE

Representatives of over 60 Balkan mass media will meet in Thessaloniki on December 5-6 to attend the 8th Inter-Balkan Journalist Conference on The Balkan Mass Media in the Digital Era organized by Macedonian Press Agency, MPA.

The conference will attend representatives of mass media from Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Croatia, Moldavia, FYROM, Romania, Serbia, and Turkey.

In the conference will also participate the Athens News Agency General Director, directors of Greek newspapers and television stations, and heads of mass media scientific institutes from Sarajevo, Skopje and Pristina, while Boston's MIT Media Lab new technology research institute will present the latest technological breakthroughs in the mass media sector.

The conference will be formally opened by Minister of Press and government spokesman Christos Protopapas and Minister of Macedonia-Thrace Haris Kastanidis.

[05] IRANIAN FILM DIRECTOR J. PANAJI IN THESSALONIKI

The Iranian film industry follows an upward course lately and each year new creators appear in spite of the problems they face by the country's regime.

The above were stated in a press conference by Iranian film director Jafar Panaji, within the framework of Thessaloniki's 44th Film Festival.

Mr. Panaji participates in the film festival with his new film Crimson Gold, which was banned in his country.

He stated that the social problems faced by a country have political dimensions and therefore, films promoting social problems are disliked by regimes like Iran's. He also said that he tries to show the problems in his country and not promote methods for their solution.

[06] PROTOPAPAS ON THE SAFETY OF THE OLYMPIC GAMES

Greece cooperates and exchanges information with agencies from other countries on the issue of the safety of the Athens 2004 Olympic Games, reiterated today government spokesman Christos Protopapas responding to a relevant question. Mr. Protopapas added that the Greek government and the Greek security forces are going to have the control of the whole security system and its implementation.

Mr. Protopapas stated that the Greek authorities are perfectly capable of meeting the demands of this very significant task and clarified that the NATO forces will not be involved in the security system and its implementation. He stated that Greece is a NATO member, cooperates with NATO and exchanges information and views on certain issues.

[07] HEAD OF NATIONAL DEFENSE STAFF IN SLOVENIA

A formal visit to Slovenia is being carried out, starting today, by the Chief of the General National Defense Staff, General Georgios Antonakopoulos, accompanied by a military delegation.

Mr. Antonakopoulos will meet with the Chief of Army Staff of Slovenia, Lieutenant General Ladislav Lipic, and the country's Minister of Defense, Anton Grizold. It should noted that in November 2002, in the Prague Meeting, received an official invitation to join NATO.

[08] GAINS IN THE ASE

Gains were recorded in the Athens Stock Exchange today. The general index rose to +0.98% at 2.156,13 points, while the volume of transactions was at 162.3 million euros.

Of the stocks trading today, 136 recorded losses and 166 had gains, while the value of 81 stocks remained unchanged.

[09] SPYRIOUNIS REMOVED

Prime Minister Costas Simitis removed Òhessaloniki PASOK MP Kyriakos Spyrounis from the Party's parliamentary group after he voted in favor of New Democracy's proposal on transparency issues. Mr. Spyriounis, who has been an MP since 1989, was critical towards the Prime Minister's initiative to ask for audits of MP stock market transactions, characteristically saying that it took him three years to realize that MPs were 'playing' on the stock market. The Thessaloniki Mpdefended his positions after he was written off, stressing that if he was removed for his struggles for transparency then it is a medal on that battlefield.

Macedonian Press Agency: Brief News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article