Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 04-02-12

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

CONTENTS

[01] A UNIFIED POSITION

[02] CLOSING THE GAP

[03] CZECH AIRPLANE EMERGENCY LANDING IN MIKRA

[04] STANDING BY FOR THE STORM

[05] REACTION TO THE EPP RESOLUTION

[06] THE PRIME MINISTER BRIEFED THE STATE PRESIDENT ON THE CYPRUS ISSUE

[07] PAPANDREOU WILL VISIT GERMANY ON SUNDAY

[08] SATISFACTORY GAINS IN THE ASE

[09] KARAMANLIS: NEW DEMOCRACY SUPPORTS CYPRUS

[10] PAPANDREOU ON CYPRUS DEVELOPMENTS

[11] A UNIFIED POSITION

[12] PETTERING MET WITH RELATIVES OF GREEK SAILORS HELD IN PAKISTAN

[13] A CRUCIAL ANSWER

[14] US INTERVENTION

[01] A UNIFIED POSITION

We have always asked for the resolving of the Cyprus issue and in that sense we are in charge of the game, but we want to ensure that whatever solution is found will be viable, stated Foreign Minister Giorgos Papandreou, following the long meeting presided over by Prime Minister Costas Simitis. Mr. Papandreou stated that any response given will be unanimous. The Turkish side, through Rauf Denktash, has proposed a new round of negotiations and the appointment of the UN Secretary General to fill in any points of the final document to be submitted for a referendum on which no agreement is reached. US Secretary of State Colin Powell, in telephone communications with his Greek and Turkish counterparts, asked that they do whatever they can to support the good services of the UN Secretary General. KKE Secretary General Aleka Papariga accused the US of blackmail. Mr. Papandreou's visit to Cyprus has been postponed.

[02] CLOSING THE GAP

ND has a steady lead over PASOK in vote intention, according to the panhellenic poll carried out by Opinion for Mega television. ND has been selected by 39.1% in contrasts to PASOK's 36.9%. The data was collected prior to and immediately following the election of G. Papandreou to the Presidency of PASOK, which brought on a differentiation in the voters' electoral behavior. The KKE is at 5.8%, the Coalition at 2.9%. As far as who is more appropriate for the Prime Minister's position, Mr. Papandreou is ahead of Mr. Karamanlis, who however is more popular than the PASOK President.

[03] CZECH AIRPLANE EMERGENCY LANDING IN MIKRA

An aerial adventure was in store for the 116 passengers of the Czech CSA airline, which returned to Thessaloniki's Macedonia airport, due to a serious mechanical malfunction. The Boeing 737 had departed at 05:11 from Macedonia airport for Prague. After approximately 25 minutes if flight, the pilot located a serious problem in one of the engines and informed the control tower.

[04] STANDING BY FOR THE STORM

The General Direction of Civic Protection recommended increased standby measures for Regions, Prefectures and Municipalities throughout the country, due to the dangerous weather phenomena, as the weather is expected to get severely worse today. The bad weather will initially be expressed in western, central and northern Greece and it is later expected to spread to the rest of the countries with strong snowfall and storms at sea. North winds will blow in the west, central Greece, and in the north, and western winds will blow in the rest of the country turning to the north late at night.

[05] REACTION TO THE EPP RESOLUTION

The European People's Party resolution promoting the exclusion of former Communists, from the new member-states, from taking over European posts and political offices has caused strong disagreements and confusion.

The resolution under the title condemning totalitarian Communism attempts to compare the Communists with the Nazis, pointing out that only those guilty of Nazi crimes have been convicted.

It also maintains that the former Communists participated in state security agencies of Communist regimes and were involved in crimes against humanity. Finally, it suggests the establishment of an international memorial day for the victims of Communism.

The EPP President Wilfred Martens stated that the resolution was sponsored by party members from the former Communist states and was approved by the majority.

Greek right-wing main opposition party of New Democracy announced that the party representative participating in the debate had voted against the resolution because it had adopted extreme positions.

[06] THE PRIME MINISTER BRIEFED THE STATE PRESIDENT ON THE CYPRUS ISSUE

Greek Prime Minister Kostas Simitis, accompanied by governing Socialist Party of PASOK leader Giorgos Papandreou, briefed President Kostis Stephanopoulos on the latest developments on the Cyprus issue.

In statements he made after the meeting, Mr. Simitis said that earlier in the afternoon he had a telephone communication with Cypriot President Tassos Papadopoulos and they expressed the position shared by Greece and Cyprus favoring a solution in Cyprus that will be based on the Annan Plan, guarantee human rights and follow the principles of the European standards.

[07] PAPANDREOU WILL VISIT GERMANY ON SUNDAY

Greek governing Socialist Party of PASOK leader Giorgos Papandreou will visit Germany on Sunday, February 15 to address Greek immigrants in the Baden-Wuerttemberg state.

According to a statement issued by PASOK, Mr. Papandreou will speak in a rally that will be held at the Boblingen sports stadium in Stuttgart.

[08] SATISFACTORY GAINS IN THE ASE

Satisfactory gains were recorded in the Athens Stock Exchange today. The general index rose to +0.50% at 2468.5 points, while the volume of transactions was at 180.4 million euros.

Of the stocks trading today, 187 had gains and 116 had losses, while the value of 81 stocks remained unchanged.

[09] KARAMANLIS: NEW DEMOCRACY SUPPORTS CYPRUS

Right-wing main opposition party of New Democracy leader Kostas Karamanlis expressed the support of his party to the efforts of the Cypriot government for the solution of the Cyprus problem in a statement he made after the meeting he had in Kesariani, Athens with representatives of small and medium sized businesses.

Cyprus is a European country and nobody can stop its European course, said Mr. Karamanlis adding that in any case New Democracy backs the Cyprus government and stands by Cyprus.

[10] PAPANDREOU ON CYPRUS DEVELOPMENTS

The Greek government is in close cooperation and contact with the President of the Cypriot Republic Tassos Papadopoulos, aiming at a just and viable solution for the Cyprus issue, stated President of PASOK and Foreign Minister Giorgos Papandreou, after his meeting with Prime Minister Costas Simitis and alternate Foreign Minister Tassos Giannitsis.

Mr. Papandreou stressed that Greece has asked that the procedure for the resolving of the Cyprus issue, thus the Greek side is in charge of the game. But we want to be certain that any procedure followed will lead to a viable solution. We believe this can be secured through the good cooperation we have with Nicosia. Of course there are still developments in the talks in New York, he added.

[11] A UNIFIED POSITION

We have always asked for the resolving of the Cyprus issue and in that sense we are in charge of the game, but we want to ensure that whatever solution is found will be viable, stated Foreign Minister Giorgos Papandreou, following the long meeting presided over by Prime Minister Costas Simitis. Mr. Papandreou stated that any response given will be unanimous. The Turkish side, through Rauf Denktash, has proposed a new round of negotiations and the appointment of the UN Secretary General to fill in any points of the final document to be submitted for a referendum on which no agreement is reached. US Secretary of State Colin Powell, in telephone communications with his Greek and Turkish counterparts, asked that they do whatever they can to support the good services of the UN Secretary General. KKE Secretary General Aleka Papariga accused the US of blackmail. Mr. Papandreou's visit to Cyprus has been postponed.

[12] PETTERING MET WITH RELATIVES OF GREEK SAILORS HELD IN PAKISTAN

The relatives of the Greek sailors held in Pakistan met in Strasbourg with Hans-Gert Pettering, head of the European People's Party Parliamentary Group, at the initiative of Antonis Trakatelis, head of right-wing main opposition party of New Democracy Euro-deputies.

The members of the delegation delivered a petition to the EPP head concerning the illegal detention of the Greek and foreign sailors from the ship Tasman Spirit and called for his immediate intervention to end the international law violation and win the repatriation of the captive sailors.

Mr. Pettering sent a protest letter to Pakistani ambassador Tariq Fatemi calling on him to contact the responsible authorities and request the release and repatriation of the captive sailors.

[13] A CRUCIAL ANSWER

The Greek response to the proposal made by Ankara through Rauf Denktash for a new round of negotiations in Cyprus with the participation of the guarantor powers and the appointment of the UN Secretary General to fill in any blanks that might be left after negotiations, is being discussed in the emergency meeting taking place in Athens. President Papadopoulos' response will be given this evening when the talks continue. I do not think my proposal will be rejected, said Mr. Denktash. US Secretary of State Colin Powell, in telephone communications with this Greek and Turkish counterparts, asked that they do whatever they can to support the good services of the UN Secretary General. The Simitis-Papandreou emergency meeting on the Cyprus issue, resulted in the postponement of Mr. Papandreou's campaign trip to Cyprus. There is also an emergency meeting in Ankara.

[14] US INTERVENTION

Discussions in New York on the Cyprus issue are continuing today and this evening (at 22:00 Greek time) for the third day, without prospects of a solution. According to diplomatic circles, Mr. Annan will ask for the intensification of US pressures towards both sides in order for them to accept the terms and the schedules of the UN Secretary General. US Secretary of State Colin Powell, in telephone communications he has with his Greek and Turkish counterparts, asked that they do whatever they can to support the good services of the UN Secretary General, pointing out the importance of a timely resolving of the Cyprus issue, which will allow for the accession of a unified Cyprus to the EU on May 1, 2004.

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