Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 04-03-18

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

CONTENTS

[01] NATO YES TO SECURITY

[02] FIRST WOMAN PRESIDENT IN PARLIAMENT

[03] FIRST CONFLICT ON THE WORKS

[04] PAPANDREOU UPGRADING MPS

[05] THE FOUR REMAINING GOVERNMENT MINISTERS WERE SWORN IN

[06] KARAMANLIS-BUSH TELEPHONE COMMUNICATION

[07] LOSSES IN THE ASE

[08] THE NEW PARLIAMENT DEPUTIES WERE SWORN IN TODAY

[09] PAPANDREOU: INITIATIVES ON KOSOVO ARE NECESSARY

[10] KARAMANLIS WILL BE IN LUCERNE ON MARCH 28

[11] PAPANDREOU STATEMENTS ON CYPRUS

[12] KOSOVO: ETHNIC ALBANIANS BURNED DOWN A SMALL CHURCH GUARDED BY GREEK

[13] CROATIA'S EUROPEAN COURSE IS ON THE RIGHT TRACK

[01] NATO YES TO SECURITY

The Greek request for a contribution of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization to the security of the Athens Olympics was unanimously accepted by NATO's permanent representatives. Greece's request for a contribution to security was presented by the Treaty's Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer. The Greek request concerns coverage of national air space by Awacs flying radars, coverage of the sea by NATO ships and full standby of the biochemical warfare division stationed in the Czech Republic, ready to intervene if asked to do so by the Greek authorities.

[02] FIRST WOMAN PRESIDENT IN PARLIAMENT

The oath-taking of the new MPs will open today's 11th post dictatorship parliament, which is expected to elect Ms. Anna Psarouda-Benaki as President of the body, the first woman to hold the position since the establishment of the Greek state, holding the third most important position in the hierarchy of the state. The reading of the program statements on behalf of Mr. Karamanlis will be held on Saturday and the procedure of the vote of confidence will be completed at midnight on Monday.

[03] FIRST CONFLICT ON THE WORKS

A confrontation between the government and PASOK broke out over the progress of the Olympic works. Minister of the Environment, Planning and Public Works G. Souflias spoke of significant delays in certain works, accusing the previous government, causing the immediate response of former Minister Vaso Papandreou. Words are not necessary, just a lot of work, stated Alternate Minister of Culture Fani Palli-Petralia.

[04] PAPANDREOU UPGRADING MPS

The Movement's goals and the timeplan of PASOK's Parliamentary Group were presented by party President Giorgos Papandreou in the first meeting of the Parliamentary Group after the party's defeat in the March 7 elections. Mr. Papandreou paid special attention to the need to train his MPs and the greatest possible upgrading of their role. The first mark of opposition policy will be seen in Parliament on the government's program statements.

[05] THE FOUR REMAINING GOVERNMENT MINISTERS WERE SWORN IN

Minister of Tourism Dimitris Avramopoulos, Alternate Culture Minister Fani Palli-Petralia, Deputy Foreign Minister Evripidis Stilianidis and Deputy Minister of Tourism Anastasios Liaskos were sworn in office in the presence of President Kostis Stephanopoulos and Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis.

The four government ministers were the last to swear in due to pending legal issues.

[06] KARAMANLIS-BUSH TELEPHONE COMMUNICATION

Greek Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis had a telephone communication with US President George Bush this afternoon and according to information, it was a prearranged telephone rendezvous.

The telephone call lasted about 15 minutes and was dedicated to developments in Cyprus. The US President expressed Washington's readiness to help for the solution of the political problem in Cyprus. On his part, the Greek Prime Minister pointed out that Greece also wants a viable solution in Cyprus within the framework of the European standards.

According to information, the US President congratulated the Prime Minister for the assumption of the premiership and wished him success to his work.

[07] LOSSES IN THE ASE

Losses were recorded in the Athens Stock Exchange today. The general index dropped to -0.54% at 2383.90 points, while the volume of transactions was at 140 million euros.

Of the stocks trading today, 34 had gains and 278 had losses, while the value of 82 stocks remained unchanged.

[08] THE NEW PARLIAMENT DEPUTIES WERE SWORN IN TODAY

The new parliamentary session opened today with the swearing in of the 300 parliament deputies making up the Greek Parliament after the March 7 elections.

Representatives of the Holy Synod, headed by Archbishop Christodoulos of Athens and All of Greece as well as representatives of the diplomatic corps attended the swearing-in ceremony. Elections will be held in parliament tomorrow for its new presiding board.

The governing New Democracy party has proposed Mrs. Anna Psarouda-Benaki for the post of the Parliament President and she will be the first woman to hold the specific post in the Greek history.

Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis will present the government agenda on Saturday, followed by a discussion with the participation of all opposition party leaders.

The debate will continue until midnight on Monday, March 22 with a vote of confidence for the new government.

[09] PAPANDREOU: INITIATIVES ON KOSOVO ARE NECESSARY

Opposition Socialist Party of PASOK leader Giorgos Papandreou wished quick recovery to the Greek soldier who was injured yesterday during an attack by Kosovars in Kosofska Mitrovica.

Mr. Papandreou stated that the Greek peacekeeping force is in the region based on the UN mandate adding that significant initiatives are necessary from Greece's side as well, because Kosovo is a problem that could take the form of an instability issue for the wider region. Mr. Papandreou made the statement addressing his party's parliamentary group today.

[10] KARAMANLIS WILL BE IN LUCERNE ON MARCH 28

Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis will visit Lucerne, Switzerland on March 28 to participate in the four-party conference on Cyprus.

Based on the framework imposed by the UN, Greece and Turkey will participate in the negotiations if the Greek Cypriot and the Turkish Cypriot sides are not able to reach an agreement by March 22 for Cyprus to become a member of the EU as a united country by May 1.

[11] PAPANDREOU STATEMENTS ON CYPRUS

Opposition Socialist Party of PASOK leader Giorgos Papandreou referred to the Cyprus problem addressing the first meeting of his party's parliamentary group.

The government should continue undertaking initiatives because otherwise ideas and proposals that do not move to a positive direction could be promoted, stated characteristically Mr. Papandreou and stressed that there will be no solution coming from an automatic pilot.

He also pointed out that PASOK will support the government for as long as it undertakes initiatives and warned that if the Cyprus issue is left on an automatic pilot the government will be faced with PASOK's criticism.

[12] KOSOVO: ETHNIC ALBANIANS BURNED DOWN A SMALL CHURCH GUARDED BY GREEK SOLDIERS

The situation in Kosovo is still out of control. At noon today, US helicopters detected suspicious moves by ethnic Albanians in the region of Urosevac, near a small church guarded by Greek peacekeepers. I

The Greek soldiers followed a US warning and abandoned the region just before the ethnic Albanians attacked the small church and burned it to the ground.

[13] CROATIA'S EUROPEAN COURSE IS ON THE RIGHT TRACK

The External Affairs Committee of the European Parliament adopted in Brussels today the report prepared by Greek Socialist Party of PASOK Euro-deputy Alexandros Baltas on Croatia's EU accession application. It is pointed out that Croatia's EU accession course is undoubtedly on the right track but this should not underestimate the size of the effort the country will have to make to meet the strict criteria of such a prospect.

The most urgent challenges Croatia will have to meet are, according to Mr. Baltas, the creation of the appropriate conditions for the return of refugees and displaced persons, more effective cooperation with the International Tribunal on former Yugoslavia and the indictment of guilty Croats in accordance with the suggestions of the court, the normalization of the country's relations with its neighbors Slovenia and Italy especially, after the strong tensions caused by the Croat plan for the creation of an exclusive economic zone in the Adriatic.

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