Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 04-04-06

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

CONTENTS

[01] FOREIGN MINISTER MOLIVIATIS IN THE GOVERNMENTAL COMMITTEE MEETING

[02] EUROPEAN CHARTER ON ROAD SAFETY

[03] PAPANDREOU: PASOK WILL PRESENT ITS POSITION ON THE ANNAN PLAN SOON

[04] SMALL LOSSES IN THE ASE

[05] GOVERNMENTAL COMMITTEE MEETING

[06] THE GREEK DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER MET WITH THE AMBASSADORS OF BULGARIA

[07] MADDEN-MOLIVIATIS MEETING

[08] NEW PRESS OFFICE DIRECTOR FOR THE PARTY OF NEW DEMOCRACY

[09] VALINAKIS AND MEIMARAKIS ARE ON A VISIT TO CYPRUS

[10] VALINAKIS ON HIS MEETING WITH THE CYPRIOT PRESIDENT

[11] VALINAKIS: THE FINAL JUDGMENT BELONGS TO THE CYPRIOT PEOPLE

[12] KOFI ANNAN: THE UN DOES NOT WANT TO IMPOSE ANY SOLUTION ON THE CYPRIOT

[01] FOREIGN MINISTER MOLIVIATIS IN THE GOVERNMENTAL COMMITTEE MEETING

Greek Foreign Minister Petros Moliviatis presented the situation in Cyprus and the latest developments on the issue, addressing the governmental committee meeting today.

According to state-run NET television station information, Mr. Moliviatis pointed out that Greece participated in the Lucerne negotiations to contribute to the efforts for a solution. However, he clarified that Greece was not the main negotiator and Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis offered his cooperation at the request of UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan. Mr. Moliviatis underlined that Greece does not have the capability nor is willing to impose its views on anybody.

Meanwhile, it became known today that the Foreign Minister has sent a letter to the opposition political party leaders asking them to appoint a representative in the Foreign Policy Council meeting.

[02] EUROPEAN CHARTER ON ROAD SAFETY

A political commitment for the implementation of the strategic action plan aimed at cutting down the number of traffic accident victims at least by 50% by the year 2010 compared to 2000, was undertaken today by Minister of Transportation and Communications Michalis Liapis during the informal meeting of the EU Transportation Ministers in Dublin.

In the meeting, Mr. Liapis agreed with his counterparts to issue a European Charter on Road Safety on the occasion of the World Health Day tomorrow, dedicated by the UN to Road Safety.

The implementation of the 2001-2005 Strategic Plan for the improvement of Road Safety in Greece, aimed at cutting down traffic accidents by 20%, will intensify to achieve the greatest possible reduction in the number of traffic accidents and their consequences.

[03] PAPANDREOU: PASOK WILL PRESENT ITS POSITION ON THE ANNAN PLAN SOON

Main opposition party of PASOK will form soon its position toward the Annan Plan and will address the Greek people and the international community in a responsible way, stated its leader Giorgos Papandreou after meetings he had with party officials.

Mr. Papandreou was briefed by Anna Diamantopoulou and Panos Beglitis on the contacts a PASOK delegation had during its visit to Cyprus. He stated to reporters that PASOK has undertaken initiatives on the specific case and will continue to do so. He announced that Mrs. Diamantopoulou is going to be in Brussels tomorrow to meet with European Commissioner Gunter Verheugen.

Mr. Papandreou stated that PASOK respects the thoughts and decisions of the Cypriot people and the Cypriot political parties but PASOK will present its own position.

[04] SMALL LOSSES IN THE ASE

Small losses were recorded in the Athens Stock Exchange today. The general index dropped to -0.14% at 2415.66 points, while the volume of transactions was at 144.3 million euros.

Of the stocks trading today, 132 had gains and 145 had losses, while the value of 120 stocks remained unchanged.

[05] GOVERNMENTAL COMMITTEE MEETING

The Cyprus issue, as well as issues concerning the economy, dominated in the governmental committee meeting today held under Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis.

After the meeting, Minister of Finance Giorgos Alogoskoufis stated that the government is going to request a discussion to be held on the economy outside the Parliament's daily agenda as soon as the Parliament reopens after the Easter holidays.

Minister of Development Dimitris Sioufas referred to the atmosphere in the Greek market in statements he made after the governmental committee meeting. He stated characteristically that the market moves smoothly without interventions.

[06] THE GREEK DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER MET WITH THE AMBASSADORS OF BULGARIA AND IRAN

Deputy Foreign Minister Panagiotis Skandalakis, responsible for issues concerning the Greeks living abroad, met this morning with Bulgarian ambassador to Athens Stefan Stoyanof.

They discussed bilateral issues, as well as issues of wider cooperation. They discussed border cooperation between the two countries, immigration issues, as well as issues concerning bilateral economic relations. In the meeting they also examined the latest developments in Cyprus.

At noon today, Mr. Skandalakis received Iran's ambassador to Athens Mehdi Mohtashami and discussed bilateral issues, as well as the Cyprus issue.

[07] MADDEN-MOLIVIATIS MEETING

British ambassador to Athens Sir David Madden sees positively the Annan Plan for the solution of the Cyprus issue pointing out, however, that the final decision belongs to the Greek Cypriots and the Turkish Cypriots. The British ambassador made the statement after the meeting he had with Greek Foreign Minister Petros Moliviatis on the developments in Cyprus.

Ambassador Madden expressed the wish that the Cypriot people will vote yes in the April 24 referendums. He said that the decision concerns the people of Cyprus and this is provided in the New York agreement, adding that it is a fundamental principle that the people living on the island should make the decision. From Britain's point of view, we hope that the response will be yes in both referendums for Cyprus to become a member of the EU as a united island on May 1, said the British ambassador.

[08] NEW PRESS OFFICE DIRECTOR FOR THE PARTY OF NEW DEMOCRACY

The governing party of New Democracy has a new Press Office Director.

After a decision by Prime Minister and party president Kostas Karamanlis, journalist Nikos Eleftheroglou is the party's new Press Office Director.

[09] VALINAKIS AND MEIMARAKIS ARE ON A VISIT TO CYPRUS

Greek Deputy Foreign Minister Yiannis Valinakis and New Democracy Central Committee Secretary Vangelis Meimarakis are in Nicosia for talks with the Cypriot Republic President Tassos Papadopoulos and the leaderships of the political parties in Cyprus.

The goal of the visit is to form a close-up picture of the atmosphere in Cyprus after the negotiations in Lucerne, Switzerland and in view of the April 24 referendum and also to be briefed on the positions of the Cypriot President and the political parties in Cyprus and not to make suggestions or exert any kind of pressure.

Mr. Valinakis will brief Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis on the conclusions of his visit to Cyprus as soon as he returns to Athens.

The Greek government will announce its position on the Annan Plan in the proper time, stated yesterday government spokesman Thodoris Rousopoulos, while it has not been decided yet when the Political Party Leaders' Council will meet chaired by President of the Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos. The meeting is expected to take place after the Easter holidays.

Both in Nicosia and in Athens, the message to the Cypriot people by Cypriot President Tassos Papadopoulos is expected with great interest scheduled to take place at 8pm tomorrow.

[10] VALINAKIS ON HIS MEETING WITH THE CYPRIOT PRESIDENT

Greek Deputy Foreign Minister Yiannis Valinakis expressed the certainty that the Cypriot people calmly, with a sense of responsibility and without tensions will decide what to vote in the referendum on the Annan Plan, pointing out that this decision should be respected.

In statements he made after the meeting he had this afternoon with Cypriot President Tassos Papadopoulos, Mr. Valinakis said that he had the chance to be briefed directly on the thoughts and views on the Annan Plan after Lucerne and in view of the referendums.

New Democracy Central Committee Secretary Vangelis Meimarakis was also present in the meeting that lasted one hour.

Earlier, the Greek Deputy Foreign Minister and Mr. Meimarakis had a meeting with former Cypriot President Glafkos Clerides.

[11] VALINAKIS: THE FINAL JUDGMENT BELONGS TO THE CYPRIOT PEOPLE

Greek Deputy Foreign Minister Yiannis Valinakis, responsible for European issues, expressed the support of the Greek government to Cyprus in statements he made upon his arrival at the Larnaca International Airport.

Mr. Valinakis reiterated that the final judgment belongs to the Cypriot people and pointed out that the goal of his visit is to be fully briefed on the positions of the Cypriot political parties after the Lucerne negotiations and in view of the April 24 referendums.

[12] KOFI ANNAN: THE UN DOES NOT WANT TO IMPOSE ANY SOLUTION ON THE CYPRIOT PEOPLE

The United Nations do not want to impose any solution on the Cypriot people, stated yesterday UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan stressing that it is up to the Cypriots to decide through the April 24 referendums on the draft solution he presented on March 31.

Mr. Annan made the statement in response to a question on Cyprus after the meeting he had in Moscow with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov who stressed that regardless of the outcome of the referendums Russia's interest in the Cyprus issue will not be reduced.

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