Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 04-05-06

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] TROMO-HYSTERIA EFFORTS FAIL

[02] ERDOGAN ARRIVES IN ATHENS TODAY

[03] MEETING OF THE GREEK PUBLIC ORDER MINISTER WITH THE US HOMELAND

[04] THE TURKISH STATE MINISTER'S SPEECH IN THE ECONOMIST CONFERENCE

[05] CANADA'S NATIONAL DEFENSE GENERAL STAFF CHIEF TO VISIT GREECE

[06] LOSSES IN THE ASE

[07] FOUNDING CONGRESS OF THE "EUROPEAN LEFT" PARTY IN ROME

[08] THE HELLENIC ARMY GENERAL STAFF CHIEF RESIGNS

[09] SPILIOTOPOULOS: THE ARMED FORCES WILL BE INVOLVED IN THE SECURITY OF

[10] THE MINISTER OF MACEDONIA-THRACE MET WITH THE BRITISH AMBASSADOR

[11] EDUCATION MINISTER MEETING WITH THE ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH

[01] TROMO-HYSTERIA EFFORTS FAIL

The efforts to cause tromo-hysteria through the isolated incident of the bomb explosions in Kalithea, on the occasion of the Athens Olympic Games, have failed.

The majority of the Greek public opinion believes that a terrorist attack during the Olympic Games is unlikely (78%), according to an opinion poll conducted by the polling company VPRC on behalf of the Athens radio station "Sky" and the Athens newspaper "Kathimerini".

The incident is characterized as isolated by the government, the opposition and the International Olympic Committee and it is not linked to the Olympic preparations.

Minister of Public Order Giorgos Voulgarakis stated that, "it is an incident that originates into domestic extremist groups, without any special capabilities and perspective."

[02] ERDOGAN ARRIVES IN ATHENS TODAY

Greece strongly backs the European prospect of Turkey, underlined Greek Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis speaking yesterday in the economic forum of the Economist, offering an idea of the atmosphere in which the talks between the Prime Ministers of Greece and Turkey will be held.

Prime Minister of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrives in Athens this evening and will dine at the Greek Prime Minister's residence in Rafina, Athens. Present in the dinner will be only the wives of the two Prime Ministers and the interpreter.

Mr. Erdogan will be formally received tomorrow morning at the Prime Minister's mansion where the talks will take place between the two Prime Ministers concerning the Greek-Turkish relations, the Cyprus issue and Turkey's European prospect.

Mr. Erdogan will visit President of the Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos and Parliament President Anna Psarouda-Benaki, while later in the afternoon he will meet with PASOK President Giorgos Papandreou, Communist Party general secretary Aleka Papariga, Coalition of the Left President Nikos Konstantopoulos and Athens Mayor Dora Bakoyianni.

The Turkish Prime Minister will come to Greece accompanied by Turkish businessmen and journalists.

On Saturday, the Prime Minister of Turkey will be in the city of Komotini, northeastern Greece, on a private visit where he will be received by Minister of Macedonia-Thrace Nikos Tsiartsionis and Deputy Foreign Minister Evripidis Stilianidis. Mr. Tsiartsionis will give a formal dinner in honor of Mr. Erdogan, while the Turkish Prime Minister will hold meetings with representatives of the Muslim minority in Thrace at the Turkish Consulate in Komotini. Later in the evening, he will depart for Turkey by car via the border station of Kipi in the prefecture of Evros.

[03] MEETING OF THE GREEK PUBLIC ORDER MINISTER WITH THE US HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY

Greek Minister of Public Order Giorgos Voulgarakis met yesterday with US Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge within the framework of his formal visit to the United States.

On the issue of security during the Olympic Games, Mr. Voulgarakis reiterated Mr. Ridge's view according to which, very important steps have been made and Greece can hold safe Olympic Games.

Responding to a question on the explosions that shook Kalithea, Athens in the early morning hours yesterday, Mr. Voulgarakis stated that it was an isolated incident that is not linked to the security of the Olympics. He added that an investigation is underway and the Greek law enforcement authorities will reach their conclusions. Mr. Voulgarakis also said that, in any case, the Olympic Games in Greece do not depend on such incidents.

[04] THE TURKISH STATE MINISTER'S SPEECH IN THE ECONOMIST CONFERENCE

Turkey's desire to become a member of the EU was expressed by Turkish State Minister Mehmet Aydin speaking in The Economist conference taking place in Kavouri, Athens.

He stressed that Turkey follows a policy of harmonization with the western institutions by steadily broadening its cooperation with the European Union, southeastern Europe, the Black Sea region, the Caucasus and Russia.

He stated that fundamental changes have taken place in Turkey in the past few years, the foreign policy sector included, and expressed his country's will to change its image to be regarded reliable and mature.

Mr. Aydin also maintained that Turkey has strengthened and consolidated its democracy and the principles of transparency and equality are being promoted. He also said that the way minorities are being treated has been improved.

He said that Turkey never maintained that it meets all the criteria for its accession into the EU, adding that Turkey's EU accession is the road to higher living standards and higher level of democratic governance.

Mr. Aydin completed his speech by saying that Turkey has the will and the ability to reach its target.

[05] CANADA'S NATIONAL DEFENSE GENERAL STAFF CHIEF TO VISIT GREECE

Canada's National Defense General Staff Chief P.P. Henault will be on a formal visit to Greece tomorrow until May 15.

During his eight-day visit, he will meet with the political and military leadership of the Greek armed forces and discuss issues of mutual military interest. Among others, he will visit the Shooting Ground and the Naval Station in Crete. He will also visit a number of archaeological sites and museums.

[06] LOSSES IN THE ASE

The losses continued in the Athens Stock Exchange today. The general index dropped to -0.83% at 2492.9 points, while the volume of transactions was at 116.5 million euros.

Of the stocks trading today, 88 had gains and 192 had losses, while the value of 103 stocks remained unchanged.

[07] FOUNDING CONGRESS OF THE "EUROPEAN LEFT" PARTY IN ROME

The founding congress of the "European Left" Party will take place in Rome on May 8 and 9.

In a press conference he gave in Athens today, Coalition of the Left President Nikos Konstantopoulos stressed that the date was selected for its historical symbolism as WWII ended on May 8, 1945 and the anti-fascist victory is celebrated on May 9, which is also Europe Day.

He stated that the principles and values the European Left seeks to serve come from the struggle for freedom, democracy, solidarity and justice, equality, human dignity and socialism.

Mr. Konstantopoulos said that the European Left will constitute a contribution for deeper and wider cooperation of the forces of the Left in Europe and elsewhere.

[08] THE HELLENIC ARMY GENERAL STAFF CHIEF RESIGNS

Hellenic Army General Staff Chief Lieutenant General Panagiotis Harvalas tendered his resignation to Minister of Defense Spilios Spiliotopoulos early this afternoon. His resignation was accepted.

No clarifications were given on the reasons that led to his resignation but it is believed that they have to do with the recent accidents in the Greek army.

[09] SPILIOTOPOULOS: THE ARMED FORCES WILL BE INVOLVED IN THE SECURITY OF THE OLYMPIC GAMES

Minister of Defense Spilios Spiliotopoulos, speaking in the 8th Conference of The Economist taking place in Kavouri, Athens, referred to the new security conditions created at a national and international level. He also spoke of new conditions in the European defense and security, stressing the need to draw up a common defense policy in the European Union.

He also referred to Greece's role in the security of the Balkans and the Mediterranean, while he made an extensive reference to the security measures adopted by Greece in view of the Olympic Games. He stressed that there should be a balance between the peaceful message of the Olympic Games and the imperative need for security.

Mr. Spiliotopoulos stated characteristically that the security budget for the Olympic Games in Athens is at 650 million euros, three times higher than Sydney, Australia, which had the most expensive budget in the specific sector.

Mr. Spiliotopoulos stated that almost the entire Greek armed forces will be involved in the security of the Olympic Games and stressed that NATO's contribution will be complementary. He also said that the model of international cooperation in the sector of security in the Athens Olympic Games, in which participate a total of seven countries, will be a model of cooperation to be followed in the next Olympic Games.

The Minister of Defense also ruled out the likelihood to send a Greek force in Iraq at least not before the Olympic Games are over.

[10] THE MINISTER OF MACEDONIA-THRACE MET WITH THE BRITISH AMBASSADOR

Minister of Macedonia-Thrace Nikos Tsiartsionis met today with British ambassador to Athens David Madden.

They discussed bilateral issues and Mr. Tsiartsionis briefed the ambassador on the priorities of the government in northern Greece. He pointed out the role of Thessaloniki in southeastern Europe and briefed him on Thessaloniki's bid to host the EXPO 2008 exhibition.

After the meeting, reporters asked the British ambassador if there were exaggerations by the British mass media when covering the news concerning the explosions that shook Kalithea, Athens in the early morning hours yesterday. He responded by saying that the British Press is totally independent and an ambassador cannot speak on behalf of the British Press.

He stated that the British Media do not express the views of the British government, while on the safety of the Olympic Games in Athens, he pointed out that his country cooperates closely with Greece and are in continuous contact for over three years. He added that the work on security continues and the Greek authorities should be the ones to talk about this issue.

Responding to the question if he feels safe in Athens he said that a major step forward has been made as those who were guilty of the assassination of British embassy military attaché Brigadier Stephen Saunders (meaning the 17 November terrorists) have been punished.

[11] EDUCATION MINISTER MEETING WITH THE ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH

The meeting of Education Minister Marietta Giannakou with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew at Fener in Istanbul was completed a little after 6pm this afternoon.

Mrs. Giannakou stated that she concluded that there is good will on behalf of the Ecumenical Patriarchate for the settlement of the issue that created the crisis with the Church of Greece.

Mrs. Giannakou stated that she does not want to say that her mission was successful or that a dialogue will open between the Church of Greece and the Patriarchate before she talks with the Church of Greece.

The meeting was held at the initiative of Mrs. Giannakou and was aimed at easing the tension between the Church of Greece and the Ecumenical Patriarchate.

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