Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 04-05-24

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

CONTENTS

[01] THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE RIO-ANTIRIO BRIDGE IS COMPLETED

[02] THOMAS MILLER: THE US IS INTERESTED IN THE BALKANS

[03] THE EURO-ELECTION CANDIDATES

[04] GAINS IN THE ASE

[05] THE GREEK NATIONAL DEFENSE GENERAL STAFF CHIEF VISITS CROATIA

[06] ANTONIS SAMARAS IS AMONG ND'S EURO-ELECTIONS CANDIDATES

[07] INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON SECURITY ISSUES FOR THE 2004 OLYMPIC GAMES

[08] RUSSIA'S CONCERNS OVER KOSOVO

[09] NATO IS READY TO OFFER ITS ASSISTANCE TO GREECE FOR THE SAFETY OF THE

[01] THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE RIO-ANTIRIO BRIDGE IS COMPLETED

The construction of the Rio-Antirio Bridge in southern Greece was completed today.

The project that cost 750 million euros links the Peloponese with Sterea Ellada, Greek mainland. The Rio-Antirio Bridge is 2,252 meters long and 28 meters wide. It has two lanes for each direction as well as an emergency lane and a sidewalk for pedestrians.

It is estimated that drivers will need less than 4 minutes to get from one end of the bridge to the other, as the average speed will be 80kms per hour.

An estimated 10,000 cars will cross the bridge daily while in rush hours they will reach 25,000.

The bridge will be given to commuters by the end of August but on August 8 it will be open just for the Olympic Flame events.

[02] THOMAS MILLER: THE US IS INTERESTED IN THE BALKANS

A lot have been done in the Balkans so far but many more need to be done still, pointed out US ambassador to Athens Thomas Miller speaking in the 10th Thessaloniki Forum organized by the Association of Industries in Northern Greece and the Greek-US Chamber of Commerce.

Mr. Miller denied the rumors that the United States are not interested in the Balkans anymore and said that the US role has adjusted to the new conditions, stressing that developments in Iraq and the efforts against terrorism have attracted most of the US interest but the US has not stopped being interested in the Balkans.

He stated that the interest is increased based on the figures he presented according to which, the previous fiscal year the US had allocated a total of 500 million euros for the Balkan region. In Kosovo and other regions serve 1,800 US soldiers, while the US is the biggest foreign investor in Serbia with investments corresponding to US billion. The exports are estimated at US0 million and the imports are at US.4 billion.

The US ambassador referred to the speech of Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis in New York on the Greek investments in the Balkans expressing satisfaction for their level and pointed out that Thessaloniki occupies an important position in those investments.

He condemned the incidents that took place in Kosovo last March and stressed that those responsible must be found, while he backed the speedy implementation of the UN resolutions.

Meanwhile, the US ambassador to Athens stated on the sidelines of the 10th Thessaloniki Forum that the visit of Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis to the United States left good impressions in Washington.

On the issue of the Olympic Games security, he said that cooperation with the Greek government is very good and himself is in contact with Greek Minister of Public Order Giorgos Voulgarakis on an everyday basis. He observed that the safety of the Olympics is not an issue that concerns Greece alone and efforts will continue without cease until the Paralympics are completed.

[03] THE EURO-ELECTION CANDIDATES

An experienced politician and a young candidate active in the unionist movement top the lists with the names of the Euro-election candidates of the governing party of New Democracy and the main opposition party of PASOK.

The lists were given to publicity yesterday in view of the June 13 Euro-elections.

Former government minister Yiannis Varvitsiotis is heading the New Democracy list, while heading PASOK's list is Maria Matsouka, in charge of the youth section of the General Confederation of Greek Labor Unions.

Six new faces and four Euro-deputies make-up the top ten positions of the New Democracy ballot while no PASOK Euro-deputy is up for re-election.

Former deputy Mr. Pafilis is heading the ballot of the Greek Communist Party, Mr. Papadimoulis the ballot of Coalition of the Left, Mr. Karatzaferis is heading LAOS and Mr. Tremopoulos the Greens.

[04] GAINS IN THE ASE

Gains were recorded in the Athens Stock Exchange today. The general index rose to +0.20% at 2346.57 points, while the volume of transactions was at 125.7 million euros.

Of the stocks trading today, 132 had gains and 142 had losses, while the value of 110 stocks remained unchanged.

[05] THE GREEK NATIONAL DEFENSE GENERAL STAFF CHIEF VISITS CROATIA

Greek National Defense General Staff Chief, General Giorgos Antonakopoulos is on a formal visit to Croatia today and tomorrow at the invitation of his Croat counterpart General Josip Lucic.

General Antonakopoulos will meet with Defense Minister Berislav Roncevic to discuss issues of mutual military interest concerning the defense revision of the Croat armed forces, bilateral military cooperation, as well as regional cooperation within the framework of the initiative of the southeastern European Defense Ministers.

He will also visit the Armed Forces Training Command, the War School and the War Simulation Center.

[06] ANTONIS SAMARAS IS AMONG ND'S EURO-ELECTIONS CANDIDATES

Antonis Samaras, one of New Democracy's candidates in June's Euro-elections, appeared deeply moved regarding his return to the party of New Democracy just before his meeting with Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis.

Mr. Samaras referred to his 16-year-long presence in New Democracy and pledged that he will fight for a strong Europe and an even stronger Greece.

On the reactions expressed by ND honorary President Konstantinos Mitsotakis, Mr. Samaras stated that he feels great satisfaction and is very moved because the party he served since he was a young man and was its Parliament deputy for 16 years appears to be more united and optimistic than ever before.

[07] INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON SECURITY ISSUES FOR THE 2004 OLYMPIC GAMES

The International Conference on Security Issues for the 2004 Olympic Games opened at the Athens 2004 headquarters today with the participation of over 350 delegates-representatives of National Olympic Committees, sponsors, representatives of security agencies, as well as Interpol and Europol.

Opening the Conference Minister of Public Order Giorgos Voulgarakis characterized it as very important and stressed that Greece can guarantee safe Olympic Games. He underlined that Greece is a small country but it is capable to host safe Olympic Games.

Athens 2004 Organizing Committee President Yianna Angelopoulou-Daskalakis stated that the budget allocated by the Greek government and the security planning for the protection of the games are unprecedented in the Olympic Games history.

Mrs. Angelopoulou stated that security is the top priority and made a special reference to the recent international press reports. She also referred to the warning issued by the Australian government targeting those who want to visit Greece, stressing that this way the Olympic Games are being hurt. Mrs. Angelopoulou stressed that no Organizing Committee and no government of a host country have given a greater emphasis on safety and protection.

British ambassador David Madden, as the representative of the Olympic Advisory Group, underlined that the threat of international terrorism needs to be faced in a global and comprehensive manner, adding that the common goal is to host safe and pleasant Olympic Games.

[08] RUSSIA'S CONCERNS OVER KOSOVO

Russian ambassador to Athens Andrei Vdovin expressed Moscow's concerns over the developments in Kosovo after the incidents targeting the Serbs last March.

Addressing the 10th Thessaloniki Forum, he said that Kosovo is the most persuasive example of the activity of destabilizing factors in the Balkans. Russia had predicted this development and unfortunately it became true, he said. He stated that the only legal framework for the settlement of the Kosovo case is the implementation of UN resolution 1244, adding that those responsible for the extermination of the Serbs should be punished and the destroyed churches and monasteries must be rebuilt. People should be allowed to return to their homes, the paramilitary groups must be dissolved and their guns must be confiscated, while the participation of the Serbs within this solution framework must be seriously discussed, he stressed.

The Russian ambassador said that if the situation in Kosovo is not faced, there is a risk for a Domino Effect in other Balkan regions as well. He said that the Russian President has suggested that an international conference should be held in which it will be confirmed that borders cannot be violated. He pointed out that Russia, the United States and the UN can cooperate to secure a better future for the Balkan region.

Mr. Vdovin stated that Russia is interested in the Balkans and mentioned characteristically President Putin's visit to Athens in 2001 and in Bulgaria last year. Russia is in a political dialogue with Albania and a friendship and cooperation agreement is going to be signed soon. Russia supplies many Balkan countries with natural gas, Russian companies expand their activities in the Balkans and Russian tourists visit Greece and Serbia-Montenegro, said the Russian ambassador.

He said that Russia sees the EU enlargement positively and hopes that the Russian interests in the region will not be put at risk, while on NATO's enlargement to include eastern European countries, he pointed out that Russia does not dramatize the whole situation.

[09] NATO IS READY TO OFFER ITS ASSISTANCE TO GREECE FOR THE SAFETY OF THE OLYMPICS

NATO is ready to offer any assistance the Greek government requests for the safety of the Olympic Games in Athens, stated NATO Assistant Secretary General, Gunter Altenburg, responsible for political affairs and security policy, responding to questions by reporters on the sidelines of the 10th Thessaloniki Forum.

He refused to respond to the question if there are security risks for the Olympic Games and stated that Greece will be the judge of that and the NATO assistance will correspond to the size of the risks.

Meanwhile, Mr. Altenburg stated that NATO will announce formally in the Istanbul Summit meeting that the SFOR in Bosnia-Herzegovina will end its mission by the end of 2004 and will be replaced by an EU military force

However, he underlined that a NATO force will remain in Bosnia to contribute to the efforts for the arrest of those wanted for war crimes by The Hague and assured that assistance will be offered to the country's authorities for reforms in the defense sector.

Regarding NATO's presence in Kosovo, he stressed that it remains stable pointing out that when the violent incidents broke out in March the Alliance strengthened its forces and now is more than ever involved in the province's political procedures.

He assured that any reduction of the military presence of the Alliance in the region has to do with the progress achieved in the southeastern European countries and not with a lack of interest in the region.

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