Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 04-05-25

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

CONTENTS

[01] GUARDED OPTIMISM FOR A SOLUTION

[02] YASAR YAKIS: TURKEY IS READY FOR EU ACCESSION NEGOTIATIONS

[03] WORLD CONFERENCE ON JOURNALISM OPENS IN ATHENS

[04] THE GREEK DEPUTY DEFENSE MINISTER VISITS BULGARIA

[05] GREECE-BELGIUM: AGREEMENT TO PREVENT TAX EVASION

[06] LOSSES IN THE ASE

[07] KOSTUNICA: THE BALKANS SHOULD REMAIN A MULTI-ETHNIC REGION

[08] ROUSOPOULOS: THE GOVERNMENT DOES NOT INTEND TO SEND MILITARY FORCES TO

[09] KARAMANLIS-ROGGE MEETING

[10] EXCELLENT COOPERATION BETWEEN GREECE AND THE US IN THE RADIOACTIVITY

[01] GUARDED OPTIMISM FOR A SOLUTION

The Holy Synod of the Church of Greece will meet on Friday with the participation of the three newly elected Metropolites in the so-called new countries who will be presented to Hellenic Republic President Kostis Stephanopoulos tomorrow. The Holy Synod meeting will be held at the initiative of Archbishop Christodoulos of Athens and All of Greece.

However, the majority of the hierarchs, both in the Church of Greece and the Ecumenical Patriarchate, appear reserved regarding the prospects for the de-escalation of the crisis between the Church of Greece and the Ecumenical Patriarchate.

[02] YASAR YAKIS: TURKEY IS READY FOR EU ACCESSION NEGOTIATIONS

Turkey is not ready yet to become a member of the EU but it is ready for EU accession negotiations, stated Yasar Yakis, Turkey's former Foreign Minister and current president of the Turkish Parliament's EU Harmonization Committee.

In an interview with MPA, Mr. Yakis pointed out that Turkey should not be accused concerning the implementation of the law because the law is not being implemented correctly in EU countries as well, using as an example the European Court rulings condemning EU countries.

He also stressed that Turkey does not enjoy equal treatment with the rest countries that are candidates for EU accession, adding that the Copenhagen criteria constitute precondition for a full EU accession and not for the opening of the EU accession negotiations.

Mr. Yakis stated that the State Security Courts are being abolished, while commenting on yesterday's decision to allow Kurdish-speaking shows on the state-run radio and television, TRT, he mentioned that in order for this to happen there must be changes in the TRT operation regulations.

Referring to the course of the Greek-Turkish relations, he pointed out that the governments of the two countries continue the rapprochement policy launched by previous governments.

He also reminded that the Cyprus issue is not a thorn in bilateral relations anymore because Greece and Turkey have decided that the Cyprus issue will not affect their relations.

[03] WORLD CONFERENCE ON JOURNALISM OPENS IN ATHENS

Sports and world mass media is the main topic under discussion in the first day of the 25th World Conference on Journalism that opened in Zappion Megaron Building in Athens today.

The formal opening of the conference, in which participate 250 journalists from 110 countries, will take place this evening with a message by Hellenic Republic President Konstantinos Stephanopoulos.

[04] THE GREEK DEPUTY DEFENSE MINISTER VISITS BULGARIA

Greek deputy Minister of Defense Vasilis Michaloliakos is on a three-day visit to Bulgaria for talks with his Bulgarian counterpart.

Mr. Michaloliakos will attend the inauguration of the 4th Air Festival Sky for All and visit the defense supplies exhibition HEMUS 2004.

He will also attend the international conference in Plovdiv on Security, Peace and Democracy in the Balkans and visit the Greek Literature and Language Department in the local university.

[05] GREECE-BELGIUM: AGREEMENT TO PREVENT TAX EVASION

Greek Finance Minister Giorgos Alogoskoufis and Belgian ambassador to Athens Glaude Rijmenans signed an agreement aimed at preventing double taxation and tax evasion in Greece and Belgium.

The agreement is a revision of an older one signed by Greece and Belgium and ratified in 1969 to prevent double taxation on income.

Through this agreement, tax authorities in the two countries can assist each other more to deal with tax evasion.

[06] LOSSES IN THE ASE

Losses were recorded in the Athens Stock Exchange today. The general index dropped to -0.76% at 2328.85 points, while the volume of transactions was small at 96 million euros.

Of the stocks trading today, 80 had gains and 221 had losses, while the value of 83 stocks remained unchanged.

[07] KOSTUNICA: THE BALKANS SHOULD REMAIN A MULTI-ETHNIC REGION

Ethnic conflict blocks relations with the EU, stressed Serb Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica speaking during the lunch given today within the framework of the 10th Thessaloniki Forum and referred to the incidents that took place in Kosovo on March 17-18.

He stated that it was a well-planned ethnic cleansing by the Albanian majority in Kosovo targeting the Serbs and observed that the international forces in Pristina came to this conclusion. He said that the ulterior motive of the forces seeking Kosovo's independence is the division of Serbia and the Balkans in general into small pieces and wondered how something like that could be allowed by the European Union and the international community.

He said that the Balkan region was always multi-ethnic and backed the European course of the province of Kosovo characterizing Serbia's behavior during the unrest in its southern regions as exemplary referring to the creation of a multi-ethnic police and other institutions with the participation of ethnic Albanians.

On the referendum in Montenegro concerning its independence, he pointed out that it has to be held in a democratic manner and the European course should continue.

Mr. Kostunica said that Serbia alone cannot secure the status quo in the region and called for the assistance of other neighboring countries.

He also presented the steps made by his country to combat corruption such as, passing legislation in Parliament that makes justice independent.

The Serb Prime Minister expressed satisfaction regarding the US investments in his country and the Greek-Serb relations, stressing that they can improve further. On the presence of the US military forces in the Balkans, he stated that it is necessary.

[08] ROUSOPOULOS: THE GOVERNMENT DOES NOT INTEND TO SEND MILITARY FORCES TO IRAQ

The Greek government does not intend to send military forces to Iraq, stated government spokesman Thodoris Rousopoulos.

He made the statement responding to a relevant question by reporters, pointing out that Greece participates in international peacekeeping missions based on its obligations due to the fact that it is a member of international organizations.

[09] KARAMANLIS-ROGGE MEETING

Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis met in Athens this morning with International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge in the presence of Athens 2004 Organizing Committee President Yianna Angelopoulou-Daskalakis and Deputy Culture Minister Fani Palli Petralia.

In the meeting, they discussed issues concerning the Olympic Games preparations and security, as well as certain negative press reports that appear on foreign media from time to time.

Mr. Rogge also visited the Olympic Sports Center in Athens to inspect the progress made in the construction works.

Meanwhile, the opening ceremony of the 44th Summit of the International Olympic Academy was held in Athens yesterday. Mr. Rogge in his address expressed the belief that the Athens Olympic Games will be unique.

Deputy Culture Minister Mrs. Petralia issued an invitation to all the citizens of the world to attend the best and safest Olympic Games ever held.

[10] EXCELLENT COOPERATION BETWEEN GREECE AND THE US IN THE RADIOACTIVITY SECTOR

The view that cooperation between Greece and the United States in the sector of radioactivity highlights the excellent cooperation between the two governments concerning nuclear and radiation security, was expressed by US Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham during the ceremony today for the delivery of radiation detectors to Greece to be used for the safety of the Olympic Games.

Mr. Abraham clarified that the detectors will assist and supplement the excellent security mechanism of the Athens Olympic Games and stressed that they are delivered on behalf of US President George Bush.

On his part, Greek Atomic Energy Committee President Leonidas Kamarinopoulos clarified that fixed and portable radiation detection systems will be installed in 32 gates of entry to Greece (7 airports, 12 seaports and 13 border crossings), while customs stations and special police forces will also be supplied with portable radiation detectors. Also, the protection systems in sensitive industry facilities, in 22 hospital clinics and the research reactor at the Democritos Research Center in Athens will be upgraded.

Minister of Development Dimitris Sioufas stated that the program was financed with 35 million euros and thanked the US government for its contribution to the Greek efforts for a faultless security network. Mr. Sioufas issued a formal invitation to Mr. Abraham to attend the Olympic Games in Athens.

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