Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 04-06-16

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

CONTENTS

[01] MIXED FEELINGS

[02] ALL EYES ARE SET ON THE GREEK NATIONAL FOOTBALL TEAM

[03] PAPALIGOURAS: INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM CAN BE COMBATED WITH

[04] KOUMOUTSAKOS: THE ISLAMIC CONFERENCE DECISION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE

[05] SMALL GAINS IN THE ASE

[06] THE EU COUNTER-TERRORISM COORDINATOR VISITS GREECE

[07] THE OLYMPIC FLAME VISITS THE USA

[08] JOINT DECLARATION BY THE GREEK AND TURKISH TOURISM MINISTERS

[09] KARAMANLIS IN BRUSSELS

[01] MIXED FEELINGS

Mixed feelings dominate in the Greek political parties' headquarters over Sunday's Euro-elections in which governing party of New Democracy not only won, leading opposition party of PASOK by 9 percentage points, but received the biggest percentage of votes gained by a political party in all 25 European Union member states.

Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis reiterated on Monday, addressing his party's Euro-deputies, that the result is a great victory of trust.

Strong skepticism dominates in PASOK, while developments in the party Coalition of the Left are rapid, as its President Nikos Konstantopoulos has announced that he will not be a candidate for the party leadership again. Satisfaction is the feeling in the Greek Communist Party regarding the Euro-election results.

[02] ALL EYES ARE SET ON THE GREEK NATIONAL FOOTBALL TEAM

The Greek national football team players have their minds on tomorrow's decisive match opposite to Spain.

Coach Otto Rehhagel, who is drawing up his plans for tomorrow's match with the Spaniards at 7pm (Greek time), called on the Greek players to forget all about the great victory over the Portuguese and set their minds on being qualified for the Euro2004 quarterfinals.

The Greek players are aware that tomorrow's match will be much more difficult compared to that with Portugal and are determined to fight hard to get a positive result.

[03] PAPALIGOURAS: INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM CAN BE COMBATED WITH INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION

Everybody realizes that international terrorism can be combated only with international cooperation, said Minister of Justice Anastasis Papaligouras on the sidelines of his meeting with new EU counter-terrorism coordinator Gijl de Vries.

With the draft law on the European arrest warrant and the anti-terrorist regulations submitted to Parliament yesterday Greece is harmonized with the rest of Europe and the sense of security for the European societies is being strengthened while, at the same time, protecting human rights. Security and freedom are two interdependent goods that are being protected through the draft law promoted, said the minister.

Mr. Papaligouras when asked to comment on the front-page article of the Athens newspaper TA NEA according to which, the first big Olympic prison is almost ready to function as a place of social isolation for beggars, drug-addicts and illegal aliens he responded that this is a science fiction scenario.

He said that over 1 million foreigners will be in Athens in August to watch the Olympic Games and among them, it is statistically certain, that there will be many law breakers. The old army camp in Aspropirgos is modified to become a place where offenders will be detained. He added that it will not be a top security prison, conditions will be good and it will be able to house up to 250 individuals most of whom will be up for deportation within a period of just a few days.

Mr. Papaligouras stated that the creation of a new detention center for those foreigners is necessary given the fact that conditions in Greek prisons are tragic because for a number of years they are in a state of asphyxiation with a double than predicted inmate population.

The Minister of Justice stated that given the fact that the previous government did not make any provisions concerning the way the problem will be dealt with a last minute effort is being made to ensure that such a place will be available for the detention of foreigners. Anything else that is being said is inaccurate and can only be characterized as science fiction, stressed Mr. Papaligouras.

[04] KOUMOUTSAKOS: THE ISLAMIC CONFERENCE DECISION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE RECOGNITION OF THE NORTHERN PART OF CYPRUS

Greek Foreign Ministry spokesman Giorgos Koumoutsakos stated that the Organization of the Islamic Conference decision on the Turkish Cypriots does not constitute recognition of the northern part of Cyprus. For the record, the Organization of the Islamic Conference recognized the northern part of Cyprus as Turkish Cypriot state as it is referred to in the Annan Plan.

Also, Mr. Koumoutsakos pointed out that the Annan report and the UN Security Council resolutions do not constitute strong texts to promote the recognition based on their contents.

[05] SMALL GAINS IN THE ASE

Small gains were recorded in the Athens Stock Exchange today. The general index rose to +0.15% at 2406.47 points, while the volume of transactions was at 98.9 million euros.

Of the stocks trading today, 111 had gains and 168 had losses, while the value of 107 stocks remained unchanged.

[06] THE EU COUNTER-TERRORISM COORDINATOR VISITS GREECE

The EU counter-terrorism coordinator Gijs de Vries met with Public Administration, Public Order and Justice Committee President Mrs. Zetta Makri.

Mrs. Makri briefed Mr. De Vries on the contents of the draft law on the European Arrest Warrant and the amendment of the law on terrorist organizations submitted to Parliament yesterday and expected to be passed by the end of June harmonizing the Greek legislation with the rest EU member-states in the prevention and combating of terrorism.

Mrs. Makri also referred to the successes of the Greek law enforcement authorities within the framework of the efforts made against terrorism and gave an emphasis on the protection of human rights.

She assured Mr. De Vries that Greece continues to cooperate within the framework of information exchange at a European level aimed at making the European citizen feel more secure.

The post of the EU counter-terrorism coordinator was created last March after the bloody terrorist attack in Madrid and Mr. De Vries' visit to Greece is held in view of the imminent EU Summit meeting in which he will present the first list of action measures.

[07] THE OLYMPIC FLAME VISITS THE USA

Los Angeles is the first stop of the Olympic Flame in the USA, as it travels towards the north of the American continent. The Greek delegation will make four stops in the USA, while the ATHENS 2004 President, Mrs. Gianna Angelopoulos-Daskalaki, will also participate in the events to be held in Atlanta and New York. Approximately 480 Americans will take part in the Torch Relay in the four cities, with famous sports and art personalities among them.

Yesterday, the Olympic flame was for the first time after 36 years in Mexico City's Olympic Stadium, where the 1968 Games were held. Mexicans celebrated the arrival of the Flame with a very original ceremony, perhaps the most sport- and youth-oriented ceremony so far. Hundreds of students from the Sport University presented a panorama of 45 sports in the field of play of the Olympic Stadium.

We are moved by the arrival of the Flame in Mexico, which brings back memories from the 1968 Olympic Games. I believe that the Olympic Games taking place in Athens is a long-awaited event. Now is the time for the Games to return to their birthplace and become unique, said Nelson Varcas Basanas, sport secretary of the State of Mexico.

Enriquta Basilio, the first woman to light the Olympic Flame in a Stadium, in the 1968 Mexico Games, was the first Torchbearer. I wish every success to the Athens 2004 Olympic Games from the bottom of my heart, because they bear a special symbolism and convey a message of unity and peace.

A total of 122 Torchbearers carried the Flame over a distance of 53 kilometers. It traveled by all of the city's landmarks, ending in the main square, where the major government buildings are located. This is a square that is scarcely ever granted for holding events, yet it was there that the Mexicans decided to bid the Flame goodbye.

A large part of the Torch Relay took place under rain, but that did not put off thousands of the city's residents from welcoming the Flame and from watching athletes and well-known personalities carry the Athens Flame. In fact, many businesses gave their employees time off to go out and join the welcome ceremony, which was so crowded that Anna Guevara, the Mexican champion who was to be the penultimate Torchbearer, did not manage to get there: the car bringing her to the ceremony was blocked and, despite her efforts, she did not get to the appointed place in time. The last Mexico City Torchbearer was a 94-year-old woman who still works as a newspaper seller and has won many Marathon Races in the past.

[08] JOINT DECLARATION BY THE GREEK AND TURKISH TOURISM MINISTERS

Greek Minister of Tourism Dimitris Avramopoulos will meet in the Aegean island of Samos tomorrow with his Turkish counterpart Erkan Mumcu to discuss issues concerning the strengthening of bilateral cooperation in the sector of tourism.

The talks will be held with the participation of delegations from Greece and Turkey, which will be made up of tourism sector representatives and local officials. The meeting will take place within the framework of the Greek-Turkish Tourist Forum to take place in Samos and Kusandasi on Thursday and Friday respectively.

The two Ministers of Tourism will seal the forum proceedings by signing a joint declaration.

[09] KARAMANLIS IN BRUSSELS

Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis departs for Brussels at noon to attend the Summit meeting of the European People's Party and the European Council Summit meeting.

This afternoon, Mr. Karamanlis will attend the meeting of the European People's Party Presiding Board and the European People's Party Summit meeting, while tomorrow he will attend the European Council Summit meeting and the working dinner of the heads of states and governments.

On Friday, the Prime Minister will meet with the European Parliament President and attend the Inter-governmental Conference Summit meeting.

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