Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 04-06-23

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

CONTENTS

[01] EFFORTS AGAINST HIGH PRICES

[02] THESSALONIKI MADE GOOD IMPRESSION

[03] CLINTON'S AUTOBIOGRAPHY

[04] THE FOREIGN MINISTER BRIEFED THE RESPONSIBLE PARLIAMENT COMMITTEE

[05] COMPLICATIONS IN THE PUBLICIZING OF THE 17N COURT DECISION RATIONALE

[06] THE ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH TO VISIT THE VATICAN

[07] KAKLAMANIS: NO TO "SWEEP-UP" OPERATIONS IN VIEW OF THE OLYMPICS

[08] LOSSES IN THE ASE

[09] HANDBOOK ON OLYMPIC TRUCE

[10] A 57YEAROLD WOMAN EXPECTS TRIPLETS

[11] THE COURT RULING ON THE "17 NOVEMBER" CASE

[01] EFFORTS AGAINST HIGH PRICES

The government attempts to strike a blow on high prices to avoid a speculation explosion during the Olympic Games period that could send inflation skyrocketing further deteriorating the already bad state of the Greek economy.

A meeting took place today under the Prime Minister to discuss the issue. However, based on the latest research conducted by the Consumers' Institute (INKA) in Greece, there have been no big price increases with the exception of the problems created as a result of the fuel prices.

The Governmental Committee that met yesterday under Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis decided to adopt measures against unemployment and help those working at the Olympic Games projects to return to the job market after the end of the Olympic Games.

[02] THESSALONIKI MADE GOOD IMPRESSION

The rivalry between Trieste (Italy) and Zaragoza (Spain), the attacks the two cities have suffered from within and certain problems that were obvious in their files were the elements that marked the joint press conference the three candidate host cities of EXPO 2008 gave in Paris yesterday afternoon.

On the contrary, Thessaloniki's bid to host EXPO 2008 made good impression on reporters presenting a more complete picture.

Minister of Macedonia-Thrace Nikos Tsiartsionis and HELEXPO President Dimitris Bakatselos presented Thessaloniki's file under the theme Terra Mater at the Foreign Press Center in Paris and stressed that the Olympic Games in Athens have a huge infrastructure network that will be used by EXPO 2008 as well.

Zaragoza, which has chosen water as its theme, had to answer to many aggressive questions from the Italian and Spanish journalists on issues concerning the environment, terrorism, political support and the absence of an airport close to the city.

The Spanish and the Italian journalists criticized Trieste regarding its exhibition grounds that will be at the city's port, on the basis that a dispute is still pending in the courts over the specific location. The theme selected by Trieste is knowledge.

Also, the two cities do not enjoy a broad government support and relay only on the local administration forces as opposed to Thessaloniki, which has the support of Greece's political, business and social forces.

[03] CLINTON'S AUTOBIOGRAPHY

The crisis that erupted between Greece and Turkey over the rocky islets of Imia in the Aegean is mentioned in the autobiography of former US President Bill Clinton in which he refers to the all-night telephone efforts he made to avert an armed conflict between Greece and Turkey for a few hectares of rocky islets inhabited by a dozen sheep, as he mentions characteristically.

The former US President admits that he laughed at the thought that regardless of whether he would have been able to bring peace to the Middle East, Bosnia or Northern Ireland at least he had saved a few sheep in the Aegean.

Mr. Clinton also mentions in his 1,000-page long autobiography that he tried to solve the problems between Greece and Turkey but left the White House disappointed because he failed.

According to press reports, Mr. Clinton writes that he had a scheduled meeting with Russian Prime Minister Chernomyrdin when he received a telephone call from Turkish President Demirel and Prime Minister Ciller who told him that Turkey and Greece were on the verge of war and asked him to intervene.

Mr. Clinton points out that the crisis was created when Turkish journalists lowered the Greek flag in the islets and raised the Turkish one.

[04] THE FOREIGN MINISTER BRIEFED THE RESPONSIBLE PARLIAMENT COMMITTEE

Foreign Minister Petros Moliviatis briefed the responsible Parliament committee on the current foreign affairs issues.

Responding to remarks by PASOK Parliament deputies Mr. Moliviatis denied that the government of New Democracy has dissociated the Cyprus issue from the Greek-Turkish relations. He also denied that it has decided to back in December the opening of Turkey's EU accession negotiations.

He said that the government backs Turkey's European prospect but neither the Prime Minister nor himself had ever stated anything about dissociating certain issues. Responding to a question made by PASOK Parliament deputy Evangelos Venizelos on whether the government has concluded that Turkey fully meets the criteria for EU accession, Mr. Moliviatis stated that the government waits for the European Commission report to come out first.

Referring to the Cyprus issue, he said that it is not to the interest of the Turkish Cypriots to be recognized as a separate entity and pointed out that the government position is in favor of the reunification of Cyprus on the basis of the Annan Plan with the addition that the EU framework and the European standards will be taken under consideration.

The Foreign Minister gave an emphasis on Greece's strategy regarding the European prospect of all the countries in the wider region and spoke of a one-way street that will make the Balkans stop being a powder-keg.

Responding to the issue concerning the government's stance toward Chris Patten's candidacy to the European Commission presidency, he denied that New Democracy backed the European People's Party choice pointing out that in the recent EU Summit no references were made to specific names.

[05] COMPLICATIONS IN THE PUBLICIZING OF THE 17N COURT DECISION RATIONALE

A strange complication was recorded in the publicizing of the rationale of the court decision on the 17 November terrorist group case.

The rationale, scheduled to be made public today, was not delivered to the representatives of the press when the court's president refused to do so under the pretext that such a move is against the law on the protection of personal data.

Legal circles mentioned that the only reason the court's president could invoke to avoid giving the court decision rationale to publicity was to say that journalists had no such legal right.

[06] THE ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH TO VISIT THE VATICAN

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew will visit the Vatican at the end of June at the invitation of Pope John-Paul B' to celebrate together the 40th anniversary of the first meeting of the heads of the two Churches held in Jerusalem.

The celebration will take place on the sidelines of the Apostles Peter and Paul feast on June 29.

According to the Thessaloniki newspaper Macedonia, the Ecumenical Patriarch will inaugurate a Greek-Orthodox church in Rome dated back to the 6th century, which was offered by the Vatican.

[07] KAKLAMANIS: NO TO "SWEEP-UP" OPERATIONS IN VIEW OF THE OLYMPICS

Minister of Health Nikitas Kaklamanis categorically denied that any type of sweep-up operation will take place targeting specific social groups such as, drug addicts or the so-called traffic lights' children in view of the Olympic Games

He stated characteristically, speaking in the Parliamentary Committee meeting that dealt with the problem of drugs, that no one will play the role of the human soul catcher.

The issue was raised earlier by PASOK Parliament deputy Manolis Skoulakis, who stated referring to press reports on the so-called Olympic warehouses that locking up drug users in any kind of prison to hide them from the foreigners who will come to Greece for the Olympic Games, is not a solution.

[08] LOSSES IN THE ASE

Losses were recorded in the Athens Stock Exchange today. The general index dropped to -0.18% at 2339.41points, while the volume of transactions was at 117 million euros.

Of the stocks trading today, 62 had gains and 232 had losses, while the value of 97 stocks remained unchanged.

[09] HANDBOOK ON OLYMPIC TRUCE

PASOK President Giorgos Papandreou is in the British capital to attend the inauguration of the Olympic Exhibition at London's City Hall.

Afterwards, he will attend the presentation of the handbook "16 Days: the role of Olympic Truce in the modern environment of international relations" at London's Science Museum and being the Vice-President of the International Center for the Olympic Truce he will be one of the speakers.

International personalities will attend the event, and Stavros Lambrinidis, the director of the international center, will call on those present to sign the Declaration in favor of the Olympic Truce.

The scientific handbook on the Olympic Truce was written with the collaboration of internationally renowned personalities and presents the historical, philosophical and political dimensions of Olympic Truce and its prospects in today's complex environment of world relations.

[10] A 57YEAROLD WOMAN EXPECTS TRIPLETS

A woman was able to make her wish a reality when she became pregnant at the age of 57 after life-long efforts and now she expects triplets.

The woman is in the 32nd week of pregnancy without any problems and under the care of her doctors at Thessaloniki's Hippokration Hospital where she will give birth.

Pregnancy at the age of 57 is not a common phenomenon but it is feasible through in vitro fertilization with donor eggs, stated to Athens newspaper Kathimerini Aristotle University of Thessaloniki Obstetrics and Gynecology Professor Ioannis Bontis.

Women before the age of 50 are in a position to become pregnant relatively easy through assisted reproduction techniques. At an older age, however, there is increased risk of complications both during pregnancy and childbirth

Over the age of 50, a pregnancy can affect the cardiovascular and urinary systems, said Mr. Bontis explaining the risk involved in such cases.

He also referred to the social-ethical issue raised by saying that the dilemma still exists on whether a woman at her 60s should become a mother, stressing on the other hand, that every couple and mostly, every woman has the inalienable right to have children.

[11] THE COURT RULING ON THE "17 NOVEMBER" CASE

The court ruling on the 17 November case is expected to be 6,000 pages long and will be made public within the next few days, six months after the decision on the sentences imposed was reached.

Based on the ruling, 10 individuals were found guilty, while 4 were acquitted. In total, the sentences imposed were 54 times life imprisonment, 10,912 years imprisonment and fines reaching 244,500 euros.

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