Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 04-06-29

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

CONTENTS

[01] ASSISTANCE TO IRAQ

[02] KARAMANLIS ON THE NATO SUMMIT DECISIONS

[03] GREECE WANTS THREE GOODWILL GESTURES FROM TURKEY

[04] PREPARATION FOR THE GREAT BATTLE

[05] SECURITY IN THE OLYMPIC GAMES WAS DISCUSSED WITH INTERPOL

[06] THE JUSTICE MINISTER ON THE ANTI-TERRORIST LAW

[07] SMALL LOSSES IN THE ASE

[08] THE OLYMPIC FLAME VISITS ROME, MUNICH AND BERLIN

[09] THE ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH VISITS ROME

[01] ASSISTANCE TO IRAQ

The two-day NATO Summit meeting ends in Istanbul today and the 26 leaders of the alliance's member-states have agreed to offer assistance to the new Iraqi government in the training of the country's security forces.

The NATO allies can choose if they want to contribute with training missions to Iraq (under national or NATO flag) or by accepting Iraqi missions to train in military installations based in NATO allied countries.

US President George Bush stated that the US forces will stay in Iraq for as long is necessary adding that Iraq has challenges to overcome and pointed out that the end of dictatorship in this country is an example for other countries to follow.

French President Jacques Chirac in a press conference on the sidelines of the NATO Summit meeting expressed satisfaction for the transfer of power in Iraq and reminded that NATO's destination is not to intervene in those countries.

The French President reacted strongly to US President Bush's call for Turkey's quick accession into the European Union.

The 26 NATO leaders also approved the Istanbul Statement on security in a new era including a number of cooperation activities that could be developed by the seven Mediterranean countries with which NATO has entered a structured dialogue (Israel, Egypt, Jordan, Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco and Mauritania).

Istanbul was rocked by violent protests yesterday against NATO and the US President.

[02] KARAMANLIS ON THE NATO SUMMIT DECISIONS

Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis stated in a press conference after the NATO Summit in Istanbul that in case Greece decides to implement the decision on NATO's assistance to the training of Iraqi military forces it could be done on Greek soil.

On the strengthening of the NATO forces in Afghanistan, the Greek Prime Minister stated that Greece's presence is more than adequate in that country given the fact that Greece has sent about 150 people and a C-130 military transport plane. In case it is necessary to increase the Greek presence it will be done through humanitarian services.

He said that no formal meeting is scheduled to take place with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan adding that there is improved atmosphere in the Greek-Turkish relations.

[03] GREECE WANTS THREE GOODWILL GESTURES FROM TURKEY

Greek Minister of Defense Spilios Spiliotopoulos asked for three goodwill gestures from his Turkish counterpart aimed at the improvement of the atmosphere between the two countries.

The two Ministers of Defense met on the sidelines of the NATO Summit meeting in Istanbul. Mr. Spiliotopoulos called on his counterpart to remove the floating bridges from Evros River at Greece's northeastern borders, cut its landing fleet at the Asia Minor coasts by 50% and remove the offensive weapons from the island of Imvros targeting the Aegean island of Limnos.

[04] PREPARATION FOR THE GREAT BATTLE

The Greek National Football Team prepares intensively in Porto, Portugal to be ready for the greatest and most difficult match in its history on Thursday night against the Czech National Football Team, which is the favorite to win the Euro 2004 Cup.

The Greek football players are aware of the fact that the semifinal against the Czechs will be very difficult but at the same time, they are optimistic.

Meanwhile, Greek team coach Otto Rehhagel is willing to discuss the proposal made by Minister of Public Order Giorgos Voulgarakis to receive the Greek nationality as soon as he returns to Greece. He said characteristically that this will be a great honor for him, stressing that the Greek people are very important to him.

[05] SECURITY IN THE OLYMPIC GAMES WAS DISCUSSED WITH INTERPOL

The Olympic Games security was discussed in the meeting Minister of Public Order Giorgos Voulgarakis had with INTERPOL general secretary Ronald K. Noble who is on a two-day visit to Athens within the framework of the international police cooperation.

In the meeting it was established that the Greek police authorities enjoy a very good cooperation with INTERPOL.

Mr. Noble will have a closer look of the measures taken for the success of the Olympic Games and pointed out that the safety of the games is a top priority.

[06] THE JUSTICE MINISTER ON THE ANTI-TERRORIST LAW

The new anti-terrorist law does not restrict individual rights, assured Minister of Justice Anastasis Papaligouras during his visit to Thessaloniki's Court Building.

Responding to the question on whether certain clauses of the new anti-terrorist law can be regarded as unconstitutional he underlined that all EU countries deal with terrorism jointly and stressed that terrorism affects the quality of Democracy. He added that the new anti-terrorist law ensures that there will be security together with freedom.

Referring to the European arrest warrant, he said that no Greek citizen will be extradited to a foreign country. Mr. Papaligouras also said that during the Olympic Games in Athens the foreign citizens who will be arrested by the Greek police will be held temporarily in police stations until they are deported.

[07] SMALL LOSSES IN THE ASE

Small losses were recorded in the Athens Stock Exchange today. The general index dropped to -0.15% at 2339.17 points, while the volume of transactions was at 116.1 million euros.

Of the stocks trading today, 82 had gains and 218 had losses, while the value of 100 stocks remained unchanged.

[08] THE OLYMPIC FLAME VISITS ROME, MUNICH AND BERLIN

The Olympic Flame will be in Munich today, while tomorrow will be in Berlin.

Yesterday, the Olympic Torch Relay continued on its journey to make its next stop in Italy. The city of Rome greeted the Flame, for the first time in 44 years, with honors at Fiumicino Airport, where it had been flown to from Barcelona. ATHENS 2004 representative Spyros Lambridis gave the Flame to the Greek Ambassador to Rome, Anastasios Mitsialis, who in turn passed it on to the Mayor of Fiumicino, in the presence of the General Secretary of the Italian Olympic Committee, Raffaele Pagnozzi.

After the national anthems of both countries had been played, the Flame was carried to the Stadio Olimpico, where the Olympic Games took place in 1960, and the Torch Relay began. A total of 123 Torchbearers, with many Italian celebrity athletes among them, including Emanuela Pierantozzi, the Olympic judoka gold medallist, and Davide Tizzano, twice Olympic gold medallist for Canoe/Kayak (in 1988 and 1996), covered 48 kilometers in the Italian capital.

Many of Rome's famous monuments formed the backdrop to the Flame as it sped across city landmarks such as the Via Veneto, the Circus Maximus, the Colosseum, the Forum of the emperors Augustus, Nero and Trajan, Caesar, the Palazzo Venezia, the Fontana di Trevi (memorable from Fellini's Dolce Vita), the Piazza di Spagna, Castel Sant' Angelo and the Vatican City, to end its trajectory at the Equestrian venue of the Piazza di Siena, in its idyllic setting of umbrella pines opposite the Villa Borghese. The altar was lit by the last Torchbearer, Alessandra Sensini, a 1996 and 2000 Olympic victor in sailing, who will represent her country in Athens.

The Italian sector of the Torch Relay closed with a simple ceremony and with cultural events attended by many spectators. The Mayor of Rome, Walter Veltroni, said: We thank ATHENS 2004 for the honor bestowed on us. The Flame is a universal symbol, and we are looking forward to receiving it again in two years' time for the Torino Winter Olympic Games. ATHENS 2004 representative, Spyros Lambiridis replied: We are particularly pleased that the Flame's message has been as well received in Rome as on the other five continents. We thank Rome for its warm reception of the Flame for the Athens Olympic Games and we wish them the very best for the Winter Games in Turin.

[09] THE ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH VISITS ROME

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew arrived in Rome yesterday for a formal visit 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 in Jerusalem.

The Ecumenical Patriarch will meet in the Vatican with the Pope and will attend a mass officiated by the head of the Roman Catholic Church on the occasion of the feast of Saints Peter and Paul. A formal dinner in honor of the Ecumenical Patriarch will be given this evening.

During the two-day visit to Rome, the Ecumenical Patriarch will inaugurate the Christian Orthodox Church of Saint Theodori dated back to the 6th century.

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