Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 2000-09-11
MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Thessaloniki, September 11, 2000
SECTIONS
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
NEWS HEADLINES
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] CONTROVERSIAL BILL ON SPORTS IN PARLIAMENT
[02] CONFERENCE ON CYPRUS IN MEMORY OF KRANIDIOTIS
[03] ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH AT AIVALI ON SUNDAY
[04] TURKISH DEFENSE MINISTER INVITED TO MOUNT ATHOS
[05] NATO's ROTATING CONVENTION BEGINS IN GREECE
[06] NATO EXERCISE "ADVENTURE EXCHANGE" UNDERWAY
[07] "MACEDONIA" AIRPORT GETS ILS ANTI-FOG SYSTEM
[08] OECD DELEGATION ARRIVES IN ATHENS TODAY
[09] SECTION OF TRUE CROSS ARRIVES IN ATHENS THIS WEEK
[10] CHRISOCHOIDIS: THE REACTIONS OF THE US ON THE GREEK POLICY
AGAINST TERRORISM WILL BE LIMITED
[11] THE WORLD CONFERENCE OF THRACIANS WILL TAKE PLACE IN XANTHI
IN LATE SEPTEMBER
[12] THE HARMONIZED INFLATION WAS 2.9% IN AUGUST
[13] THE FUNERAL OF VASILIS RAFAILIDIS WAS HELD TODAY
[14] THE KIVRIKOGLU VISIT TO THESSALONIKI IS LIKELY TO BE CANCELED
[15] THE FIRST TURKISH-GREEK DICTIONARY IN GREECE
[16] NEW INTEREST RATE CUTS IN OCTOBER BY THE BANK OF GREECE
[17] LOSSES OF 3.31% IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE
[18] GREEK-SERB CONCERT IN THESSALONIKI
[19] PAPANTONIOU: THE OIL PRICES' RACE WILL NOT AFFECT GREECE
NEGATIVELY
[20] MR. PAPANDREOU'S CONTACTS IN THE UNITED STATES
[21] NATO DECIDES TO SEND 4 MORE BATTALIONS TO KOSOVO
[22] SYMPOSIUM TO BE HELD FOR INT/L CRIMINAL COURT
[23] OTPOR REP COMMENTS ON FORTHCOMING ELECTIONS
[24] INT/L ENVIRONMENT CONFERENCE STARTS TODAY
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[25] GREEK FM IN WASHINGTON DC, MEETS WITH ALBRIGHT
[26] PRESSURES ON SEZER REGARDING CYPRUS
[27] LAMBIS NIKOLAOU IS A CANDIDATE FOR THE IOC EXECUTIVE
COMMITTEE
[28] ARTICLE BY THE GREEK FOREIGN MINISTER ON THE OLYMPIC TRUCE
NEWS IN DETAIL
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] CONTROVERSIAL BILL ON SPORTS IN PARLIAMENT
A bill aimed at barring anyone who has been convicted of a
crime or misdemeanor in the last 10 years from being a member of a
sports club, federation or sports public company will be tabled in
Parliament tomorrow by Deputy Culture Minister Giorgos Floridis,
who is in charge of sports.
The said legislation, which is aimed at removing the chairman
of the Association of Professional Football Clubs, Victor
Mitropoulos, was withdrawn when first presented as an amendment to
another law last Thursday, after opposition parties retracted a
promise to provide the consensus needed for an amendment to be
tacked onto an unrelated bill.
As a result, Mr. Floridis was forced to turn the amendment
into a self-contained bill. The vote is expected in the first half
of October.
Mr. Mitropoulos has been convicted of embezzlement and has
appealed to the Supreme Court. Accusations have flown that MPs
were influenced by Olympiakos club owner Socrates Kokkalis, who is
said to be allied to Mr. Mitropoulos.
[02] CONFERENCE ON CYPRUS IN MEMORY OF KRANIDIOTIS
A one-day conference on Cyprus' European course will be
organized on Wednesday by the Foreign Ministry, in memory of
alternate foreign minister Yiannos Kranidiotis, who was killed on
Sept. 14, 1999 in a freak airplane accident over Romania.
The conference, "Cyprus before its accession to the European
Union", is part of cooperative efforts of Greece and Cyprus for
the unhindered accession of the island to the EU and the
resolution of the Cyprus problem in a just and viable manner.
Viewed as the greatest contributor to the Helsinki decisions,
Mr. Kranidiotis envisioned and worked hard for the European
prospect of Cyprus.
Alternate Foreign Minister Elizabeth Papazoi will deliver the
opening remarks of the conference.
Religious services in memory of Mr. Kranidiotis, and his son
Nicholas, who was also killed in the same accident, were held
yesterday at the First Cemetery of Athens.
Foreign Minister George Papandreou, who attended the memorial
service, stated that "Yiannos Kranidiotis bequeathed us a tool of
diplomacy so that we may improve Greek-Turkish ties and forward
Cyprus' course of accession to the European Union."
[03] ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH AT AIVALI ON SUNDAY
Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos will officiate in religious
services in the churches of Aivali and Moschonisos on September
16 and 17.
The churches, which reopen after 78 years, have remained
closed since the exchange of populations between Greece and Turkey
in 1922 and Vartholomeos will be the first patriarch to officiate
liturgy services in the two temples, at the sidelines of a
symposium on the architecture of churches and monasteries in the
region, as well as educational issues.
The September 16-19 symposium will included lecturers from
Greece and Turkey.
The events became possible following efforts by the former
prefect of Mytilini, Alekos Mathiadelis, who secured the
permission in 1997 and 1998.
[04] TURKISH DEFENSE MINISTER INVITED TO MOUNT ATHOS
Defense Minister Akis Tsochatzopoulos has invited his Turkish
counterpart Sabahadin Cakmakoglou to visit Mount Athos, during his
forthcoming visit to Greece for the Balkan Defense Ministers'
Fourth Summit.
The October 9 conference, to be presided by Mr.
Tsochatzopoulos, will tackle issues pertaining to the operational
readiness of the multinational brigade of southeastern Europe and
its imminent exercises, such as Bulgaria's Seven Star 2000 and
Albania's Cornerstone 2001.
The countries participating in this multinational force are
Albania, Bulgaria, FYROM, Greece, Italy, Romania and Turkey, while
Slovenia and the United States hold observer status.
[05] NATO's ROTATING CONVENTION BEGINS IN GREECE
The annual rotating Convention of NATO's Military Committee
gets officially underway in Athens today, featuring the
participation of all of the 19 NATO member-states' National
Defense General Staff Chiefs.
On the sidelines of tomorrow's formal luncheon, Greek Defense
Minister Akis Tsochatzopoulos will meet with Turkey's National
Defense General Staff Chief Hussein Kivrikoglou.
The Convention will include discussions about the Alliance,
Russia, military issues, rapid reaction forces and social
events.
The military chiefs will be received by the President of the
Hellenic Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos and will observe a
military exercise in the Saronic Gulf.
The program also includes a visit to Mount Athos and
Vergina's archaeological sites. Mr. Kivrikoglou will visit Kemal
Ataturk's home in Thessaloniki and will also meet with the city's
Turkish consul-general.
[06] NATO EXERCISE "ADVENTURE EXCHANGE" UNDERWAY
A NATO exercise code-named Adventure Exchange is presently
underway in Kozani, northwestern Greece, with Turkey among the 15
participating countries.
Coordinated and supervised by the Multinational Brigade of
Southeastern Europe, the exercise comprises 3,000 service
personnel and aims at the training of the Alliance's commands and
staff in the joint defense of NATO territory.
[07] "MACEDONIA" AIRPORT GETS ILS ANTI-FOG SYSTEM
Thessaloniki's "Macedonia Airport" is to be equipped with an
Instrument Landing System Category II (ILS CATII), in an effort to
facilitate aircraft navigation in an area that is shrouded with
clouds most of the winter season.
As the establishment of the ILS will require modifications in
two of the runways, the airport will remain closed between 8 a.m.
September 20 and 6 p.m. September 21. Passengers will be rerouted
by their airlines to the nearby Kavala airport "Megas Alexandros".
[08] OECD DELEGATION ARRIVES IN ATHENS TODAY
A delegation of officials from the Organization for Economic
Cooperation and Development (OECD) is expected in Athens today, in
order to examine the country's tax system framework.
In light of OECD's imminent annual report of Greece's
economy, the delegates will meet with state officials.
The said report will contain an appendix on the country's tax
system and it is believed to be the state's premise for
proceeding with structural changes in key sectors.
The OECD delegates, who will remain in Athens until the end
of the week, are to meet with officials from the ministries of
development, labor and transports-communications in order to be
briefed on the course of structural reforms.
[09] SECTION OF TRUE CROSS ARRIVES IN ATHENS THIS WEEK
A section of what is believed to be the True Cross, used for
Christ's crucifixion, is to arrive in Greece on Wednesday, where
it will be taken to the Athens Cathedral for public worship.
The relic's arrival is taking place on the eve of the day
when the Church of Greece will instruct clerics to collect
signatures to petition the government for a referendum on whether
it should remove religious affiliation from state identity cards.
Archbishop of Athens and all of Greece Christodoulos stated
that "the Cross is coming at a most opportune time for our
country. On the Feast Day of the True Cross, a (Church) Hierarchy
campaign begins to collect signatures asking the government and
Parliament to hold a referendum."
[10] CHRISOCHOIDIS: THE REACTIONS OF THE US ON THE GREEK POLICY
AGAINST TERRORISM WILL BE LIMITED
Greek minister of public order Michalis Chrisochoidis
stresses in an interview with the Athens newspaper
"Eleftherotipia" that with the signing of the Greek-US memorandum
against organized crime Washington's reactions concerning the
Greek policy against terrorism will be limited.
At the same time, he underlined the need for marginal
improvements in the institutional framework concerning the battle
against terrorism and organized crime without violating the
constitution. Mr. Chrisochoidis stressed however, that the
reservations will continue in the period during which there will
be no results and stated that the strategy and the methods used by
the anti-terrorist agency have already changed.
Regarding the issue of safety during the 2004 Olympic Games,
the minister of public order pointed out that the United States
fear most the likelihood of an international terrorist hit than an
attack by "17 November".
[11] THE WORLD CONFERENCE OF THRACIANS WILL TAKE PLACE IN XANTHI
IN LATE SEPTEMBER
The 5th World Conference of the people from Thrace, north-
eastern Greece, organized by the municipality of Xanthi, will be
held on September 29-October 1.
The conference on "Thrace in the 3rd millennium. The
National, European and International Prospects" aspires to signal
the start of activities by the people from Thrace in the 3rd
millennium. The conference will open in the presence Greek
parliament vice-president Panagiotis Sgouridis and undersecretary
of finance Apostolos Fotiadis.
[12] THE HARMONIZED INFLATION WAS 2.9% IN AUGUST
The harmonized inflation was 2.9% in August compared to 2.6%
in July. The price index was at 2.3% on the average in the August
1999-August 2000 twelve-month period compared to 2.2% in the
period of August 1998-August 1999.
The figures listed above were provided by the Greek National
Statistics Agency.
[13] THE FUNERAL OF VASILIS RAFAILIDIS WAS HELD TODAY
Relatives, friends and colleagues said the last goodbye to
distinguished journalist Vasilis Rafailidis who died from cancer
last Friday at the age of 66. His funeral was held today public
expense.
Vasilis Rafailidis was not only a journalist, but an article
writer and film critic.
[14] THE KIVRIKOGLU VISIT TO THESSALONIKI IS LIKELY TO BE CANCELED
The participation of Turkey's national defense general staff
chief Hussein Kivrikoglu in the tour of the archaeological site in
Vergina together with his 18 counterparts taking part in the NATO
summit in Athens has not been confirmed yet.
According to information, general Kivrikoglu might not visit
the archaeological site in Vergina and the house of Kemal Ataturk
in Thessaloniki because he will have to leave for Istanbul
tomorrow to welcome the national defense general staff chiefs who
will attend the NATO summit there.
Based on the schedule, the national defense general staff
chiefs will arrive in Thessaloniki on Wednesday morning and they
will visit the archaeological site of Vergina as well as the
monastic community in Mount Athos. Later, that afternoon they will
leave for Istanbul.
[15] THE FIRST TURKISH-GREEK DICTIONARY IN GREECE
The first Turkish-Greek dictionary that will supplement the
Greek-Turkish dictionary published a few years ago is in the Greek
bookstores. The new dictionary is the fruit of a long effort by
the Eastern Languages and Culture Center group of editors headed
by Faruk Tunzai and Leonidas Karatzas.
The Turkish-Greek dictionary with the 37.000 words and 45.000
idioms and expressions it includes aspires to cover the needs of
those who work with the two languages namely, translators,
students etc. The words included in the dictionary are those used
today, while it also includes a significant number of technical,
medical, economic and legal terms.
[16] NEW INTEREST RATE CUTS IN OCTOBER BY THE BANK OF GREECE
The next interest rate cuts will be announced by the Bank of
Greece in October, according to the latest report by Morgan
Stanley analyst Ricardo Barbieri, who also mentions that the Greek
interest rates will be closer to those in the Euro-zone in the
month of December.
The Morgan Stanley analyst, also stresses that attention must
focus especially on the fiscal policy sector in view of the 2001
budget presentation and the structural reforms.
In the report it is mentioned that the speedy growth rate and
the low interest rates are very favorable pre-conditions for the
development of the basic macro-economic indexes in Greece.
[17] LOSSES OF 3.31% IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE
Significant losses of 3.31% were recorded in the Athens Stock
Exchange today and the general index dropped to 4.236,9 points,
after seven sessions in a row with a continuous upward trend.
However, the volume of transactions remained satisfactory at 233.6
billion drachmas.
Most losses were suffered by the bank shares after the gains
they recorded in the past seven sessions. The bank index had the
biggest losses, 6.35%, and dropped to 8.180,41 points.
[18] GREEK-SERB CONCERT IN THESSALONIKI
A Greek-Serb music concert will be held at Thessaloniki's
port on September 16 with the participation of famous artists from
the two countries.
The concert organizers stated today that the goal of the
event is to back the efforts made by the society of citizens and
the movements of citizens in Serbia for the consolidation of
democracy and the free operation of the mass media in the country.
The concert is organized by the Greek non governmental
organizations "Paremvasi" and Evropaiki Ekfrasi" and by the Serb
pro-opposition youth organization "Otpor" which is targeted by the
government after the authorities' decision to ban it.
In the concert will take part Savina Giannatou, "Ipogia
Revmata", "Vavilona", "Mikro", "Ble", "Blues Wire" and Babis
Tsertos from Greece and "Eva Brawn" and "Love Hunters" from
Serbia.
The concert organizers pointed out in a press conference they
gave today that Serbia must stop being the "black hole" of the
Balkans and underlined that the September 24 elections offer an
opportunity to put an end to the exclusion and isolation of
Serbia.
[19] PAPANTONIOU: THE OIL PRICES' RACE WILL NOT AFFECT GREECE
NEGATIVELY
The view, according to which, the oil prices will not have a
big negative effect on the Greek economy and growth rate even if
they remain at today's high levels was expressed by minister of
national economy Yiannos Papantoniou in a interview he gave today.
Mr. Papantoniou stated characteristically that even if the
most pessimistic scenario comes true based on which, the oil
prices will remain high in the next months, the effect on Greece's
inflation will be smaller compared to the rest European countries.
Mr. Papantoniou stated that structural inflation, concerning
domestic products and services, continues to be at very low
levels, 1.4%, and inflation is not predicted to go up.
He also said that there will be no significant consequences
on the development of the Greek economy, due to the positive
effect by the interest rate cuts, privatization, the promotion of
big infrastructure public works and the structural changes that
lead to a growth rate of 4.1% in 2000 and 5% in 2001.
Mr. Papantoniou also stressed that if the oil prices go down
then new positive prospects will open for Greece and the rest
European countries.
[20] MR. PAPANDREOU'S CONTACTS IN THE UNITED STATES
Greek acting government spokesman Tilemachos Hitiris stated
today that foreign minister Giorgos Papandreou, who is on a visit
to the United States, will have a meeting with US secretary of
state Madeleine Albright tomorrow, while on Friday he will meet
with Turkish foreign minister Ismail Cem.
Mr. Hitiris also announced that the delegations from Greece
and Turkey will attend a formal dinner on Saturday in which they
will assess the course of bilateral relations and they will
discuss the confidence building measures.
The Greek foreign minister will also have bilateral meetings
with his counterparts from the Balkan states and on Thursday he
will address the United Nations.
[21] NATO DECIDES TO SEND 4 MORE BATTALIONS TO KOSOVO
NATO will send four more battalions to Kosovo in order to
consolidate the troops already present in the region, in
preparation for the Yugoslavian federal elections to be held on
September 24th.
The decision was announced during the annual rotating
Convention of NATO's Military Committee, this year held in Athens
and with the participation of National Defense General Staff
Chiefs from all 19 NATO country-members.
The additional forces are being sent to Kosovo, not only to
provide security during the elections but also because NATO feels
that "their presence is necessary as there will be problems that
existing forces will not be capable of dealing with alone",
according to colonel Frank Salice.
The 4 battalions will each be made up of 500 soldiers from France,
Italy, Greece and Great Britain.
"In this way, we will consolidate the existing forces of 36.000
NATO soldiers, together with the non-NATO staff in the region of
7.000", said Mr Salice, adding that, according to normal
procedure, the battalions will serve in Kosovo for a period of six
months.
[22] SYMPOSIUM TO BE HELD FOR INT/L CRIMINAL COURT
An international symposium for the International Criminal
Court, a new element within International Justice, will take place
in Santorini, from September 14th until 16th, at the island's
Legal Institute.
The meeting is being organised by the Greek Foreign Affairs
ministry, together with the country's ministry of Defense and the
Politics, Human Rights and International Justice department of the
International Relations Institute.
Greek minister of Justice, Michalis Stathopoulos and
undersecretary of Foreign Affairs, Elizabeth Papazoi will make the
opening speeches at the Symposium and will be followed by Defense
undersecretary Dimitris Apostolakis, the director of the
International Relations Institute, Dimitris Konstas. Several
international experts and diplomats will also take part in the
event.
The International Criminal Court memorandum was adopted in Rome in
June 1998, during a UN international conference and was signed by
Greece. It has been approved by 15 countries since then, but has
to be approved by a total of 60 countries before it can be
officially adopted.
The Court will try individuals accused of committing war
crimes or other crimes against humanity as part of political or
genocide attacks.
[23] OTPOR REP COMMENTS ON FORTHCOMING ELECTIONS
Democratic change must be applied in Serbia, in order to
"allow the country to escape the current dead end situation
created by Slobodan Milosevic", according to a representive of the
Serbian opposition movement "Otpor".
Otpor member Jovan Ratkovic, during a press interview held
due to the Greek-Serbian concert that will be held in Moni
Lazariston next week, mentioned that the elections due to be held
in Serbia on September 24th will allow citizens to make political
changes in the region, thus allowing it to be accepted by the
international community.
"The elections are the only way that peace can be achieved
and an end can be brought to the current crisis. Otpor aims to
encourage citizens to vote in these elections, as the percentage
of abstention in the last elections, especially within young
people, was huge and helped Slobodan Milosevic win", Mr Ratkovic
maintained.
He then went on to say that Greece is an example of
development for Serbs, stressing that the Greek nation must
understand that Serbia wants to develop democracy and freedom of
expression within the country's press.
The Otpor representative also referred to the recent
incident, in which four members of the organisation were arrested
in front of the Greek embassy residence in Belgrade, by Serb
policemen and underlined that the effective intervention of Greek
Foreign minister George Papandreou resulted in the four members
being freed.
[24] INT/L ENVIRONMENT CONFERENCE STARTS TODAY
International law lessons based on "protecting the
environment in the new century", started today at the
International Government Law and International Relations Institute
of Thessaloniki and will continue for three weeks.
The lessons are directed at diplomats, international
organisation employees and postgraduate students, and the
commencement ceremony took place at the University of
Thessaloniki, with a speech made by Institute Director, Kaliopi
Koufa. Ms Koufa voiced the Institute's concerns over environmental
problems and the constant downgrading of the planet, thus creating
a negative outlook for the future.
Greek minister of Macedonia and Thrace, George Paschalides,
also spoke at the ceremony and discussed problems such as the
cleaning of the Thermaikos sea and how political action can be
taken to deal with them.
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[25] GREEK FM IN WASHINGTON DC, MEETS WITH ALBRIGHT
Foreign Minister George Papandreou is presently in Washington
DC where he will meet with US Secretary of State Madeleine
Albright whom he will brief on the outcome of his recent tour in
FYROM and Yugoslavia.
Mr. Papandreou will meet with his Turkish counterpart Ismael
Cem on Saturday, with whom he will discuss Greek-Turkish relations
and the Cyprus issue.
Ms. Albright will hold separate meetings with Messrs.
Papandreou and Cem.
[26] PRESSURES ON SEZER REGARDING CYPRUS
Foreign leaders exerted pressures on Turkish president Ahmet
Sezer in his contacts on the sidelines of the UN millennium summit
in New York calling for a solution to the Cyprus problem.
According to the Turkish newspaper "Radikal", UN secretary-
general Kofi Annan, the presidents of the United States and France
and the German chancellor called on Turkey to prepare the ground
so that the proximity talks on Cyprus that will be underway in New
York tomorrow to turn into meaningful talks.
The newspaper also mentions that even though Mr. Sezer
insisted that Turkey will continue to support the talks both US
president Clinton and the UN secretary-general called for a more
constructive approach.
[27] LAMBIS NIKOLAOU IS A CANDIDATE FOR THE IOC EXECUTIVE
COMMITTEE
President of the Greek Olympic Games Committee, Mr. Lambis
Nikolaou is one of .the seven candidates for the two positions
that are open in the IOC Executive Committee, according to a
statement issued today. The two positions will be covered after
elections that will be held in Sydney on September 20.
The other six candidates are from Russia, Italy, South
Africa, Ireland, Sweden and France.
[28] ARTICLE BY THE GREEK FOREIGN MINISTER ON THE OLYMPIC TRUCE
The 2004 Olympic Games in Athens offer the opportunity to
reassess the contemporary Olympic Games and restore certain of the
ideals that inspired the ancient games, stresses Greek foreign
minister Giorgos Papandreou in an extensive article on the US
daily "Washington Post".
Mr. Papandreou also points out the significance of the
initiative that led to the establishment of the International
Olympic Truce Center which, as he stresses, will give a new life
to the Olympic Games.
He wrote that International Olympic Committee, IOC, president
Juan Antonio Samaranch and himself inaugurated in Athens on July
24 the International Olympic Truce Center, which is a non
governmental organization. It is an ambitious undertaking by the
IOC in cooperation with the Greek government aimed to promote
international truce during the Olympic Games and build bridges
between rivals in the four-year interval between the Olympic
Games.
In 2004, writes Mr. Papandreou, the Olympic Games will return
to Greece, the place from where they started in ancient times,
over a century after their revival in 1896. This move is more than
a symbolic one. It offers an opportunity to reassess the
contemporary Olympic Games and restore certain of the ideals that
inspired the ancient games.
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