Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 00-08-25

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

CONTENTS

[01] BALKAN LEADERS TO ATTEND PRESPES 2000 FESTIVAL

[02] FIRES PROMPT STATE OF EMERGENCY, FOUR KILLED

[03] ARCHBISHOP OF GREECE IN JERUSALEM TODAY

[04] SHIPS TO OPERATE GREECE-TURKEY ROUTES

[05] INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE HELD IN SAMOS

[06] FLORIDES MEETS WITH AUSTRALIAN AMBASSADOR

[07] FIRES STILL RAGING, DEATH TOLL RISES TO SEVEN

[08] THESSALONIKIS «DIMITRIA» EXPECTED TO BE GRAND

[09] GREEK PARLIAMENT SPEAKER IN N.Y. FOR UN SUMMIT

[10] ASES NEW PRESIDENT UNVEILS CHANGES TO SYSTEM

[11] EUROPEAN SOCIALIST PARTY HOLDS PLENARY SESSION

[12] US CULTURE, ART, LIFESTYLE SHOWCASED AT TIF 2000

[13] THESSALONIKI HOSTS S.E. EUROPES DEFENSE MINISTERS

[14] GREEK VOLLEYBALL TEAM ENJOYS VICTORY IN SPAIN

[15] GREEK VET RECEIVES AWARD IN AUSTRALIA

[01] BALKAN LEADERS TO ATTEND PRESPES 2000 FESTIVAL

The annual Prespes festival will open in Florina tomorrow, featuring the attendance of Balkan leaders and several Greek deputies and government officials.

Greece's Minister of the Interior, Public Administration and Decentralization Minister Vasso Papandreou will meet with FYROM's interior and public order minister and Albania's vice president and labor minister on August 26, while National Economy Deputy Minister Yiannis Zapheiropoulos will hold meetings with his FYROM and Albanian counterparts.

Macedonia and Thrace Minister George Paschalidis will officially open the events on the island of Agios Achileios on August 27, where Environment, City Planning and Public Works Minister Costas Laliotis recently inaugurated a pedestrian bridge connecting the Koula checkpoint to the island of Agios Achilleios.

Culture Minister and Deputy Culture Minister Theodoros Pangalos and Giorgos Floridis, respectively, will hold separate meetings with their counterparts from Balkan states on August 27, while, later in the day, Mr. Pangalos will inaugurate the "Prespa Library" at Agios Germanos.

The Prespes festival will feature concerts by Socratis Malamas, Dimitris Mitropanos, Maria Farantouri, Elli Paspalia, Savina Giannatou, the Florina-born tenor Sotos Papoulkas and gypsy Ferush Mustamov, and a Bulgarian poetry night held on August 28.

Within the framework of the festival, a labor-housing lottery will be held on August 28, while the European Judo Championship is scheduled to take place on September 8 and 9 at Amynteo.

A.F.

[02] FIRES PROMPT STATE OF EMERGENCY, FOUR KILLED

A state of emergency has been declared in the prefecture of Arcadia, central Peloponnese, and central Greece's Ioannina prefecture, where four people were burned and thousands of acres of forested land have turned to ashes.

According to state reports, 106 fires are still raging in various areas of the country, aided by strong winds and high temperatures, forcing the evacuation of many villages. While hundreds of Greece's firefighters are struggling to place the wildfires under control, assistance from other Southern European countries is not feasible at the present time, according to reports.

A.F.

[03] ARCHBISHOP OF GREECE IN JERUSALEM TODAY

Archbishop of Athens and All of Greece Christodoulos embarked on an official visit to Israel yesterday, heading a delegation of prelates from the Church of Greece.

Patriarch Diodoros of Jerusalem greeted Archbishop Christodoulos at the Patriarchate where a welcoming ceremony was held with the participation of representatives of other Christian denominations.

Mr. Christodoulos attended a te deum service at the Church of the Resurrection and then made his way to the hill of Golgotha where he recited an excerpt from the New Testament.

The Archbishop sent a message to Palestinian President Yasser Arafat, with whom he will meet today, conveying his best wishes for the consolidation of peace in the region. Mr. Christodoulos will also meet with the President of Israel Moshe Katzav, Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and with representatives of various Christian denominations.

A.F.

[04] SHIPS TO OPERATE GREECE-TURKEY ROUTES

Greek shipping companies are preparing to launch passenger routes between Turkey and the Greek islands. Those companies interested in operating such routes from Piraeus are due to submit their proposals to the Greek ministry of Commercial Shipping.

The cooperation agreements in various fields, signed between Greece and Turkey, are expected to be passed by the Greek Parliament in October and foresee future cooperation between the two countries in the field of transport and tourism.

[05] INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE HELD IN SAMOS

An international conference will be held on the island of Samos for new technology in higher education, organised by the Eastern Aegean Research Institute.

Around 140 scientists from 20 countries will take part in the conference and its discussions and results will be published directly on the Internet.

[06] FLORIDES MEETS WITH AUSTRALIAN AMBASSADOR

Ross Burns, Australian ambassador to Greece, today visited Greek undersecretary of Culture, responsible for sport, George Florides.

Mr Burns informed Mr Florides of the ceremonies and events due to be carried out in Sydney for the Olympic Games and of the events to which Mr Florides himself has been invited. The possibility of Australian companies contributing to the projects being carried out in Greece for the 2004 Olympics was also discussed during the meeting, as they will have experience in problems relating to organising the event.

During his visit to Sydney, Mr Florides will sign an agreement concerning sport with his Australian counterpart.

[07] FIRES STILL RAGING, DEATH TOLL RISES TO SEVEN

Seven people have lost their lives in fires blazing at the Ioannina prefecture, forcing the government to declare a state of emergency throughout the country, while the fire brigade, army units and voluntary firefighting forces have been placed on high alert.

Meanwhile, firefighters continue to battle flames on several fronts in the Peloponnese prefecture of Arcadia, where fires have been burning out of control for the past five days.

A.F.

[08] THESSALONIKIS «DIMITRIA» EXPECTED TO BE GRAND

Thessaloniki's annual "Dimitria" festival, to be formally inaugurated on September 13, is expected to be a spectacular event that will feature the participation of world-renowned Greek and foreign artists.

The Municipality's Symphonic Orchestra is to formally open the festival, while Sophocles Oedipus Rex will be performed at the forest Theater on September 6 and 7.

Other events include concerts by Greece's George Dalaras, Spain's Paco Pena and dance performances by Esthonia Ballet and the "University Ballet".

A.F.

[09] GREEK PARLIAMENT SPEAKER IN N.Y. FOR UN SUMMIT

The Speaker of the Hellenic Parliament Apostolos Kaklamanis will depart for New York on Monday in order to attend the first world summit of Parliament presidents, which will be held in New York from 30 August through September 1.

The summit will be themed as the Parliamentary Vision for World-Wide Cooperation at the Dawn of the Third Millennium.

UN Secretary General Koffi Annan and various Parliament presidents will address the worldwide conference, which is held under the auspices of the Inter-Parliamentary Association.

In his address, Mr. Kaklamanis is expected to refer to issues pertaining to world peace, security, democracy and respect for human rights.

A.F.

[10] ASES NEW PRESIDENT UNVEILS CHANGES TO SYSTEM

The newly-appointed president of the Athens Stock Exchange, Panayiotis Alexakis, presented yesterday the new measures for upgrading stock trading and bringing the ASE on par with other European exchanges.

One of the measures involves swifter listing procedures for new economy companies, such as software manufacturers, telecommunications companies and media firms. According to Mr. Alexakis, this step is part of a plan to give priority to new listings in sectors that will most enrich the market, focusing on dynamic, fast-growing enterprises.

Organizational changes will include the merger of the ASE with the Athens Derivatives Exchange (ADEX) in 2001 and the abolition of the trading floor. Trading will be from the member brokerage offices electronically.

A rule book detailing operations and the obligations of ASE authorities, traders and investors will be drawn up by the end of the year.

Furthermore, applicants to the Athens bourse will be categorized by line of business, with financial services companies, including banks and portfolio investment firms, also expected to be eligible for the swifter entry process.

A separate category will be created for enterprises based in Thrace and the eastern Aegean.

Another change to be implemented is ending the system of listing on the ASE according to priority; instead, specific criteria about a firm's prospects will be used in determining who will join the ASE.

A.F.

[11] EUROPEAN SOCIALIST PARTY HOLDS PLENARY SESSION

The European Socialist Party (ESP) will hold its plenary session in Dublin tomorrow, featuring the participation of Greece's Defense Minister Akis Tsochatzopoulos.

The session will address issues such as the European Union's common foreign policy, its expansion and the developments in the Balkan region.

Mr. Tsochatzopoulos is already in the Irish capital which is hosting ESP's summer university that features the participation of 100 young persons from Europe's socialist parties.

The Greek Defense Minister will give an address at the university today, where he will speak on Europe's security structure. In his address before the plenary session, Mr. Tsochatzopoulos is expected to underline the European countries' responsibilities in activating the Stability Pact.

A.F.

[12] US CULTURE, ART, LIFESTYLE SHOWCASED AT TIF 2000

The United States will be the honored country at this year's Thessaloniki International Fair (TIF), which opens next week, through a series of art exhibitions, musical events and lectures.

The 11 US-related event programs include:

· "Figment: The life and Work of Andy Warhol"

An exhibition of works by the well-known pop artist organized by the Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh in cooperation with the Macedonian Museum of Contemporary Art and the municipality of Thessaloniki. Aug. 22 through Sept. 19.

· The "Baseball and Softball Experience"

A daily baseball demonstration that will introduce children and young people to America's favorite pastime, and a new Olympic sport. At Helexpo's YMCA gate, Sept. 2-10.

· Warner Bros. Characters

Well-known animated Warner Bros. Characters (Tweety, Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and the Tasmanian Devil) "jump to life" on Thessaloniki's streets and on TIF's fairgrounds.

· Celebration of American Cuisine

Festival of American Regional Cuisine at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, prepared by a leading US chef every night during the fair. Sept. 2-10.

· "Modern Odysseys: Greek-American Artists of the 20th Century"

An exhibition of works by several noted American artists. Organized under the auspices of the Greek culture ministry and the State Museum of Contemporary Art, in cooperation with the World Council of Hellenes Abroad, the Queens Museum of Art and the I.F. Kostopoulos Foundation. Lazariston Monastery, Stavroupoli municipality of Thessaloniki, Sept. 3 through December 2000.

· Dixieland Band

Popular southern jazz performed by the 11-member Dixieland Band from Corinth. On the Helexpo's grounds in front of the indoor sports arena, Sept. 5-6 after 9 p.m.

· American Line and Square Dancing

Traditional line and square dancing by American Farm School students. On the Helexpo's grounds in front of the indoor sports arena, Sept. 5-6 after 9 p.m.

· Concerts with performer Yvette Jarvis

Soul, disco, Latin, and gospel hits with Greece-based performer Yvette Jarvis and the nine-member band "Grupo Candela". On the Helexpo's grounds in front of the indoor sports arena, Sept. 8-10 after 9 p.m.

· "20th Century American Film: Milestones of a Legendary Dream"

Fifteen classic American films screened in cooperation with the Thessaloniki Film Festival at the Olympion movie theatre on Aristotelous square, Sept. 8-21. Screenings start at 8:30 p.m. and 11 p.m. daily. Admission to opening night is by invitation only.

· The Sixth Fleet Band

The 25-member band of the Sixth Fleet will bring its "Big Band" sound to Thessaloniki on Sept. 8-9. On the Helexpo's grounds in front of the indoor sports arena at 7 p.m.

· The Carnegie Hall Jazz Band

The Carnegie Hall Jazz Band from New York City will perform at the Thessaloniki Concert Hall on Sunday, Sept. 10 at 9 p.m.

A.F.

[13] THESSALONIKI HOSTS S.E. EUROPES DEFENSE MINISTERS

Defense ministers of countries from the southeastern European region are to hold their fourth annual meeting in Thessaloniki on October 9, in a conference to be presided by Greece's Defense Minister Akis Tsochatzopoulos.

Preparations are presently underway for the conference which 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.

A.F.

[14] GREEK VOLLEYBALL TEAM ENJOYS VICTORY IN SPAIN

The Greek national volleyball youth team enjoyed its first victory at the European championships, currently being held in Italy. The young players beat their Czech counterparts 3 sets to 2, before going on to play against Yugoslavia.

Holland, Ukraine, Spain, France, Slovenia, Italy, Germany, Russia, Poland and the Czech Republic are also taking part in this sporting event.

[15] GREEK VET RECEIVES AWARD IN AUSTRALIA

Researcher of bone cancer in dogs, Panayiotis Loukopoulos, a Greek member of the Pathology-Anatomy veterinary science department in Queensland, Australia, has received two awards for his recent research projects.

The Greek scientist received the awards from the International Conference of Veterinary Science for Small Animals, which took place in Amsterdam. Over 3,000 representatives from all over the world were present at the conference, where Mr Loukopoulos won the only two awards.

The awards were for the best young researcher of bone tumours in dogs and for the best team research in the development of the most effective diagnosis methods in this field.

Research carried out by the Greek scientist could be used in future studies of the same illness in humans, according to recent statements.

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