Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 04-11-05

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

CONTENTS

[01] PRIME MINISTER KARAMANLIS CALLS FOR SELF-CONTROL AND CAUTION

[02] STRONG REACTION BY THE GREEK DIASPORA

[03] MEASURES FOR THE DIOXIN SCANDAL

[04] PAPANDREOU: THE RECOGNITION OF FYROM WAS A MISTAKE

[05] GAINS IN THE ASE

[06] ANTONAROS: MORE EFFORTS IN THE UN FOR A MUTUALLY ACCEPTABLE SOLUTION TO

[07] THESSALONIKI MAYOR ON THE ISSUE OF FYROM

[08] KOUMOUTSAKOS: THE GOV'T DEALT IN GOOD TIME WITH THE ISSUE OF THE FYROM

[09] INFORMATION CAMPAIGN

[01] PRIME MINISTER KARAMANLIS CALLS FOR SELF-CONTROL AND CAUTION

Spasmodic moves on the issue of the FYROM name will not help but on the contrary they can hurt as it did the inaction the Greek side has displayed for years in the negotiations held in New York within the framework of the UN, pointed out Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis in a press conference he gave in Brussels today after the EU Summit meeting.

Mr. Karamanlis criticized the previous government saying that mistakes have been made and stressed that self-control and caution are necessary. He also called for the support of all political parties in the efforts to face the issue that has arisen.

The Prime Minister briefed the EU leaders and EU High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy, CFSP, Javier Solana. He assured the Greek people that he will make every effort to find a solution and the government will give its best to reach a mutually acceptable solution to the FYROM name issue.

In the following days, Foreign Minister Petros Moliviatis will brief the Parliamentary Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defense and if it is necessary, in case steps have been made, a meeting of the Political Party Leaders Council will take place.

Responding to the question why the government did not make any moves based on indications that the US government was about to proceed with the recognition of FYROM under the name Republic of Macedonia he said that policy cannot be drawn up based on indications. However, he observed that since last spring he had made Greece's sensitivity on the issue clear when he visited the United States, while Foreign Minister Petros Moliviatis had also raised the issue in the talks he had with his FYROM counterpart.

He said that the Greek government succeeded in early September in having the Greek position included in an EU text and, therefore, become an EU position but it chose not to gloat about it.

Mr. Karamanlis said that the US decision to unilaterally recognize FYROM under the name Republic of Macedonia is wrong, pointless and unfortunate, while he refused to comment on moves aimed at holding mass rallies in Greece and said that self-control and caution are necessary.

He said that the government brought back on its agenda the issue of FYROM since last summer and contacts and discussions took place in the UN and FYROM. Also, the special UN envoy had received Greece's assurance that it wants the issue to stop being stagnant and to be solved.

Mr. Karamanlis stated that already in a letter by the Dutch Foreign Minister to FYROM it is clearly stressed that the name accepted by the EU is Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. He said that Greece will make every effort to reach a solution that will satisfy the Greeks and mostly, will create preconditions of stability and good neighborly relations in the region.

The EU position on FYROM is that in order to be able to become an EU member it should first agree with Greece on a mutually acceptable solution to the issue of the name, said Mr. Karamanlis.

[02] STRONG REACTION BY THE GREEK DIASPORA

Archbishop Dimitrios of America characterized the recognition of FYROM by the US under the name Republic of Macedonia as a negative development on an issue that causes deep grief and is at the center of the direct interest of the Greek community in the United States.

The Greeks abroad warned that dynamic mobilizations will take place at every level in cooperation with the Greek government.

The Greek community in Melbourne, Victoria called on the Australian government not to change its position and expressed indignation after the unilateral US decision.

[03] MEASURES FOR THE DIOXIN SCANDAL

The Greek authorities are in a state of alert after the nutritional scandal that erupted in Holland when the cancer-causing substance dioxin was traced in milk coming from two farms and had as a result the shutting down of three more farms in Germany.

Greek Minister of Agricultural Development Evangelos Basiakos pointed out that no import of animal feed suspect of being contaminated by dioxins took place and the only imports were animal feed supplements (vitamins, trace elements and mineral salts) making up only 2% of the animal feed composition.

The National Food Control Agency, EFET, suggested to the Greek consumers to avoid consuming dairy products and potatoes from Holland, Germany and Belgium for 10 days after the nutritional crisis that alarmed Europe. The new scandal erupted when the cancer-causing dioxin was traced in animal feed used in a total of 162 farms in Holland, Germany and Belgium.

[04] PAPANDREOU: THE RECOGNITION OF FYROM WAS A MISTAKE

The discontent of the Greek people after the US move to recognize FYROM under the name Republic of Macedonia is stressed in the letter opposition party of PASOK President Giorgos Papandreou addressed to US President George Bush congratulating him on his reelection in office.

Mr. Papandreou points out, among others, that moves like the recent unilateral recognition of FYROM by the US under a name different than the one under which it became a UN member, based on resolution 817/93, cannot be interpreted as contributing to meeting the goal of lasting stability and prosperity in the region.

Mr. Papandreou adds that the Greek people are justified to regard this decision as wrong, it ignores the Greek positions and finally, it does not contribute to the stabilization of the wider region, a region sensitive where prudence and equal participation of all sides are very important.

[05] GAINS IN THE ASE

Significant gains were recorded in the Athens Stock Exchange today. The general index rose to +2.10% at 2635.81 points, while the volume of transactions was at 270,3 million euros.

Of the stocks trading today, 245 had gains and 58 had losses, while the value of 103 stocks remained unchanged.

[06] ANTONAROS: MORE EFFORTS IN THE UN FOR A MUTUALLY ACCEPTABLE SOLUTION TO THE FYROM NAME ISSUE

Acting government spokesman Vangelis Antonaros gave the assurance that the Greek government will not change its behavior and continue the efforts within the UN framework for a mutually acceptable solution to the issue of the FYROM name.

He also stressed that the FYROM accession into the EU and NATO demands unanimity of the existing members and the Greek government will not agree if there is no mutually acceptable solution.

Regarding the visit of the Greek Prime Minister to the US last May, he stated that he was not aware of the imminent change in the position of the US on the issue of the FYROM name.

On the statements by Archbishop Christodoulos of Athens and All Greece concerning mass protest rallies, he stated that calm should prevail adding, however, that everybody has the right to express his own views.

[07] THESSALONIKI MAYOR ON THE ISSUE OF FYROM

Thessaloniki mayor Vasilis Papageorgopoulos appealed to the government and the main opposition party of PASOK to agree now that Greece will never recognize FYROM as Macedonia and will exercise its veto power in case the neighboring country wants to become a member of the EU and NATO under that name.

Mr. Papageorgopoulos stated in a press conference today that he is ready for everything, even mass rallies, under the precondition that New Democracy and PASOK will reach a joint decision and there will be an agreement of the representatives of the two major political parties in the Thessaloniki City Council

On the occasion of the developments in the issue of the FYROM name, he commented that another battle was lost but the war is still on and Greece can win because it has the weapons to do that.

[08] KOUMOUTSAKOS: THE GOV'T DEALT IN GOOD TIME WITH THE ISSUE OF THE FYROM NAME

The government had dealt with the issue of the FYROM name in good time for the past 6 months, stated Greek Foreign Ministry spokesman Giorgos Koumoutsakos.

Mr. Koumoutsakos said to the Greek state-run television station NET that Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis had raised the issue during his visit to the United States, Deputy Foreign Minister Yiannis Valinakis had contacts with US mediator Mathew Nimitz and Foreign Minister Petros Moliviatis has visited Skopje. He pointed out that the Greek position was to reactivate the dialogue between Greece and FYROM aimed at finding a mutually acceptable solution to the issue of the FYROM name.

[09] INFORMATION CAMPAIGN

The recognition of FYROM under the name Republic of Macedonia by the United States caused strong discontent in Athens in spite of the US statements that their decision does not turn against Athens.

The Dutch Prime Minister and European Council President assured Greek Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis, who raised the issue in the EU Summit meeting underway in Brussels, that for the time being the EU policy will not change.

Hellenic Republic President Kostis Stephanopoulos expressed the disappointment of the Greek people in the congratulatory telegram he sent to US President Bush on the occasion of his reelection in office.

Opposition Socialist Party of PASOK President Giorgos Papandreou spoke of government responsibility and stated characteristically that the US decision was a slap in the face for the government causing the government's response, which accused Mr. Papandreou of telling lies.

I said what I had to say when I should have and now I am sorry about what is going on, said former Prime Minister and honorary President of New Democracy Konstantinos Mitsotakis.

Celebrations in Skopje after the US decision. President Chervenkovski said that it was a historic day.

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