Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 01-10-19

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

CONTENTS

[01] POWDER SENT TO HEALTH MINISTRY NOT ANTHRAX

[02] SIMITIS AT SUMMIT MEETING IN GENT

[03] RECOMMENDATION ON WAR BROADCAST

[04] NUMBER OF STUDENTS DOWN BY 20%

[05] ิวล FOUR ISRAELI ESPIONAGE SUSPECTS WERE ACQUITTED

[06] GREATER INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN THESSALONIKI

[07] THE CONFRONTATION BETWEEN LALIOTIS AND MITSOTAKIS CONTINUES

[08] CONFERENCE ON TELECOMMUNICATIONS IN SE EUROPE

[09] PAPANDREOU IN BRUSSELS TOMORROW

[10] TSOCHATZOPOULOS: NO NEW GREEK MILITARY FORCE IN THE BALKANS

[11] MARGINAL GAINS IN THE ASE

[12] PREPARATIONS TO FREE THE COASTAL SHIPPING MARKET

[13] ISRAELI ESPIONAGE SUSPECTS IN GREECE

[14] NUCLEAR AND BIOLOGICAL WARFARE SUPPORT

[15] PAPAZOI AT THE 31ST UNESCO SUMMIT

[01] POWDER SENT TO HEALTH MINISTRY NOT ANTHRAX

The first results from the tests run on the white powder found in a letter received by the Ministry of Health, show that it is not Anthrax.

Tests on the powder found were conducted at the special center for scanning for pathogens at the microbiological lab of the Evaggelismos Hospital. The tests to derive what exactly the powder is, will be completed tomorrow

Meanwhile Attica authorities have begun their investigations, to identify the prankster who sent the envelope to the Ministry of Health. Searches will be made via the postal service and fingerprints, and the prankster is facing very serious charges.

[02] SIMITIS AT SUMMIT MEETING IN GENT

Military operations against Afghanistan and measures against terrorism, will be discussed today in the unofficial summit meeting of the 15 leaders of the European Union at Gent. Prime Minister Kostas Simitis will be there.

The meeting of the 15 will be held in a former Roman-Catholic Abbey in the Flemish city. This is the second meeting the state leaders have in a very short time, but it is the first meeting after the bombings in Afghanistan begun.

[03] RECOMMENDATION ON WAR BROADCAST

A recommendation was made by the National Radio-Television Council (ESR) to the television media, on the way in which they present issues after the September 11 terrorist attacks in the US.

In an announcement made by the council, it expresses its great concern on the approaches invented for the broadcasting of the news, which consequentially mislead public opinion, it makes mention of daily accusations, and points out that it is unacceptable for standard principles of ethics, to be sacrificed at the altar of speed and exclusivity.

Besides, a list of responsibilities the television media have was made, i.e.:

- All sides of stories to be presented equally

- The exact date and time of recording should be noted on images shown, something which also stands for live feeds or interviews

- Archive images or pictures and video sequences from films, should have the appropriate indications

The ESR warned that the violation of the above principles will carry heavy penalties and called TV station Presidents to show the necessary sensitivity.

[04] NUMBER OF STUDENTS DOWN BY 20%

1 out of every 5 school has closed during the past decade due to the low birth rate, while the population of Greece is aging dangerously. These are the facts presented by the Supreme Confederation of Parents with many children of Greece, drawing on October 21st a day dedicated to families with many children. Specifically, during the 90s, the number of students in elementary and junior high school, decreased by 20%, and while during the 1990-1991 school year there were 1.231.358 students, in the 2000-2001 school year there were 1.001.613. The greatest decrease during this decade, was recorded in elementary schools, reaching 22%. The facts on births during the past decade have been discouraging, with 1.021.381 births and 999.764 deaths.

[05] ิวล FOUR ISRAELI ESPIONAGE SUSPECTS WERE ACQUITTED

A court in Chania, Crete acquitted today the four Israeli spy suspects of the espionage charges against them.

The four were arrested yesterday, while videotaping and photographing the US Souda Base installations and the 115th battle wing in Crete, and were led before the prosecutor in the city of Chania in the south Aegean island. As it was made known, the Israelis had registered at their hotel under assumed names.

They maintained that they visited Crete as tourists and that they were not aware that videotaping the region was prohibited.

According to police information, the confiscated material was worthless. Police said that it was a 20-second video and the pictures the four took showed the small island at the entry of Souda Bay.

[06] GREATER INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN THESSALONIKI

Thessaloniki has made an impressive progress lately in the investment opportunities "front" compared to Athens. The above were stated by commercial attache at the US embassy to Athens Jeremy Keller, addressing the 17th International Conference on Logistics held in Thessaloniki.

He stressed that the geographic position of the city in the Balkan region as well as its port and airport that are being upgraded, give to Thessaloniki the necessary comparative advantage allowing it to play a leading role in the world market.

[07] THE CONFRONTATION BETWEEN LALIOTIS AND MITSOTAKIS CONTINUES

The confrontation between minister of environment, public works and land planning Kostas Laliotis and right-wing main opposition party of New Democracy honorary president Konstantinos Mitsotakis continues, after the accusations launched by Mr. Laliotis against Mr. Mitsotakis concerning the contract for the construction of the "Eleftherios Venizelos" Athens Airport.

Mr. Mitsotakis, speaking yesterday in a talk show on the Athens television channel "Mega", stated that businessman Alafouzos had deposited the sums of US$1 million and US$600.000 to fund the New Democracy pre-election campaign. However, he denied that the sums were deposited in the account of a Liberian company at a London bank. Yesterday, Mr. Laliotis gave to publicity two London bank accounts of a Liberian company and called on Mr. Mitsotakis and ND leader Kostas Karamanlis to admit that they are theirs.

Mr. Laliotis stated today that the statement made by Mr. Mitsotakis is a confession and stressed that the Greek justice should hold an investigation on the Mayo Investment Corporation Liberian company bank accounts, adding that this way it will be revealed who were the depositors and the exact sums. He also said that this way it will be found out how the money ended up either to the Mitsotakis family or the party of New Democracy.

[08] CONFERENCE ON TELECOMMUNICATIONS IN SE EUROPE

A conference on telecommunications in southeastern Europe will take place in Athens on October 23 organized by Strategic International SA.

A presentation of unique figures and analyses will take place within the framework of the conference concerning the southeastern European telecommunications markets in 2000 which showed a 15% increase in the installed basis of telephone lines (63 million installed lines) compared to 1999.

Also, there will be presentations of statistical data on the geographic distribution of telecommunications spending in Greece.

[09] PAPANDREOU IN BRUSSELS TOMORROW

Foreign minister Giorgos Papandreou will be in Brussels tomorrow within the framework of the EU Summit meeting.

He will be in Budapest on October 24 on a formal visit, while on October 25 and 26 he will attend the Euro-Mediterranean Forum in Morocco.

Mr. Papandreou will also visit Iran and Egypt.

[10] TSOCHATZOPOULOS: NO NEW GREEK MILITARY FORCE IN THE BALKANS

There is no decision to deploy a new Greek military force in the Balkans to replace the US forces that will be withdrawn, stated Greek defense minister Akis Tsochatzopoulos and characterized as "scenarios" the news reports on the issue.

Mr. Tsochatzopoulos stated that the decisions will be made within the framework of the collective security institutions in which Greece is a member and reminded that Greece has decided to participate in the global alliance against terrorism. He said that terrorism has become globalized and the response should be global.

[11] MARGINAL GAINS IN THE ASE

Marginal gains were recorded in the Athens Stock Exchange today. The general index rose to +0.05% at 2.345,51 points, while the volume of transactions was at 107.8 million Euro or 36.49 billion drachmas.

Of the stocks trading today, 165 recorded gains and 155 had losses, while the value of 57 remained unchanged.

[12] PREPARATIONS TO FREE THE COASTAL SHIPPING MARKET

In the next few days, the Greek ministry of merchant marine is expected to issue six decisions concluding this way the months long basic preparation concerning the normative framework regulating the freeing of the coastal shipping market in Greece by November 2002.

Meanwhile, in early next month the Coastal Transportation Council will meet to discuss issues concerning the business viability of the coastal shipping companies and the creation of the coastal transportation network.

[13] ISRAELI ESPIONAGE SUSPECTS IN GREECE

The four Israelis arrested yesterday, while videotaping and photographing the US Souda Base installations and the 115th battle wing in Crete, were led today before the prosecutor in the city of Chania in the south Aegean island. As it was made known, the Israelis had registered at their hotel under assumed names.

They maintained that they visited Crete as tourists and that they were not aware that the videotaping of the region was prohibited. According to police information, the confiscated material is worthless. Police said that it is a 20-second video and the pictures taken show the small island at the entry of Souda Bay.

[14] NUCLEAR AND BIOLOGICAL WARFARE SUPPORT

The needs not only of Northern Greece, but the whole of Southeastern Europe, in case of a biological or nuclear war, will be covered by the new 424 Military Hospital in Thessaloniki, the construction of which has begun in the former shooting range of the Karatassos camp, next to the Papageorgiou hospital.

Minister of Defense Akis Tsohatzopoulos was present at the groundbreaking ceremony this morning. Mr. Tsohatzopoulos underlined that the hospital can support 424 beds in case of a nuclear or biological war, and that there will be another fully functional treatment unit in the underground area of the hospital, which will be able to hold 300 beds.

The new hospital will be ready by the end of 2004 and will open in 2005. The construction cost is 61 billion drs and the area covered will be 81.230 square meters, with expansion potential.

[15] PAPAZOI AT THE 31ST UNESCO SUMMIT

Deputy foreign minister Elisavet Papazoi, in her speech in the 31st UNESCO general assembly that takes place in Paris, referred to the fact that this is the first UNESCO general assembly of the new millennium and is held under the shadow of the tragic events of September 11 and the war in Afghanistan that create increased concern and instability in the international community by challenging democratic institutions and humanitarian values.

Ms. Papazoi underlined that Greece is a center of stability and cooperation in the region and supports peace, democratization, economic development and the eradication of inequalities.

Ms. Papazoi said that Greece is one of the founding members of UNESCO and will continue to contribute to the international efforts, adding that the Greek government has undertaken an active role in promoting the convergence of religions, promotes the Olympic Truce idea, and supports the efforts for the promotion of linguistic multi-formity and the free access to cyberspace.

On the return of the Parthenon Marbles from Britain to Greece, she stated that the initiatives of the general secretary of UNESCO will encourage the discussions between Greece and Britain and expressed the wish that they will be returned to Greece by 2004 when Athens will host the Olympic Games and the Acropolis Museum will be completed.

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