Thanks sgunhouse. I'll write the new script to deal with both files: Cookies and Cookies-journal - if I write a new script at all. But I might drop the idea altogether because I've seen that the Google PREF cookie contains opaque data and actually serves as a tracking beacon.
Now I'm thinking of automating the setting of preferences each time I fire up the browser, rather than keeping a persistent cookie that contais unique IDs. I'll post a question about that when I actually start to use the new Opera regularly.