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The Hellenic Radio (ERA): News in English, 99-08-12
From: The Hellenic Radio (ERA) <ert.ntua.gr/>
CONTENTS
[01] SOLAR ECLIPSE WATCHED BY MILLIONS
[02] HEATWAVE CONTINUES IN GREECE
[03] CONSULTATIONS ON CYPRUS ISSUE IN SEPTEMBER
[04] NATIONAL COMMEMORATION DAY ON SEPTEMBER 14TH
[05] REFORM OF SOCIAL SECURITY SYSTEM AFTER 2000 ELECTIONS
[06] INJURIES AND DAMAGE FROM QUAKE IN LIMASSOL
[07] ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE UP 0.13% YESTERDAY
[08] FUEL PRICES UP IN GREECE AS OF TODAY
[09] CHILDREN FROM SERBIA HOLIDAYING IN NORTHERN GREECE
[10] TURKISH NATIONAL ASSEMBLY TO LIFT BAN ON WELFARE PARTY LEADER
[11] IRAN WALKS OUT OF NEGOTIATIONS WITH TURKEY
[12] PROTEST DEMONSTRATIONS CONTINUE IN SERBIA
[01] SOLAR ECLIPSE WATCHED BY MILLIONS
Hundreds of millions of people around the world watched yesterday's
last total solar eclipse of the millennium. Day turned into night for
two minutes in Cornwall and Bucharest, where the eclipse was total.
Hundreds of TV channels broadcast the phenomenon live. In Greece, it
was broadcast live on TV and on the Internet. It lasted for about
three hours in the afternoon and was visible up to 94% in the
northwest.
In Athens it was visible up to 82.2%. A small number of people who
watched the solar eclipse without protective glasses visited hospitals
where no damage was detected to their eyes.
[02] HEATWAVE CONTINUES IN GREECE
Greece yesterday experienced the hottest day of the summer, as
temperatures soared up to 42 degrees centigrade in some regions. The
Meteorological Service forecast that temperatures will reach 42 degrees
centigrade today as well, but the heat wave will start abating on
Friday. Prefectural and municipal departments, ambulance services and
hospitals are still on the alert to deal with emergencies.
[03] CONSULTATIONS ON CYPRUS ISSUE IN SEPTEMBER
A series of consultations on the Cyprus issue will be held in September
in view of UN secretary general Kofi Annan's planned initiative to
bring Cypriot president Glafkos Kliridis and Turkish Cypriot
representative Rauf Denktash to the negotiating table for direct talks.
In early September, president Kliridis is to meet with Greek prime
minister Kostas Simitis.
On 20 September, Mr Kliridis will meet in New York with American
ambassador to the UN Richard Holbrooke and three days later he will
have talks with Mr Annan. In early September, the American state
department's new special coordinator for Cyprus Thomas Weston is
scheduled to visit Nicosia, Athens and Ankara. Finally, Greek alternate
foreign minister Yannos Kranidiotis will go to London in early
September for talks on the Cyprus issue, while British envoy Sir David
Hannay will visit Athens for the same purpose.
[04] NATIONAL COMMEMORATION DAY ON SEPTEMBER 14TH
The 14th of September will be proclaimed National Commemoration Day. A
draft presidential decree was submitted by the interior ministry to the
State Council and provides for events on that day to commemorate the
genocide of the Greeks living in Asia Minor by the Turkish state.
[05] REFORM OF SOCIAL SECURITY SYSTEM AFTER 2000 ELECTIONS
A government official has told Greek Radio Television that the
government will reform the social security system after the
parliamentary elections in the year 2000.
[06] INJURIES AND DAMAGE FROM QUAKE IN LIMASSOL
34 people were injured and some damage was reported, mainly in
Limassol, following a strong earthquake measuring 5.8 on the Richter
scale which shook Cyprus yesterday morning.
The epicentre of the earthquake was located in Gerasa area in Limassol.
The injuries occurred as panicked people hurried to leave their
apartments or houses to find shelter. Several buildings suffered
damage.
[07] ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE UP 0.13% YESTERDAY
On the Athens Stock Exchange, the general share price index recorded a
slight increase of 0.13 percent yesterday, closing at 4,591 points. In
the parities, the fixing price for the US dollar was 305.460 drachmas,
the Deutschmark 167.019 drachmas and the euro 326.660 drachmas.
[08] FUEL PRICES UP IN GREECE AS OF TODAY
Fuel prices went up in Greece today following the continuing increase
of international oil prices. High-octane gasoline is 4.5 drachmas per
liter more expensive, unleaded 4.6 and diesel oil 2 drachmas more.
[09] CHILDREN FROM SERBIA HOLIDAYING IN NORTHERN GREECE
150 children from Pancevo, Serbia, aged between 8 and 14, are expected
in Thessaloniki today. They will spend holidays at a summer camp until
23 August as guests of the municipality of Neapolis.
[10] TURKISH NATIONAL ASSEMBLY TO LIFT BAN ON WELFARE PARTY LEADER
The Turkish national assembly yesterday began debating a legislative
regulation which will allow the return of Islamist leader Necmettin
Erbakan to the political arena. Mr Erbakan was deprived of his right to
be active in politics for five years. He lost his right in 1998, when
the Constitutional Court of Ankara decided that his Welfare party
should be outlawed since it constituted a threat to the secular system
of the country.
According to the Turkish press, Bulent Ecevit's government has reached
an agreement with the Islamic Virtue party on its support for
constitutional reforms necessary to allow for international arbitration
in labour conflicts in exchange for the lifting of the ban imposed on
Erbakan. Meanwhile Turkish labour unions are planning industrial action
as of tomorrow in protest at changes in the pension system imposed on
Ankara by the International Monetary Fund.
[11] IRAN WALKS OUT OF NEGOTIATIONS WITH TURKEY
Iran yesterday walked out of negotiations with Turkey in protest at the
bombing of a border outpost on Iranian territory by the Turkish armed
forces. Nevertheless, the talks may be resumed today. Iran has accused
Turkey of bombing an Iranian military base and a camp of nomads on 18
July, near Iran's border with Iraq and Turkey. 5 people were killed and
10 wounded in the attack. Turkey for its part insists the attack was
aimed against Kurdish guerillas.
[12] PROTEST DEMONSTRATIONS CONTINUE IN SERBIA
Hundreds of people yesterday staged demonstrations in major cities in
Serbia calling for the resignation of Yugoslav president Slobodan
Milosevic. In Kosovo, violence against the few Serbs who have not left
Pristina is escalating, the UN High Commission for refugees said
yesterday.
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