MPA NEWS IN ENGLISH (30/08/1996)

From: Macedonian Press Agency <mpa@philippos.mpa.gr>

Macedonian Press Agency News in English Directory

‹€CEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH

Thessaloniki, August 30, 1996

NEWS IN ENGLISH

[A] NATIONAL NEWS

[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

TITLES

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[A] NATIONAL NEWS

[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

NEWS IN DETAIL

[A] NATIONAL NEWS

[01] PRE-ELECTION CAMPAIGNS BEGIN WITH LEADERS CRISS-CROSSING THE COUNTRY

With the election campaign about to hit its stride, party leaders are hopping on their touring wagons criss-crossing the country.

Prime Minister and ruling party PASOK President Kostas Simitis will begin his tour on Monday aboard the "victory expess" whose first stops will be the northeastern Aegean islands of Chios and Lesvos.

Main opposition party leader, New Democracy's Miltiades Evert, will kick off his campaign in Athens, beginning with Nea Ionia and Philadelphia.

Minor opposition Political Spring party leader Antonis Samaras will give a press conference this afternoon where he will develop his party's pre-election strategy.

Communist Party of Greece (KKE) Secretary-General Aleka Paparega is visiting a hospital in Athens and in the evening will tour Kaisariani.

Leader of the Coalition of Left and Progress (Synaspismos) Nikos Konstantopoulos is touring Corfu, while President of the Democratic Social Movement (DHKKI) Dimitris Tsovolas has a speaking engagement in Larisa this evening.

[02] PRESIDENT STEPHANOPOULOS TO VISIT ISLAND OF KOS TOMORROW

President of the Hellenic Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos will visit the island of Kos tomorrow in order to inaugurate the session of the First International Medical Olympiad.

President Stephanopoulos will be accompanied by the undersecretary of Health and Welfare Theodoros Kotsonis and the Secretary-General of the Republic, Ambassador Emmanuel Gikas.

[03] FOUR CARETAKER MINISTERS SWORN IN TODAY

Four caretaker ministers will be sworn-in today in the presence of President of the Hellenic Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos.

All being university professors, the four service ministers are Vassilis Skouris, taking over the Ministry of the Interior and Public Administration, Dimitris Konstas in the Press and Media Ministry, Argyris Fatouros, Justice Minister and Kostas Beis, Ministry of Public Order.

[04] POLITICAL PRESS CONFERENCES TO BE BROADCAST THROUGH PRIVATE TV TOO

The members of the inter-party Committee, composed of representatives from all parties, have unanimously accepted the Radio and Television Counci's recommendations that regulations on election coverage imposed on state-owned media be extended to private stations as well.

According to the Council's recommendations, the Committee agreed that the privately-owned television channels will broadcast live -or taped- and uninterrupted the 60-minute press conference to be given by each party's leader.

Moreover, it was agreed upon that each channel must organize at least four discussions with representatives from all parties and to allocate at least ten minutes of air time weekly to every party in Parliament or Euro-parliament.

Lastly, the Committee agreed that windows shown on news broadcasts and in talk shows provide equal representation of all parties.

Ruling party PASOK President -and Prime Minister Kostas Simitis- and main opposition New Democracy leader Miltiades Evert have tentatively agreed to a single debate on September 13, but not to a format for that meeting.

[05] GREEK DEFENSE MINISTER TO BE AWARDED GOLDEN KEY OF LEMESSOS

The golden key of the cypriot city of Lemessos will be awarded to the Greek National Defense Minister Gerasimos Arsenis, an honor granted for the first time ever to an official.

Upon his arrival at the city's port on Sunday, Minister Arsenis will be greeted by the President of Cyprus Glafkos Clerides, various Cypriot ministers as well as church officials.

[06] POLITICAL SPRING PARTY LEADER STRONGLY CRITICIZES PASOK AND OPPOSITION

Political Spring party leader, Antonis Samaras stated that he will cooperate after the elections with any of the two main parties he will be able to reach an agreement on issues of national interest and economic reforms, in case neither PASOK nor New Democracy get the necessary majority to form a one-party government.

The announcement was made in a press conference during which mr.Samaras outlined his party's pre-election strategy and set the basic axes of his party's positions on issues concerning the economic and social policy, on national issues and on institutional matters, while he strongly criticized Prime Minister, Kostas Simitis and New Democracy leader, Miltiadis Evert.

Mr.Samaras accused mr.Simitis of cancelling two significant developments with his decision for snap elections namely, the revision of the Constitution and the entrance of new faces in Parliament. He also criticized both the Prime Minister and mr.Evert for keeping distances from the explosive problems of the people, because as he said, they do not want to come face to face with their responsibilities.

[07] COMMUNIST PARTY LEADER RULES OUT ANY POST-ELECTION COOPERATION

Communist party Secretary General, Aleka Papariga ruled out today the possibility of a post-election cooperation with any political party.

Ms.Papariga criticized PASOK and New Democracy for their policy in the sector of health and condemned the decision to assign the system of emergency transportation of patients to the private sector, which resulted in patient discrimination.

The Communist party Secretary General also stated that the party has its doors closed to any consensus or cooperation.

[08] PASOK'S EXECUTIVE BUREAU MEETS TO EXAMINE PARTY'S LISTS OF CANDIDATES

PASOK's Executive Bureau meets this afternoon to examine the party's lists of candidates which will be finalized in tomorrow's meeting of the party's Central Committee.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister and PASOK leader, Kostas Simitis had a series of meetings with government high officials and next week will start his pre-election tour in 20 prefectures with first stop the islands of Lesvos and Limnos.

[09] GREEK FOREIGN MINISTER GOES ON TWO-DAY VISIT TO ALBANIA TOMORROW

Greek Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos will depart for a two-day official visit to Albania tomorrow, where he will meet with his Albanian counterpart and President Sali Berisha in Argyrocastro and Avlona.

On Saturday, Mr. Pangalos will inaugurate the new offices of the General Consulate in Argirocastro and will attend a dinner hosted in his honor by Consul-General Mr. Kanellos.

In the afternoon, the Greek Foreign Minister will meet tete-a- tete with his Albanian counterpart Mr.Sehou while in the evening he will meet with Albanian President Sali Berisha.

On Sunday afternoon Mr. Pangalos will return to Athens.

[10] DEVELOPMENT MINISTER TO PUSH FOR GREECE'S UPGRADED ROLE IN BALKANS

Development Minister Vasso Papandreou is set to emphasize the ever-increasing significance of Thessaloniki's International Trade Fair during her speech to be given at the Fair's 61st occasion next Saturday.

In her salutation, Ms. Papandreou will illustrate Greece's strategic development aims and the importance of upgrading the country's economic and political presence in the Balkan region.

According to Ms. Papandreou, strenghtening Greece's role in the Balkans can be achieved through three basic axes: the creation of a complete network of infrastructure, the upgrading and development of manpower and, lastly, the overall improvement of production.

[11] LOCAL BUSINESSES WON'T STRIKE TWO DAYS BEFORE TRADE FAIR

Next Thursday's planned 24-hour strike by the local Worker's Union, in protest of the recent closing of Thessaloniki's Goodyear plant, has not met the sought-after participation of local businessmen and store owners.

Given that the strike is to take place a mere two days before the town's most significant annual event, Thessaloniki's 61st International Trade Fair, the members of the local Businessmen Association have deemed that closing their stores for 24 hours would be simply "catastrophic."

The Association's president, Christos Folias, told the Macedonian Press Agency that the 400 laid-off Goodyear employees have the whole-hearted support of the local industries, yet their plight does not warrant risking the town's most profitable gathering, the Fair, by closing the stores.

"Employers and employees are two sides of a coin," Mr. Folias said. "When people are employed we have business."

Yesterday, more than half of local industrial workers observed a four-hour strike, called by the Thessaloniki Workers' Union.

[12] FORMER FOREIGN MINISTER PAPAKONSTANTINOU WILL NOT RUN IN ELECTIONS

Former Foreign Minister, Michalis Papakonstantinou announced his final decision not to run in the September 22 elections as the candidate of any political party.

He said that certain proposals had been made to him but he turned them down, adding that he will continue to express his views as a private citizen. Mr.Papakonstantinou stated characteristically that he is not willing to exchange his independence for a Parliament seat.

[13] NEW DEMOCRACY'S FORMER GENERAL DIRECTOR TO FORM OWN PARTY

A former general director of the main opposition New Democracy, Yiannis Dimitrokallis, has filed today the paperwork for founding of the political party "Kinisi Politizo", at the Supreme Court's district offices in Athens.

It remains unknown if Mr. Dimitrokallis' party will participate in the September 22 elections.

[14] GREECE'S 1996 TOURISM SUFFERED LOSSES, ALONG WITH FRANCE AND AUSTRIA

Greece, France and Austria were the three European countries that presented the most significant drops in their annual tourism rates, according to an article published recently in Frankfurt's daily Allegmaine Zeitung.

The article, which purports that Greece is to see further drops in its tourism, also states that this summer's season was less than satisfactory for the continent's tourism industry as a whole. The author quotes the latest report issued by the Federation National Des Offices de Tourisme et Syndicats d'Initiative, in Brussels.

In another report published in the german weekly "Dei Zeit", over 250,000 German tourists are expected to visit Cyprus' unoccupied territory this year.

[15] MEETING OF 75 ECUMENICAL PATRIARCHATE BISHOPS STARTS SUNDAY IN FANAR

"The Ecumenical Patriarchate and Orthodoxy before the challenges of Western Civilization" is the central theme of the meeting of 75 Ecumenical Patriarchate Bishops that will begin on Sunday in Fanar.

This regularly held assembly, which takes place every two years was inaugurated by Ecumenical Patriarch, Vartholomeos and is developing into a leading institution of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. In the meeting participate the ecclesiastical authorities of the Christian Orthodox communities abroad and its objective is to strengthen the role of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Constantinople as the axis of hellenism's cultural and spiritual unity.

The main speakers in the meeting will be Metropolite of Pergamos Ioannis, Archbishop of America Spiridon, Bishop of Skopelos Vsevolod, Metropolite of Kisamos and Selinos Erineos and Metropolite of Switzerland Damaskinos.

[16] EXHIBITION "MACEDONS AND ALEXANDER THE GREAT" TO OPEN IN FLORIDA

An exhibition having as a theme Macedonia and Alexander the Great will be inaugurated in the International Museum of San Petersburg in Florida on October 1st.

The exhibition is divided into two unities, the first one concerns Macedonia and is organised by the greek Culture Ministry, while the title of the second one is "Alexander the Great - History and Legend" and is organised by Rome's "Fontazione Memo" group.

The 500 exhibits that will be on display come from 50 Museums and private collections and include among others, golden coins, crowns, jewellery, statues, silver wine cups and marble steles, many of which come from the ancient tombs of Vergina.

The exhibition will last until March 31, 1997 and during that time will be held numerous cultural events organised by the greek- american community and the greek Ministry of Culture.

It is estimated that the exhibition will be visited by one million people and also by a large number of students from the region's schools.

[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

[17] AUSTRALIAN LEADER ASKS US TO RESOLVE CYPRUS ISSUE BEFORE ELECTIONS

The leader of South Australia's main opposition party, Mike Ryan, has asked the United States to resolve the Cyprus issue prior to November's presidential elections and has stated that the US can play a key role in uniting the divided island.

In a letter addressed to 100 US Senators and Secretary of State Warren Christopher, Mr. Ryan also emphasized that following the recent killing of the two Greek-Cypriot men by turkish military forces, and has said that "the time has come for the US to adopt a hard line towards Turkey."

[18] EU ANNUAL INFLATION RATE STAYS AT RECORD LOW, BUT GREECE'S IS HIGHEST

European Union annual inflation remained at a record low of 2.5 per cent in July, the same as in June, although -while seven EU members featured figures below two percent- Greece's rate was the highest by far at 8.6%.

According to data provided by Eurostat, the European Commission's Statistical Office, the June and July rates are the lowest since Eurostat began compiling these figures in 1983. With the exception of earlier months this year, the previous low was 2.9 per cent in 1987.

In July annual inflation was below the EU average in all but four EU member-states, with the lowest being Finland's 0.5 per cent.

[19] NINE PERSONS KILLED BY THUNDER LIGHTNING IN FYROM, 41 OTHERS INJURED

Religious celebrations ended in tragedy in FYROM yesterday, when 41 persons were killed when struck by lighting and 41 others were injured, while in a Berovo church's courtyard.

Celebrating the Accession of the Virgin holiday, about 15,000 church goers had exited the church service and waited for the celebration to begin when thunder suddenly broke out and lighting struck.

According to Skopje police reports, none of the injured persons are in critical condition.

[20] THE EXTREME RIGHT ORGANIZATION "GREY WOLVES" IS BASED ON NAZI PRINCIPLES AND IS RESPONSIBLE FOR HUNDREDS OF POLITICAL ASSASSINATIONS IN TURKEY, ACCORDING TO A GERMAN DAILY

The founder and leader of the extreme right organization "Grey Wolves" does not hide his admiration for Hitler, and his organization which is patterned upon the nazi SA, has committed 600 political assassinations in Turkey while one of its members was Ali Aga, who unsuccessfully attempted to assassinate the Pope, according to the german newspaper "Frankfurter Rundschau".

In his extensive report from Greece, newspaper correspondent Gerd Hoehler refers to the presence of members of the organization in the recent bloody events in Cyprus. He also mentions the already known testimony of the Republican Popular party deputy, Mehmet Sevgen according to which, the expenses for the transportation of those individuals to Turkey were covered by the turkish Foreign Ministry after an order issued by Tansu Ciller.

[21] LEADER OF OCCUPIED CYPRUS MEETS WITH UN SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE

Turk-Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash met with Gustav Feishel, a special envoy of the UN Representative to Cyprus, this afternoon and the two men exchanged views on conducting talks between the two sides of the divided island.

According to Mr. Denktash, there are numerous parameters for holding talks with the President of Cyprus Glafkos Clerides, who has repeatedly said that there is no premise for holding such meeting.

"Why doesn't Mr. Clerides tell us what he wants? We want him to tell us what he wants so that we can express our points of view," Mr. Denkash.

[22] TURKEY, FYROM AGREE TO FORM JOINT BANKING INSTITUTION

FYROM has entered into a bilateral banking agreement with Turkey, following the talks held in Ankara during the visit of FYROM's vice-president Bekir Zuta this week.

Mr. Zuta met with the Turkish Minister of Finance and, according to a skopjan radio station, "the creation of this banking institution will promote the further development of -the allready- good relations between the two countries."

[23] STOCKHOLM CONFERENCE ADOPTS DRAFT DECLARATION ON CHILD'S PROTECTION

The Conference on the Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children continues in Stockholm with the participation of 127 countries and representatives of different organizations for the protection of children.

A draft declaration on the measures that need to be taken for the protection of children was unanimously approved by the participants, who also decided on the use of computers in order to record all the cases of sexual exploitation of children, setting the year 2.000 as a target date for the drawing up of a national level action plan.

Belgium's Foreign Minister, Erick Deruck, who was at the center of attention as a result of the recent tragic events in his country concerning the exposed pedophile ring, stated that he believes child prostitution is the result of an extremely liberal world economic class which sales and buys everything, even children.

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