Macedonian Press Agency: News in English (96-10-17)

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

Macedonian Press Agency News in English Directory

MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH

Thessaloniki, October 17, 1996

NEWS IN ENGLISH

[A] NATIONAL NEWS

[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

TITLES

[A] NATIONAL NEWS

[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

NEWS IN DETAIL

[A] NATIONAL NEWS

[01] PREMIER HEADS CONFERENCE ON GREECE'S BID FOR OLYMPIC GAMES OF 2004

Prime Minister Kostas Simitis headed a conference held today concerning Greece's bid for the Olympic Games of 2004.

Participating in the conference where the Ministers of Development Vasso Papandreou, Environment, Town Planning and Public Works Kostas Laliotis, Culture Evangelos Venizelou, Public Order George Romeos, Press and Media Dimitris Reppas, Undersecretary to the Prime Minister's Office George Paschalides and Undersecretary of Athletics Andreas Fouras.

According to Mr. Venizelos, "Athens' candidature has such cultural, ideological and symbolic advantages, that if they are taken into consideration within the already-existing structure, they will greatly strengthen the weight of this candidature."

The International Olympic Committee's evaluation committee will visit Greece between October 18-24 and according to reports, Greece's candidacy is strongly considered.

[02] GREEK FOREIGN MINISTER MEETS WITH F.R.Y. PRESIDENT AND PREMIER

Greek Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos met this evening with Serb President Slobodan Milosevic and Prime Minister Radoyie Kodic in Belgrade, the second stop of his three-day Balkan tour.

Following the meetings, Mr. Pangalos announced that Greek Prime Minister Kostas Simitis will visit the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia within the next three months.

Mr. Pangalos also stated that his meetings mainly focused on two issues, the embodiment of F.R.Y. in the international organizations, more specifically the European Union, and Balkan cooperation.

The Greek Foreign Minister also emphasized the importance of cooperation with the EU in modernizing the motorway that will cross from the greek borders with Yugoslavia up to the hungarian borders and Slovenia.

Mr. Pangalos characterized this motorway as a"basic artery for greek exports and travel of Greeks to Europe."

Moreover, the Greek Foreign Minister spoke about the potential creation of a rapid railway route from Munich to Thessaloniki.

Characterizing it as a plan that will change the shape of the Balkans since it will include the region in Europe, Mr. Pangalos pointed out that the Munich- Thessaloniki route will be covered in eight hours.

Following his meetings with the Yugoslav leaders, Mr. Pangalos met with the Patriarch of Serbia Pavlos and later departed for Zagreb where, tomorrow, he is to hold talks with his Croat counterpart Mate Granic and is also expected to meet with Croat President Franjo Tudjman.

[03] THE GREEK FOREIGN MINISTER MET WITH HIS YUGOSLAV COUNTERPART IN BELGRADE

The further development of bilateral relations between Greece and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, the strengthening of economic cooperation and the conditions created in the region of former Yugoslavia after the Dayton peace agreement, were the main issues discussed in the meeting held in Belgrade between greek Foreign Minister, Theodoros Pangalos and his yugoslav counterpart, Milan Miludinovic.

Mr.Pangalos stated after the meeting that he agreed with mr.Milidinovic on the organizing of a business meeting that will be held in Thessaloniki in March with the participation of businessmen from FRY and northern Greece.

Also, were examined ways for making the transportation of yugoslav citizens to Greece easier after the issue that arose with the issuing of visas by the greek embassy in Belgrade in accordance with the Schengen agreement that started on October 1.

Mr.Pangalos mentioned that were discussed plans concerning the road and railway transportation, while he promised that Greece in the next Council of EU Foreign Ministers that will be held in Brussels on October 28 will raise the issue of FRY's equal treatment with the rest states created after the breaking up of former Yugoslavia.

Mr.Pangalos stated that discrimination against FRY is not warranted any more and underlined that the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia contributes positivelly toward the consolidation of peace and cooperation in the region.

From his part, mr.Miludinovic expressed satisfaction regarding the outcome of the meeting and stated that with mr.Pangalos' visit to Belgrade bilateral relations will improve further.

At noon, the greek Foreign Minister will meet with serb President, Slobodan Milosevic and later in the afternoon, he will have talks with Prime Minister Kodic.

[04] PREMIER TO ATTEND SUMMIT MEETING OF BLACK SEA COUNTRIES IN MOSCOW

A summit meeting of countries-members of the Economic Cooperation of the Black Sea will be held on Friday, October 25 in Moscow, where Greek Prime Minister Kostas Simitis will represent Greece, accompanied by Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos.

The meeting is organized by the directorate of economic cooperation of Russia's Foreign Ministry.

[05] GREEK FOREIGN MINISTER CONTINUES TOUR OF BALKANS, IN BELGRADE TODAY

In Sarajevo yesterday, the first stop of hs three- day Balkan tour, Greek Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos announced that a Greek embassy will be established in the city by the end of Octrober.

Today Mr. Pangalos is visiting Belgrade where he will meet with Serb President Slobodan Milosevic, the Federal Prime Minister Radoyie Kodic and his Yugoslav counterpart Milan Milutinovic. Tomorrow Mr. Pangalos will visit Zagreb.

While in Sarajevo, Mr. Pangalos met with Bosnia's President Alija Izetbegovic, Prime Minister Hasan Muratovic and Foreign Minister Iandrago Prlic.

Mr. Pangalos also met with other government officials but not with Bosnian-serbs since, he stated, in order for the collective bodies of the post-war Bosnia to work together successfully there is no need to hold separate meetings with Bosnia's Serbs.

[06] THE GREEK GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN COMMENTED ON YESTERDAY'S MEETING BETWEEN THE GREEK PRIME MINISTER AND THE US AMBASSADOR

Greek government spokesman, Dimitris Reppas commenting on yesterday's meeting between Prime Minister Kostas Simitis and US ambassador to Athens Thomas Niles, reiterated that it was a ceremonial one.

Mr.Reppas stated that during the meeting mr.Simitis and mr.Niles reviewed issues concerning the greek-US relations but there was no american proposal made concerning the Aegean and Cyprus.

[07] THE EU PRESIDENCY STATEMENT ON THE COLD-BLOODED KILLING OF THE GREEK-CYPRIOT WAS CHARACTERIZED AS SATISFACTORY BY MR.BIKAS

Greek Foreign Ministry spokesman, Kostas Bikas characterized as satisfactory the statement issued by the EU Presidency on the cold-blooded killing of greek- cypriot Petros Kakoullis by the turkish occupation forces in Cyprus.

The statement of the EU Presidency was issued in spite of the veto exercised by Britain on the greek proposal to include in the statement, as it was finally done, a condemnation of the systematic violence used by the turkish occupation forces in Cyprus.

[08] ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH VARTHOLOMEOS IN SOFIA

Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos arrive in Sofia today, following the invitation issued by Bulgaria's Patriarch Maximos, for the celebration of the 1,050 years since the death of St. John of Rila.

Mr. Vartholomeos supported the Bulgarian ecclesiastical community's autonomy in Constantinople, within the framework of the 1945 relevant agreement.

[09] TURKISH AMBASSADOR VISITS KOMOTINI, CALLS THE MUSLIM MINORITY "TURKISH"

Turkish Ambassador to Athens Umit Pamir completed his tour of northern Greece today by visiting the Prefect of Evros George Dolios, to whom he repeated his claims regarding a "turkish" minority.

When Mr. Dolios responded that the only minority there is the Moslim, Mr. Pamir claimed that "the Moslims who live inThrace are Greek citizens, of turkish descent."

On other matters, the two officials agreed to increase the cooperation between their countries on the problem of illegal immigration and contagious diseases that strike animals.

[10] CUBAN AMBASSADOR VISITS THESSALONIKI'S KALAMARIA MUNICIPALITY

Cuba's Ambassador to Greece Ana Maria Gonzales- Soares met with Kalamaria Mayor Lazaros Lazarides yesteday evening, during her visit to Thessaloniki.

The Cuban Ambassador spoke warmly of Thessaloniki, which it characterised as a "paradise" in comparison to Athens.

Ms. Gonzales-Soares was invited by the Greek-Cuban association of friendship and solidarity and attended an event held last evening in the city's workers center commemmorating the 29-year mark since the death of Che Guevara.

[11] EPISODES ERUPT IN NORTHERN GREECE'S GOLD MINING PROJECT, LOCALS PROTEST

Three persons were injured and six others were arrested (but were later released) when episodes erupted this afternoon near Halkidiki's multi-billion-drachma gold production project, operated by Canadian company TVX Gold, where agry locals protesting the project bloicked the roads and clashed with police.

The local residents claim that the gold processing plant will hurt local tourism and damage the environment.

Yesterday, he company's local head has stated that the firm will suspend its 270 billion USD -Greece's largest project during the recent years- on October 23 if local residents continue to disrupt their work.

"The company is scheduled to suspend the operation of the mines if the road (to the mines) does not open before the end of October," said Costas Sinis, TVX's executive vice-president in Greece.

The gold processing plant has been stopped from starting operations for the past ten months.

According to Sinis, the company has so far lost 28 million USD from these delays and it has continued to pay its 500 workers without making any profits.

TVX Gold bought the two mines in Halkidiki during December of 1995 and agreed to build a gold processing plant in a 270 million USD inestment, the biggest in Greece for the past three decades.

The area's residents appear divided as hundreds of local laborers and residents took part in a march held in the city of Poligyros on Monday, expressing their support to the gold production project.

TVX Gold foresees that the project will triple the area's gold output to 1.2 million ounces by 1998.

According to environmental impact reports published by TVX Gold, the project is environmentally sound as it will employ modern technology to process the gold.

[12] MACEDONIAN TOMB FOUND IN PELLA BY ARCHAELOGISTS

Another Macedonian tomb has been discovered in the region of ancient Pella, the capital of the ancient Macedonians, dating back to the fourth century B.C.

The discovery of this tomb was announced today during the Conference on Ancient Macedonia, currently held in Thessaloniki.

According to the archaeologists who made the discovery, the tomb is divided in two sections and contains three marble sarcophagus which, possibly, contained the bodies of a locally renowned family.

Each sarcophagus is covered by two plates adorned with raised shapes, one of which depicts a young Macedonian man.

Archaeologist Pavlos Chrysostomou characterized the discovery as a "splendid example of dramatic realism which brings to mind Lysippos' works which were constructed under the request of Alexander the Great."

[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

[13] EUROPEAN COMMISSION ADOPTS REINFORCED CONVERGENCE PROGRAM FOR 1998

The European Commission adopted reinforced economic convergence procedures for Greece and other countries of the European Union which appear unlikely to be able to join the first phase of the economic and monetary union.

According to the Commission's communique, coupled by comments of its President Jacques Santer, these changes stem from the principle that the introduction of the euro on January 1, 1999 must not split the Union in two.

As such, each country will be asked to submit a detailed convergence program, containing the country's objectives interns of public finances, inflation and exchange rate stability.

According to the Commission, the presentation of more detailed national convergence programs will help reduce the causes of monetary instability in the single markey and allow non-participating countries to join the euro zone as soon as possible.

[14] EUROPARLIAMENT'S SOCIALIST GROUP BLOCKS MEDA FUNDS TO TURKEY

The Plenary session of the European Parliament's Socialist Group unanimously approved an amendment regarding the application of MEDA funding programs, marking a change that linearly opposes the recent decision drawn by the European Commission to free MEDA funds to Turkey.

In its session last evening the Socialist Group, which is the largest group in Europarliament, voted an amendment asking the Commission, in its allocation of the MEDA funds, to take into consideration the degree to which a country respects human rights, international law, minorities, territorial integrity, and the exterior border of countries-members.

The Socialist Group asks that the funds earmarked for Turkey should be "kept" within the community's budget until the prerequisities set by the Europarliament are met.

The final decision will be drawn next week during the 1997 budget at a discussion to be held by the European Parliament's Plenary Session in Strasburg.

[15] EUROPEAN UNION'S PRESIDUM CONDEMNS LATEST MURDER OF GREEK-CYPRIOT

The European Union's Presidium issued an announcement today in which it condemns the murder of Greek-Cypriot Petros Kakoullis.

In its statement, the EU Presidium stated that the EU "fully adopts the principle that has been expressed by the United Nations peaceekeeping forces in Cyprus that lethal force must not be used by either side against persons who cross the demarcation line or enter the buffer zone."

The statement concludes by noting that the EU will try to encourage and promote the efforts that aim at repeating the dialogue between the two communities, based on the UN Security Council's decisions.

[16] GREEK PREMIER INVITED TO AUSTRALIA BY LABOR PARTY LEADERS

North Australia's Labor Party leader Mike Ryan and Victoria's Labour Party Vice President Dimitris Dollis have issued an invitation to Greek Prime Minister Kostas Simitis to visit their country in an effort to "strengthen the friendly relations between the two countries."

[17] CYPRUS ISSUES ARREST WARRANTS FOR KILLERS OF ISAAK AND SOLOMOU

The Cypriot General District Attorney is preparing warrants for the arrests of the Turkish killers of the Greek-Cypriots Tasos Isaak and Solomos Solomou.

In regards to Sunday's murder of Greek-Cypriot Petros Kakoullis by the turkish occupation forces, Cypriot D.A. Alekos Markides characterised the killing as "premeditated murder."

On Saturday, Greek-Cypriot civilians will block the "Ledra Palace" road for five hours in order to express their indignation of the murders of Greek-Cypriots by the Turks.

[18] "CYPRUS: 8,000 YEARS OF CULTURE" EXHIBITED AT MONTREAL'S MUSEUM

An exhibit titled "Cyprus: 8,000 Years of Culture" was inaugurated yesterday at Montreal's Archaeological Museum.

The exhibit features 112 displays from the Neolithic period, as well as the Classic, Hellinistic, and Roman periods which tesitfy the developments of art in Cyprus.

The exhibit was jointly organised by the Museum and Cyprus' Department of Antiquities Artifacts and will be held until March 16, 1997.

[19] THE TURKISH-CYPRIOT POLICE CHIEF ACCUSED OF KILLING A GREEK-CYPRIOT LAST AUGUST HAS BEEN INVITED TO ATTEND AN INTERPOL CONFERENCE IN TURKEY

One of the killers of greek-cypriot Solomos Solomou, turkish-cypriot Police Chief Attilas Saap was invited by Turkey to attend an Interpol Conference that will be held in the city of Antallia.

According to turkish-cypriot newspapers "Birlik" and "Kipris", in Interpol's 65th General Assembly that will be held on November 12 have also been invited to participate the drug enforcement chief, Hasan Daji and Chief of the agency for the investigation of crimes, Mehmet Okstamar.

The greek-cypriot delegation, which is determined not to allow any attempt aimed at the recognition of the turkish-cypriot pseudostate, is made up of Police Chief, Panikos Hatziloizou and Chief of Staff Office Director, Sotiris Charalampous.

Interpol has officially invited only the Cypriot Republic police and has stated that there was no invitation issued for the turkish-cypriot police.

According to information, the turks are trying to achieve the recognition of the turkish-cypriot pseudostate in a conference hosted in Turkey.

Complete archives of the Macedonian Press Agency bulletins are available on the MPA Home Page at http://www.mpa.gr/ and on the U.S. mirror at http://www.hri.org/MPA/