Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 97-05-15

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

Macedonian Press Agency: News in English Directory

MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH

Thessaloniki, May 15, 1997

NEWS IN ENGLISH

[A] NATIONAL NEWS

[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

TITLES

[A] NATIONAL NEWS

[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

NEWS IN DETAIL

[A] NATIONAL NEWS

[01] GREEK PREMIER CHAIRS MEETING ON NATIONAL MATTERS

Greece's Prime Minister Kostas Simitis is to chair a meeting today to discuss the country's national issues, with the participation of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs Theodoros Pangalos and National Defense Akis Tsochatzopoulos.

The talks will focus mostly on the latest developments, especially in Greek-Turkish affairs and the relations between Greece and FYROM.

Also, the participants will examine the Cyprus issue, in light of the meeting to be held between Cypriot President Glafkos Clerides and Turkish-Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash at the beginning of next month. A.F.

[02] FORMER PRESIDENT'S ARCHIVES UNVEILED YESTERDAY

The 12th and last volume of the archives of Greece's former President and founder of New Democracy party Konstantinos Karamanlis was unveiled in Athens yesterday evening.

Former Premier George Rallis said that the country would be in a more prosperous position today if during its first term PASOK had adopted the policies currently enforced by Premier Simitis.

The Prime Minister Kostas Simitis was absent from the event since he was to be the main speaker at the one-year anniversary of Mr. Panadreou's death. New Democracy's honorary president Konstantinos Mitsotakis was also absent from the book's presentation.

[03] MEETING ON THE GREEK-TURKISH RELATIONS AND THE CYPRUS PROBLEM

A meeting presided over by Prime Minister Kostas Simitis was held today with the participation of Minister of Defence Akis Tsochatzopoulos, Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos and Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs Yiannos Kranidiotis to discuss the developments in the Greek-Turkish relations.

Their talks focused on the Dutch EU Presidency proposals as they are being formed after the Greek rejection of the proposal for direct talks between the Committees of experts established by Athens and Ankara.

In the meeting was also discussed the Cyprus issue and the situation created with the UN Secretary General proposal for direct talks between Cypriot President Glafkos Clerides and Turkish-Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash.

[04] GREEK PUBLIC ORDER MINISTER DEPARTS FOR CYPRUS TONIGHT

Greece's Minister of Public Order George Romeos has embarked on a formal three-day visit to Cyprus, accompanied by the Chief of Greek Police Athanasios Vasilopoulos.

The Minister wuill be received by the President of the Republic of Cyprus Glafkos Clerides and the President of the Cypriot Parliament Spyros Kyprianou. The meeting is to be held within the framework of an educational field trip of the Greek Police's 145 officer cadets.

[05] GREECE SENDS ADDITIONAL HUMANITARIAN AID TO IRAN

Greece's Health and Welfare Ministry will send additional emergency aid to quake-stricken northeastern Iran, including medical supplies, tents and blankets.

Over 2,500 persons were killed and 40,000 were injured in northeastern Iran after a catastrophic earthquake rocked the region earlier this week, measuring 7.1 on the Richter scale.

[06] UNDERSECRETARY OF FINANCE: GREECE CAN'T BE A CEMETERY OF USED CARS

Greece is not about to turn into a "cemetery" of used cars, stated the state's under-Secretary of Finance George Drys today, referring to the European Commission's suit against Greece for excessive charges on imported used vehicles, to be heard by the European Court on May 29.

The Commission filed suit against Greece in June 1995 for failing to meet the EU-imposed legislation on the importation of used cars.

Greece's argument is that it has imposed extra taxes on older cars in order to dissuade buyers from purchasing them as this would further harm the environment and worsen air pollution.

However, the Commission counters this argument by stating that this negative environmental impact should be addressed through technical checks, not taxes.

[07] AN AHEPA DELEGATION MET WITH THE CYPRIOT PARLIAMENT PRESIDENT

A delegation of the Greek-American organization AHEPA headed by its President Spyros Makris met in Nicosia today with Cypriot Parliament President Spyros Kyprianou and with Foreign Minister Yiannakis Kasoulidis.

The 13-member delegation arrived in Cyprus yesterday for a 3- day visit during which will have contacts with the island's political leadership.

[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

[08] INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE IN THESSALONIKI ON THE ROLE OF THE SUPREME COURTS

An International Conference on the role of the Supreme Courts at a national and international level, is organized by Aristotle University Legal and Economic Sciences Department to be held on May 21-25.

The conference will examine the contemporary role of the Supreme Courts in modern culture as well as, in the development of social values and the rule of the law.

[09] FYROM SETS PRE-CONDITIONS FOR ITS PARTICIPATION IN THE CONFERENCE OF THESSALONIKI

FYROM threatens not to participate in the Conference for the Cooperation and Security in South-eastern Europe scheduled to take place in Thessaloniki in early June in case its organizers insist the country to participate with the name FYROM.

According to the news agency MIC, which cites Foreign Ministry sources, FYROM will propose each country to be presented with the name of its Foreign Minister representing it in the conference and with its national flag.

[10] ALBANIA: BERISHA CALLS OFF EARLY ELECTIONS, OSCE'S ENVOY RUSHES TO TIRANA

Albanian President Sali Berisha has postponed the signing of the mandate to declare early elections in his country, prompting Franz Vranitski, the special envoy of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, to rush to Tirana.

Meanwhile, a 42-year-old Greek businessman George Stamatis was killed from a stray bullet yesterday in Vlore.

[11] FYROM'S PRESIDENT KIRO GLIGOROV OFFICIALLY INVITED TO US BY WHITE HOUSE

United States President Bill Clinton has officially invited FYROM;'s President Kiro Gligov to visit the US on June 17, according to White House officials.

This will be the first working visit Mr. Gligorov will be paying to the United States.

According to the announcement, the two officials will discuss bilateral and regional issues, as well as the overall security situation in southern Europe.

[12] ALBANIANS TRIED TO SMUGGLE INTO FYROM, GUARDS OPEN FIRE

The number of Albanians who try to cross FYROM's border illegally iis constantly on the rise and, accoridng to FYROM's Minsitry of the Interior, frontier guards in FYROM yesterday confornted groups of Albanians trying to smuggle into the country.

According to press reports, FYROM police yesterday arrested and deported 75 Albanian nationals and 11 F.R.Y. nationals of Albanian origin who entered FYROM illegally.

According to FYROm's Ministry of the Interior, most of the Albanian immigrants plan to enter Greece via FYROM.

[13] THE OSCE ENVOY ARRIVED IN TIRANA TODAY

OSCE envoy Frants Vranitski arrived in Tirana today in an effort to defuse the new political crisis that erupted in Albania after the Parliament passed a controversial electoral law in spite of the strong reactions displayed by the opposition which has threatened to boycott the June elections.

In statements upon his arrival in Tirana, mr.Vranitski pointed out that time will show if a new crisis is possible to be averted in the country.

[14] A PROTEST MARCH WILL BE HELD THIS AFTERNOON IN SKOPJE BY VMRO- DPMNE

The governing Social-Democratic Union characterized the protest march organized in Skopje today by the nationalist VMRO- DPMNE party as a threat against the state institutions.

The protest rally will be held in Skopje's central square this afternoon and later the demonstrators will hold a march to the Parliament and the Presidential building where they will deliver a petition with their demands.

The VMRO-DPMNE wants the government's resignation and the forming of a caretaker government that will prepare the country for early elections to be held by this fall at the latest.

[15] TWO BULGARIANS WERE KILLED IN A MINEFIELD AT MOUNT BELLES IN SERRES

Two young Bulgarians were killed in a minefield at the Greek- Bulgarian borders when they tried to enter Greece from a mountainous area in the prefecture of Serres.

The incident took place yesterday in the region of Mount Belles and the victims are 29yearold Bladen Mitsev and 27yearold Pavlina Mintseva.

[16] INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON MEDICAL INFORMATICS TO BE HELD IN HALKIDIKI

The European Federation for Medical Informatics will hold its 14th international conference in Halkidiki between May 25-29.

The conference, titled "Medical Informatics Europe "MIE '97" will feature guest-speakers from throughout Europe and will span four days of discussion, each of which will be devoted to one major topic.

Based on the lecturres to be presented, a special issue will be published in a medical journal following the conference.

[17] TURKISH DEFENSE MINISTER: ATTACKS IN NORTH IRAQ A "HUMANITARIAN MISSION"

Turkey's Defense Minister Turhan Tayan stated today that his country's military operation against the PKK in northern Iraq, which began in the early morning hours yesterday, is a "humanitarian mission."

The Turkish Minister said that the mission was carried out to protect the Kurds from the PKK and said that his country's forces will withdraw when the "operation is completed".

According to statements made by Turkey's Foreign Ministry deputy spokesman Sermet Atadzanli, the Turkish armed forces are offering limited support to the operation led by the Democratic Party of Kurdistan, which is headed by Masud Barzani.

Based on the statements made by Atadzanli, Turkey's participation in the operation had been requested by Barzani's forces.

[18] CHE GUEVARA'S DAUGHTER WILL ARRIVE IN GREECE TOMORROW

The daughter of the late Argentinian legend, the revolutionary Ernesto Che Guevara, will arrive in Athens tomorrow for a ten-day stay.

Dr. Adelaide Guevara will present a selection of materials published on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of her father's assassination in Bolivia. The selection includes an eight- videocassette documentary on Che's life and travails and also a CD and a tape with 19 songs on Che from all over the world.

During her visit to Greece, Dr. Guevara will meet with political leaders, local authorities, women's organizations, students and representatives of the medical and artistic world. She will also visit hospitals and schools.

[19] F.R.Y.: HOSPITALS ON THE VERGE OF PARALYSIS, 80% OF STAFF ON STRIKE

Most of Serbia's doctors and nurses participated in a massive protest rally in front of the State Building this morning, peaking a four-day strike that has paralyzing the state's health-care provisions and has been limited to only providing emergency aid.

The strikers demand back pay for the last four months, as well as the resignation of Health Minster Leposava Militevic, whom they hold responsible for the dire conditions in their country's hospitals.

[20] UN CHIE'S ASSISTANT MEETS WITH CYPRIOT PRESIDENT TODAY

United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan is expected to issue an invitation to the President of the Republic of Cyprus Glafkos Clerides and to the Turkish-Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash by the end of this month, according to the UN Chief's alternate special representative Gustav Feishel.

Mr. Annan's deputy Sir Kiran Pedergast met this evening with President Clerides and, following the talks, stated that the issue of direct talks between President Clerides and Mr. Denktash remains open.

Mr. Pedergast wil visit Athens and Ankara, after Nicosia, prior to returning to New York.

[21] EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: RELEASE IMPRISONED TURKISH JOURNALISTS NOW

The European Parliament has approved a resolution that asks for the immediate release of Turkish journalist Isik Yiurcu, as well as his colleagues, during its plenary session today.

The European Parliament also called on the Turkish government to lift all the obstacles posed on the freedom of the press.

Mr. Yiurcu has been sentenced to 14 years in prison by the Turkish authorities, for having worked as chief editor on the Turkish daily "Ozgur Giudem", whose publication was halted by the Turkish government in 1994.

[22] FYROM WISHES TO OPEN CONSULATE IN THESSALONIKI

The government of FYROM wishes to open a consulate in Thessaloniki, according to press reports in Skopje.

FYROM's daily "Vecer" wrote today that the Cervenkovski government has been looking into this development for some time now and feels that the consulate will serve both countries not just in the tourism sector, but in the economic as well.

Moreover, the article stated that the FYROM's Foreign Ministry would like to see the visa-issuance process change from its present regulation (visas are issued only at the Greece-FYROM border), "a change that would contribute to the economic collaboration between the two neighbors."

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