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Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 97-10-12Macedonian Press Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Macedonian Press Agency at http://www.mpa.gr and http://www.hri.org/MPA.Last Update: 18:41 GMT+2SECTIONS
NEWS HEADLINES[A] GREECE[B] BALKANSNEWS IN DETAIL[A] GREECE[01] GREEK PREMIER: THE ECONOMY IS ON A POSITIVE COURSEWeb Posted: 18:41 GMT+2Athens, October 12 (MPA)Prime Minister Kostas Simitis characterized the course of the country's economy as "positive", during his address this morning at the ruling PASOK party's national conference on small-to medium-sized businesses.The Premier stressed that store owners, manufacturers and professionals must contribute to the state's efforts for financial recovery and stability, while he granted heightened emphasis to the government's fiscal policy, in light of the upcoming budget. Moreover, the Prime Minister stated that 1998 is a target year for reducing inflation to the 2.5% mark. In turn, the Minister of National Economy and Finance Yiannos Papantoniou stated that radical changes will take place in the country's social insurance system after the year 2000, and, five years thereafter, hundreds of organizations in the public sector will either be merged or deleted. Also, the Minister of Development Vaso Papandreou announced that new regulations will be established that will aim at granting easier financing to small-to-medium-sized businesses. A.F. [02] GREECE TO PROPOSE BALKAN ALLIANCE DURING CRETE'S SUMMITWeb Posted: 18:41 GMT+2Athens, October 12 (MPA)Greece's Prime Minister Kostas Simitis is to propose a "Balkan Alliance" during the upcoming Summit Meeting of Southeastern European countries, to be held on November 2-4 at the island of Crete.Mr. Simitis is to ask the Summit's participants to agree on matters concerning respect of international law and the promotion of multifaceted cooperation among the Balkan states. Specifically, the two points that will be sought after during the conference will concern solidarity and cohesive security. According to Greek press reports, the Greek government will propose that the participating countries (Albania, Bulgaria, Rump Yugoslavia, FYROM, Croatia, Romania and Turkey) adopt a common statement which will encompass the following principles: Establishment of the generally-accepted rules and regulation of International Law, such as respecting territorial integrity and the status quo of borders, the absence of use of force or the threat thereof, as well as the peaceful settlement of differences through recourse with the International Court of Justice at The Hague. Further promotion of a cohesive and multifaceted cooperation (economic, industrial, tourism, cultural) among the Balkan countries for the creation of a good neighborliness climate. For the materialization of the above, the participating countries are expected to agree on: The establishment of a system of political negotiations on a regular basis and on all levels. The systematic cooperation of the Balkan countries' police forces for combating organized crime and illegal immigration. A regularly-held summit of Balkan foreign ministers which will aim at strengthening political cooperation. A Summit Conference held on a semi-annual basis, modeled after the European Councils. Concurrently, Greece is to announce its will and intention to support the Balkan countries' requests to the European Union, especially requests concerning funding and structures. A.F. [03] THERE IS NO ORGANISED CRIME IN GREECE, ACCORDING TO US DATAWeb Posted: 18:41 GMT+2Thessaloniki, October 12 (MPA)Greece's Minister of Public Order George Romeos has stated that, according to data provided by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, there appears to be no organized crime in Greece.In a press interview, Mr. Romeos, who was recently at the United States where he had a series of contacts with CIA and FBI officials, stated that Greece is not a favored route form drug traffickers who stem from Turkey, since other routes have opened from Albania and FYROM. A.F. [04] MACEDONIAN STRUGGLE COMMEMORATED THROUGHOUT NORTHERN GREECEWeb Posted: 18:41 GMT+2Thessaloniki, October 12 (MPA)The Macedonian Struggle and the men who lost their lives during those hostilities were commemorated today through a series of events that took place throughout northern Greece.Wreaths were laid in Thessaloniki's Macedonomachon Square. A.F. [B] BALKANS[05] THREE CHILDREN KILLED IN ALBANIA FROM BOMB EXPLOSIONWeb Posted: 18:41 GMT+2Tirana, October 12 (MPA)Three young children, seven to nine years old, lost their lives in Albania today after the bomb they were playing with exploded, in a small town outside Tirana.This tragic event seems to confirm the concerns of the Albanian government that if the ammunition that has been stolen from the military depots is not returned, then Albania is to mourn more innocent victims. A.F. [06] BOMB EXPLODES AT A MULTI-NATIONAL SCHOOL IN BOSNIAWeb Posted: 18:41 GMT+2Sarajevo, October 12 (MPA)A bomb exploded yesterday at a catholic school in Sarajevo, attended by Croat, Muslim and Serb students, according to the French press agency AFP.There were no victims from the explosion of the bomb whose detonation caused material damages. This marked the fifth attack in the city of Sarajevo against buildings that are occupied by various nationalities. A.F. [07] ALBANIAN PRESIDENT: WE WANT CLOSER COOPERATION WITH GREECEWeb Posted: 18:41 GMT+2Strasbourg, October 12 (MPA)Albania's President Rejep Meidani, speaking exclusively to the Macedonian Press agency, stated that the decisions drawn recently with the Greek government's leaders in Tirana are quite positive for his country, adding that "a lot remains to be done still" referring to the upcoming visit of Greece's Premier Kostas Simitis to Tirana on October 15.President Meidani, speaking at the Council of Europe's Summit Conference in Strasbourg, also stated that "the further development of cooperation between the two countries corresponds to the will of both peoples". Specifically, the Albanian President stated that some of the issues that remain to be resolved concern the legalization of Albanian illegal immigrants in Greece, heightened economic cooperation between the two countries and Greece's aid to Albanian's ministry of the interior and armed forces. A.F. [08] ALBANIAN PREMIER: WE ARE READY TO PARTICIPATE IN LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL INITIATIVESWeb Posted: 18:41 GMT+2Tirana, October 12 (MPA)The Prime Minister of Albanian Fatos Nano has stated that his country is "ready to participate in the various local and international initiative ," during his address before the Bucharest-held north-Atlantic parliamentary assembly.Talks held between the Albanian leader and various foreign officials focused on the present situation in the Balkans and their future. Mr. Nano stressed that "the Balkans must not remain a region of historic conflict." A.F. [09] HOLBROOKE, MILLER ARRIVE IN ANKARAWeb Posted: 18:41 GMT+2Ankara, October 12 (MPA)United States President Clinton's special envoy for the Cyprus issue Richard Holbrooke is expected to arrive in Ankara today, while the State Department's coordinator for the Cyprus issue Thomas Miller has already arrived in Turkey where he is to be received by Turkish officials.Following Ankara, Mr. Miller is expected to visit Athens where he will not be accompanied by Mr. Holbrooke, according to the State Department's spokesperson James Rubin. Mr. Holbrooke will be received by Turkish President Suleiman Demirel, Premier Mesut Yilmaz and other high-ranking officials. This is his first visit to Ankara since he was assigned to this present post. A.F. 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/Macedonian Press Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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