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Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 97-11-11Macedonian 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: 21:37 GMT+2SECTIONS
NEWS HEADLINES[A] GREECE[B] BALKANS[C] EUROPE[D] WORLDNEWS IN DETAIL[A] GREECE[01] GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE CONVENES TODAY, CHAIRED BY PRIME MINISTERWeb Posted: 16:32 GMT+2Athens, November 11 (MPA)The country's government committee is to convene this afternoon, in a session chaired by Prime Minister Kostas Simitis, in order to examine the opportunities to draw measures for a social policy.According to reports, the participants are to decide ion extending the social solidarity pension to persons aged 65 and above, as well as to other special categories such as widows and children. [02] PRO-JUNTA ACTIONS REPORTED IN POLICE FORCE, INVESTIGATION ORDEREDWeb Posted: 16:32 GMT+2Thessaloniki, November 11 (MPA)Public Order Minister, George Romeos, has ordered an inside investigation after the charges of the State Council deputy of PASOK, Paraskevas Paraskevopoulos, against the action of ultra-right-wing followers and pro- junta organizations within the special forces of the police force of Thessaloniki. Already, two police officers have been suspended from the force.They were shown on a video-document, during a celebration, amusing themselves with pro-junta songs, firing in the air and wearing junta symbols on their hats. Mr. Paraskevopoulos stressed that there additional documents that are currently at the disposal of the Public Order Minister. [03] ROMEOS: WE WILL CRACK DOWN ON THE DICTATORSHIP NOSTALGICSWeb Posted: 18:28 GMT+2Athens 11 November (MPA)Minister of Public Order Giorgos Romeos stated that tough measures will be taken against the dictatorship nostalgics within the police force. The minister recognized that there was a problem with the stance of the police force while handling the recent incidents in Thessaloniki.He also pointed out that new evidence came to light concerning the connections of the police officers, who appear in an amateur video singing and dancing to pro-junta songs. The new evidence is in the hands of Greek Police deputy chief mr.Mitropoulos, who is in charge of the special internal investigation underway. [04] GOVERNMENT MEETING ON BUDGET ISSUESWeb Posted: 18:28 GMT+2Athens 11 November (MPA)A government meeting chaired by Prime Minister Kostas Simitis was held today to discuss budget issues and take social policy measures aimed at dealing with unemployment.The new budget is expected to be finalized tomorrow by the cabinet and in the afternoon of the same day will be submitted to Parliament. [05] THE PRICE INDEX FELL BY 5,96% IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGEWeb Posted: 18:28 GMT+2Athens 11 November (MPA)The price index in the Athens Stock Exchange fell by 5,96% at noon today. The volume of trading reached 21,7 billion drachmas.The negative climate is due to the liquidity problem faced by the banks in the international market that leads them to increase their interest rates and as a result investors sell their stocks. [06] SCANDALIDIS COMMENTS AFTER HIS MEETING WITH KONSTANTOPOULOSWeb Posted: 21:37 GMT+2Athens, November 11 (MPA)Secretary General of the Central Committee of PASOK, Kostas Scandalidis, following his meeting with the President of the Coalition of the Left and Progress (SYN), Nikos Konstantopoulos, stated PASOK's view upon the municipal elections and in general the strategy that the leading party is to follow. Mr. Scandalidis said that "the truth is that today we faced a denial", as such pointing out the essence of the meeting he had with the President of SYN. Furthermore, Mr. Scandalidis stated that "PASOK, in contrast with the President of SYN who appears to be trapped by the internal conflicts of his party, feels that there isn't a dead end. Because we believe that there are no dead ends in the world of politics. On the contrary, they are solved every time by the specific political choices".E.K. [B] BALKANS[07] HOLBROOKE IN CYPRUS, TO MEET WITH CLERIDES AND DENKTASHWeb Posted: 16:32 GMT+2Nicosia, November 11 (MPA)The United States Presidential Envoy for the Cyprus issue Richard Holbrooke is currently in Cyprus where he is to meet with the Cypriot President, Glafkos Clerides, and Turkish-Cypriot leader, Rauf Denktash at the Ledra Palace hotel in Nicosia.Yesterday evening Mr. Holbrooke held separate meetings with Mr. Clerides and Mr. Denktash, the content of which was not publicized. [08] KOSSOVO: RUGOVA IS REPORTEDLY WILLING TO MEET WITH F.R.Y.'S MILOSEVICWeb Posted: 16:32 GMT+2Pristina, November 11 (MPA)The leader of Kossovo's Albanian residents Ibrahim Rugova is reportedly willing to meet for the first time with the President of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Slobodan Milosevic, under the condition that the agreement of reinstating the teaching of the Albanian language in Kossovo will materialize.Meanwhile, the Liberating Army of Kossovo has accepted the responsibility for the recent bombing attack at the City Hall of Pontujevo. [09] HALBROOKE-CLERIDES-DENKTASH MEETINGWeb Posted: 18:28 GMT+2Nicosia 11 November (MPA)The course of the Cyprus problem was the subject of discussion in the joint meeting of US presidential envoy Richard Halbrooke with Cypriot President Glafkos Clerides and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash that was held today.After the meeting, that lasted 4 hours, mr.Halbrooke stated that the talks will continue and announced that he will also visit Ankara for talks with the Turkish government. The US official reiterated the US government's interest in the solution of the Cyprus problem, while he expressed Washington's position that Turkey is necessary to become a part of the European institutions. Mr.Halbrooke expressed satisfaction for the opening of talks on the Cyprus issue but avoided to refer to details regarding today's meeting, stressing that the two leaders have pledged not to make any statements on what has been discussed. He also expressed the hope that the talks will create the opportunities needed for the solution of the Cyprus problem. The US official also referred to the 1974 events in the island. Mr.Halbrooke said that the United States are interested in the solution of the Cyprus problem and underlined Washington's vital interests in the region. [10] HOLBROOKE : THERE IS NO CRISIS BETWEEN GREECE AND TURKEYWeb Posted: 21:37 GMT+2Nicosia, November 11 (MPA)His belief that there is no crisis in the relations between Greece and Turkey, but a simple problem that has to be solved, stated the American presidential envoy for the Cypriot issue, Richard Holbrooke, following his meeting with Cypriot President Glafkos Clerides and the Turkish-Cypriot leader, Rauf Denktash. "I saw both countries saying things that made no sense to me" Mr. Holbrooke said, adding that the tension that existed was created by the mass media. He also strongly supported the opinion that there was no crisis present not even at the IMIA incident, while he repeated once more USA's interest for the South - Eastern Mediterranean.E.K. [11] VARNA : GREEK MAN SENTENCED TO 24 YEARS IN PRISON FOR MURDERWeb Posted: 21:37 GMT+2Varna, November 11 (MPA)A 24-year imprisonment sentence was imposed by the Court of the city of Varna, Bulgaria, to the Greek citizen Alexandros Mirinja, who was found guilty of premeditated homicide. On the 9th of January 1994 Mirinja killed the Greek Georgia Lambrou, medical student in Varna. It hasn't been yet clarified where he will serve his penalty, since the relatives of the victim have also appealed, for the same case, to the Court of the first instance of Piraeus, which has not yet passed judgment. In case that the Greek Court will also find Mirinja as being guilty he will serve his penalty in Greece.E.K. [C] EUROPE[12] THE GREEK DEFENSE MINISTER MET WITH HIS HUNGARIAN COUNTERPARTWeb Posted: 18:28 GMT+2Budapest 11 November (MPA)Greek Minister of Defense Akis Tsochatzopoulos met with his Hungarian counterpart mr.Keleti, who briefed him on the referendum that will be held next Sunday on Hungary's membership of NATO.In statements the two ministers made to journalists they supported Hungary's accession into NATO's southern wing. The final decision on the issue will be made by the country's government. [13] SPORTS EDITORS' CONFERENCE OPENS IN THESSALONIKI TOMORROWWeb Posted: 18:28 GMT+2Thessaloniki 11 November (MPA)The Conference of Sports Editors titled "Greece-Balkans-Europe", that is organized by the Greek Association of Sports Press, opens in Thessaloniki tomorrow and will last until Friday.The 16th Conference of Sports Editors from Greece and Cyprus will be held on the first day of the proceedings and its main theme will be the 2004 Olympic Games. The European forum "Mass Media, marketing and sports" will be held on the following day with main speaker the International Olympic Committee marketing director. The 1st Balkan Conference of Sports Editors will be held on Friday and many veteran Balkan athletes will be honored. In the conference will participate representatives from 20 European countries. [14] GREEK MAN FALLS VICTIM TO SKINHEADS IN GERMANYWeb Posted: 21:37 GMT+2Bonn, November 11 (MPA)A Greek man, the 53-year-old restaurant owner Tasos Dalakouras, fell victim to an attack by skinheads in a town near Berlin on Saturday and is currently hospitalized in an intensive care unit with severe slash wounds in the abdomen and the trachea.The phenomenon of racist attacks against those who are deemed by the neonazis as "foreigners", has taken alarming proportions in the eastern German state of Bradenmburg, where similar attacks are almost an everyday occurrence. In the case of Dalakouras, whose restaurant is a familly-operated business, the group of neonazis had cornered his father and when he came to his rescue they slashed his throat and plunged a knife into his chest and abdomen. A.F. [15] ROMANIAN WITCHES, FORTUNE TELLERS FORM A UNION TO CAST OFF FAKESWeb Posted: 21:37 GMT+2Bucharest, November 11 (MPA)Witches and fortune tellers are to unite their glass balls and form a union to protect their craft against an increasing number of impostors, according to the French News agency AFP."Many people who have nothing to do with this business are pretending to be able to tell the future and are stealing our clients," the clairvoyant Madame Lucretia told the AFP on her mobile phone. She said that dozens of women claiming to be descendants of the famous witch Omida, who died thirty years ago, were "exploiting her renown" in order to attract customers. "Only those who can prove their ability to tell the future and lift evil spells from people will be admitted to our union," she said. [D] WORLD[16] NICHOLAS BURNS SWORN IN AS UNITED STATES AMBASSADOR TO GREECEWeb Posted: 16:32 GMT+2Washington, November 11 (MPA)Nicholas Burns, the White House's former spokesperson, was sworn-in yesterday evening as the United States' newly-appointed ambassador to Greece, in a ceremony held before the Secretary of State Madeleine Albright.In his speech, Mr. Burns stressed that the two countries should move ahead with a more updated diplomatic agenda that will reflect the many changes that have affected both the United States and Greece during the last decade alone. "This agenda is to serve the interests of both countries, but will necessitate a new spirit of equality and cooperation in order to succeed," he stressed. In turn, the new ambassador outlined the five aims he holds as he undertakes his new post: "First, we must work towards maintaining a strong NATO and strong military ties between the United States and Greece. Second, the US should encourage Greece and Turkey to begin a new and intense effort to put an end to their differences in the Aegean and to achieve a fair, viable and peaceful solution to the Cyprus issue, as Richard Holbrooke is trying to do today in Nicosia. "Third, the US support the active Greek efforts to promote stability peace and welfare in the Balkans where Greece is unrivaled when it comes to influence. Fourth, we also wholeheartedly support the recent initiatives taken by the Greek government to reform and modernize its economy. Fifth, we need to work together more decisively in order to promote the security of the Greek and American people, by combating terrorism in both countries and throughout the world." [17] IRAQ INSISTS THAT AMERICANS BE EXPELLED FROM UN's REVIEW COMMITTEEWeb Posted: 16:32 GMT+2New York, November 11 (MPA)Iraq's deputy Prime Minister T. Aziz insists that the Americans who are members of the United Nations' special committee regarding his country's disarmament should not be allowed to participate, stating that "the adversary cannot be our judge" during his meeting with the UN secretary- general Kofi Annan.Earlier, a US U2 surveillance aircraft flew above Iraq, prompting the Iraqi Foreign Minister to state that his country is to respond to the violations of sovereignty. [18] DRAFT RESOLUTION ON IMIA WAS SUBMITTED TO THE US CONGRESSWeb Posted: 18:28 GMT+2Washington 11 November (MPA)A draft resolution on Imia was submitted to the US Congress at the initiative of US House Representative Michael Pappas, expressing among others, the legislative body's belief that the Imia islets in the Aegean Sea are of Greek sovereignty based on International Law.In the text, which is signed by 21 US House Representatives from both the Democratic and Republican parties, it is pointed out that the Greek sovereignty over the Dodecanese islands was established by the international treaties of 1923, 1932 and 1947 and that the European Parliament with its resolution in February 1996 maintains that the sea borders set by the treaties of 1923 and 1932 constitute the borders between Greece and Turkey. It is also stressed that the basic principle of International Law is that the borders between countries are inviolable, while it points out that eastern Mediterranean is a region of vital strategic importance for the United States that are interested in the peaceful solution of differences between NATO allies. In a statement issued by Greek-American US House Representative Michael Pappas, it is underlined that the US government, that plays the important role of a respected mediator and International Law supporter, has the obligation to state to Turkey that it makes a mistake in the issue of Imia, which are Greek islets. The latest incidents in the Aegean, stresses mr.Pappas, with the harassment of the Greek Defense Minister's aircraft by Turkish fighter jets and the continuing illegal occupation of northern Cyprus by the Turks, make it imperative that a priority should be given by the US policy to the territorial integrity of the region. [19] THE TURKISH MILITARY OPERATIONS IN IRAQ CONTINUEWeb Posted: 18:28 GMT+2Paris 11 November (MPA)The Turkish military operations in northern Iraq continue, while the world attention is focused on the crisis between Baghdad and the UN Security Council, according to the French newspaper "Le Monde".The newspaper mentions that the Turkish military forces participate in the armed clashes between the two rival Kurdish organizations namely, Talabani's UPK and Barzani's PDK. Ankara announced last Saturday that a "limited operation" against PKK's strategic positions is taking place and accused the UPK members of cooperating with PKK rebels, an accusation denied by Talabani's party. [20] APPEALS FOR THE RELEASE OF A JAILED KURDISH FORMER PARLIAMENT DEPUTYWeb Posted: 18:28 GMT+2Washington 11 November (MPA)A joint appeal for the release from the Turkish jails of the imprisoned former Turkish Parliamentarian Leyla Zana, who is of Kurdish origin, was made to US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright by Republican majority chairman in the House of Representatives' Committee on International Relations, Benjamin Gilman and Democrat minority chairman in the same committee, Lee Hamilton.The two chairmen request from the US Secretary of State to convey to the Turkish authorities, in the strongest possible manner, that the punishment of ms.Zana for exercising the rights she is guaranteed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Helsinki Final Act signed by Turkey is unacceptable. In their letter they protest against the deplorable action by the government of Turkey which is punishing ms.Zana for expressing her views on Ankara's treatment of the Kurdish minority. Meanwhile, a number of Kurds are in the second week of a hunger strike aimed at sensitizing the public opinion to the imprisonment of ms.Zana. Recently, 150 US House Representatives sent a letter to the US President protesting this deplorable action by the government of Turkey. Mr.Gilman and mr.Hamilton in their letter to ms.Albright reiterated the request made by their 150 colleagues, who asked that the US President urge the government of Turkey to immediately release ms.Zana and take other appropriate measures. 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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