Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 98-01-14

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

Macedonian Press Agency: News in English Directory

MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH

Thessaloniki, 14 January 1998

NEWS IN ENGLISH

[A] NATIONAL NEWS

[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

TITLES

[A] NATIONAL NEWS

[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

NEWS IN DETAIL

[A] NATIONAL NEWS

[01] PRESIDENT OF GREECE ON OFFICAL VISIT TO INDIA, IN NEW DELHI TODAY

The President of the Hellenic Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos, currently on an official visit to India, the first one conducted by a Greek head of state to that country since 1982, stated that Greece supports India’s efforts to achieve a permanent seat at the United Nations Security Council.

Aiming at strengthening political and economic ties between the two countries, Mr. Stephanopoulos is accompanied by Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos, Finance Undersecretary Alekos Baltas and a delegation of leading Greek businessmen. representatives.

In New Delhi yesterday, Mr. Stephanopoulos met with his Indian counterpart Mr. Narayanan, and India's prime minister and parliament president. After the official reception ceremony, the president laid a wreath at the Mahatma Gandhi monument.

"It is with great respect that I lay this wreath, in the memory of the great humanist, political figure and liberator of India. Gandhi was one of the brightest spirits of mankind," Mr. President wrote in the special visitors' book.

Tomorrow, President Stephanopoulos is scheduled to visit the Taj Mahal. He will travel to Bombay on Friday and Calcutta on Saturday, departing for Athens on Sunday.

According to reports, business leaders accompanying the President are expected to propose that Greek engineering contractors could undertake design and construction of several projects in India. Yesterday, Mr. Pangalos signed a bilateral agreement for cooperation in the tourism sector with Indian Tourism Minister Kumar Jhenna.

Trade between Greece and India during the period of 1995-96 amounted to $120 million. A.F.

[02] THE ATHENS POLICE IS INTERROGATING SUSPECTS OF TERRORISM

Greek anti-terrorist police has arrested eight people suspected of terrorist activity, following a series of early morning raids on 10 residences in Athens.

Public Order Minister George Romeos said one of those arrested, Nikos Maziotis, is the suspected ringleader of the "Militant Guerrilla Formation" group. While stressing that the examination of the matter will take considerable time, Mr. Romeos did state that "the material found (in these homes) is used only in bombs".

Police said that the findings seized from the raided homes included 9,740 kilos of explosive material, two pistols, a handgun, 148 bullets, detonators and four hoods.

Police began closing in on the suspects following the discovery of a fingerprint - which police traced to Maziotis - on a bomb placed at the premises of the Development Ministry on December 6, which bomb had failed to explode.

The officers left the bomb intact after realizing that it had been wrongly assembled and was not dangerous. Responsibility was then claimed by the so-called "Anarchist Urban Guerrilla" organization, in protest against the involvement of the Canadian TVX mining group in a new operation in Halkidiki, northern Greece. Maziotis was subsequently placed under surveillance.

Seventeen persons were arrested initially, nine of whom were released as no incriminating evidence was found against them. A.F.

[03] PRIME MINISTER MEETS WITH EDUCATION MINISTER

Prime Minister Kostas Simitis, as part of a series of meetings he is holding with key members of the party executive, received the Education Minister Gerasimos Arsenis today.

Following their two-hour-long meeting, Mr. Arsenis stated that the talks were “useful” and that he and the Premier discussed matters pertaining to the Education Ministry, as well as the overall government task.

Mr. Arsenis was among those deputies who had openly expressed their disagreement with some of the Premier’s policies, specifically on the tax draft bill. A.F.

[04] PREMIER CHAIRS MEETING ON OLYMPIC GAMES OF 2004

Prime Minister Kostas Simitis is to chair a meeting today on the Olympic Games of 2004, which are to be held in Athens.

The meeting is to be attended by the Undersecretaries of Sports, National Economy and Environment, City Planning and Public works.

The conferees will decide on the organizational form of the committee that will organize the Games, but will not - as of yet- announce its president and participants. A.F.

[05] ATHENS ISSUES DEMARCHE TO ANKARA OVER CRIMINAL ATTACK IN ISTANBUL

The Greek government issued a demarche to the Turkish Ambassador in Athens today, over the murder of the elderly guard at the Church of Agios Therapon, located near the Church of St. Sofia, in Istanbul.

The Turkish government refused to accept the Greek Ambassador in Istanbul, who was to submit to the Turkish government officials the Greek side’s demarche.

The unprecedented criminal attack took place in Istanbul on Monday afternoon, when unidentified persons set the church on fire, murdered its elderly guard and dumped his body in a nearby well.

The Istanbul Fire Department stated that it was arson and also announced that certain valuable icons are missing.

According to Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas, based on the information available to the Greek government, the fire broke out in the church and police forces that arrived in the region after one hour found the old guard’s body in a well. As it was made known, the victim is 73-year-old Vasilis Hadiaropoulos from Greece.

[06] GREECE’S DEFENSE UNDERSECRETARY: WE CAN FACE TURKISH PROVOCATION

Greece’s Defense undersecretary Dimitris Apostolakis stated that “Turkey, though its provocative behavior, is trying to escape all bounds, but it must understand that Greece at some point will become very decisive.”

Mr. Apostolakis strongly criticized Ankara’s tactics and, when asked if there is a danger of a warm incident in the Aegean, he responded that “this danger does exist.”

He further added that there were a great number of Turkish and Greek fighter jets in the same regions yesterday and a great number of simulated fights took place, which means that there is an increased likelihood of an accident. Mr. Apostolakis stressed that the Greek armed forces are always at a state of readiness in order to face any whatsoever Turkish provocation. A.F.

[07] GREECE’S COMMUNIST PARTY SECRETARY-GENERAL TO VISIT THESSALONIKI

The secretary-general of Greece’s Communist Party Aleka Paparega is to arrive in Thessaloniki on Friday for a two-day official visit.

According to her itinerary, Ms. Paparega is to visit the facilities of Balkan Export, ECO, AGNO and will also travel to Olympiada, Halkidiki where the TVX-Hellas gold-mining plant is established by a Canadian based firm. A.F.

[08] GREEK DEMARCHE TO ANKARA ON THE CRIMINAL ATTACK IN ISTANBUL

A Greek government demarche was delivered at noon today to the Turkish ambassador to Athens concerning the murder of the elderly verger in the church of Agios Therapon in Istanbul.

Meanwhile, the Turkish side in a new show of provocation refused to receive the Greek ambassador to Istanbul, who was going to deliver a demarche to the Turkish government.

[09] SERIOUS PROBLEMS IN NORTHERN GREECE DUE TO THE FOG

Serious problems have been created in northern Greece due to the thick fog that covered the region since last night. The fog caused a bloody traffic accident in a village near the central Greek city of Larisa in which one person was killed and 10 were injured.

Also, two amateur fishermen, a father and his son, are missing in the sea region of Methoni in Pieria, as a result of the fog. The traffic problems are serious because visibility is very limited in the national road networks.

[10] THE SEARCH CONTINUES CONCERNING THE TERRORIST ORGANIZATION

The alleged head of the terrorist organization “Anarchist Urban Guerillas”, 27yearold Nikos Maziotis, will be led before a prosecutor today together with two other suspects, Ioannis and Evangelos Stathopoulos.

According to minister of public order Mr.Romeos, the police searched the houses of Maziotis and his father’s as well as, other 6 apartments and confiscated guns, explosives and bullets. Maziotis had been sentenced to a 40-month prison term in 1995 for participating in an occupation of the Polytechnic School in Athens.

Police was led to Maziotis’ arrest by a fingerprint that was found on a bomb that failed to explode in the political office of minister of development Vaso Papandreou.

[11] MEETING ON THE 2004 OLYMPIC GAMES

The organizational form of the committee responsible for the holding of the 2004 Olympic Games will be finalized today in a meeting headed by prime minister Kostas Simitis.

In the meeting participate minister of culture Evangelos Venizelos and undersecretaries of sports, national economy and finance and environment, land planning and public works. The names of the committee members are not expected to be announced.

[12] THESSALONIKI WILL HAVE THE LARGEST BONE MARROW TRANSPLANT UNIT IN THE BALKANS IN SEPTEMBER

The hematological clinic in Thessaloniki’s Papanikolaou Hospital will be inaugurated in September and it will be the only one in Greece and in the Balkans that will have a bone marrow transplant unit.

The building housing the bone barrow transplant unit was completed last June and its cost was half a billion drachmas. The project was financed by the Association of Friends of Cancer Suffering Children “Storgi”.

[13] NEW GREEK AIR SPACE VIOLATIONS BY TURKISH JETS

New violations of the Greek air space were committed today by Turkish fighter jets. The Turkish aircraft were immediately intercepted by Greek jets.

Fourteen Turkish fighter jets entered the Athens FIR and made 16 violations of the Greek air space east of the islands of Chios, Rhodes and Karpathos. Greek Mirages and F-16 aircraft took off from Skiros and Limnos and intercepted the Turkish jets, while in two instances engagements were recorded.

Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas stated that Turkey’s behavior is unacceptable, provocative and pathetic and stressed that Ankara insists in implicating the army in the implementation of its foreign policy.

He said that this tactic has not benefited Turkey and blamed Ankara for the tough dog-fights that were held over the helicopter carrying Greek minister of defense Akis Tsochatzopoulos to the island of Psara. This behavior is not honest and is not a behavior of a civilized country, said the Greek government spokesman.

Meanwhile, Greek president Kostis Stephanopoulos, who is on a formal visit to New Delhi, strongly criticized Turkey for its provocative stance in the Aegean. Briefing Indian politicians and diplomats, Mr.Stephanopoulos said that Greece is under a constant threat of war by Turkey, referring to the likelihood to expand the Greek territorial waters from 6 to 12 miles.

[14] POLITICAL ASYLUM WAS GRANTED TO A KURDISH JOURNALIST WHO SEWED HIS LIPS TOGETHER

Political asylum was granted to an Iraqi Kurd journalist who entered Greece illegally and sewed his lips together in order to draw attention to his case.

Twenty-one year old Hodor Salah, who was arrested together with other Iraqi Kurds near Evros River in north-eastern Greece, sewed his lips together with a needle and a thread he carried with him and went on a hunger strike fearing persecution in Iraq in case the Greek authorities decided to send him back.

The young Kurd was taken to a hospital on Monday where the stitches were removed and the Greek court authorities announced today that he will be granted political asylum.

[15] PRESIDENT STEPHANOPOULOS: THE GREEK IMPORTS TO INDIA MUST INCREASE

Greek president Kostis Stephanopoulos, speaking in a meeting he had with Indian businessmen in New Delhi where he is on a one- week formal visit, stated that the trade transactions between Greece and India must be increased.

According to the news agency Press Trust of India, Mr.Stephanopoulos stated that bilateral trade should be increased, referring specifically to the sectors of telecommunications, food and pharmaceuticals.

He also pointed out that the trade balance between the two countries favors India and called for the increase of Greek imports to the country.

[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

[16] BRITISH AMBASSADOR IN ATHENS: WE WANT BETTER GREEK-TURKISH TIES

The British Ambassador in Athens Sir Michael Llewellyn Smith stated yesterday that his country supports every effort exerted by NATO and the United States for the reduction of tension between Greece and Turkey.

However, the British diplomat also expressed his skepticism over such success, stating that any effort by the European Union might not be successful in view of Turkey's reaction to a decision by last month's EU summit in Luxembourg not to include it in the next wave of candidate member-states.

During the press conference, on the occasion of Britain's six-month reign as EU President, the ambassador said that his government will focus on the accession process for 10 candidate states from central and eastern Europe and for Cyprus, on the Economic and Monetary Union, as well as on issues concerning unemployment, crime-fighting and the environment.

Regarding Cyprus’s accession talks, the British ambassador said the participation of Turkish-Cypriots in the talks, while desirable, was not associated with the starting date of the said negotiations. A.F.

[17] EU OFFICALS TO MEET WITH US SECRETARY OF STATE, WILL DISCUSS CYPRUS

European Union officials are to meet with the US Secretary of State Madeline Albright in Washington tomorrow, with the Cyprus issue being one of the matters of discussion.

British Foreign Minister Robin Cook and the vice-president of The European Commission Sir. Leon Brittan are to embark on a one- day visit to the US tomorrow.

Among the other issues to be discussed will be the situation in the Middle East, Algeria, the Asian economic crisis and a series of trade-related subjects. A.F.

[18] EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT PRESIDENT TO VISIT ATHENS AT END OF THE MONTH

The President of the European Parliament Jose Maria Jil Robles is to conduct an official visit to Athens on January 29- 31.

In a press conference given in Strasbourg, Mr. Robles stated that his contacts with Greece’s political leaders will be of a general nature and he noted that he wants to form an opinion on Greece sees the structural hurdles of the European fulfillment, the Euro, the Amsterdam Accord, and the Greek Parliament’s view on issues related to the unified European election process.

Referring to the dialogue which Athens pioneered with other Mediterranean countries and states from the Middle East, Mr. Robles stated that “Greece is the preferential observation post and I believe that the views of the Greek authorities will help us in developing our ties in that (geographical) direction. We have an interest in working toward the development of the Mediterranean’s southern end, since Europe’s’ viable interests are not limited only to the North.

While avoiding comment on Greek-Turkish issues, Mr. Robles did say that “the European Union is always on the side of its allies.” A.F.

[19] ALBANIAN PREMIER FATOS NANO TO OFFICIALLY VISIT FYROM TOMORROW

Albania’s Prime Minister Fatos Nano is to visit Skopje tomorrow, after an invitation issued by FYROM’s Premier’s Branco Cervenkovski during the latter’s visit to Tirana last month.

In preparation of Mr. Nano’s visit to the neighboring country, the Albanian government has approved the agreements that are to be signed between the two leaders and which concern the borders, protection of investments, trade and customs cooperation as well as the application of judicial orders.

During his stay, Mr. Nano will be received by FYROM’s President Kiro Gligorov and other political leaders. A.F.

[20] THE EU PARLIAMENT PRESIDENT WILL VISIT ATHENS ON JANUARY 29- 31

European Parliament President Jose Maria Gil Robles will be on a formal visit to Athens on January 29-31.

In an interview in Strasbourg, he stressed that the contacts with the political leadership in Athens will cover a wide spectrum of issues and pointed out that he is interested in forming an opinion on Greece’s position regarding the structural problems in the European convergence, the Euro, the Treaty of Amsterdam as well as, on the cooperation with the Greek Parliament on issues concerning the common European election process.

[21] THE RELIGIOUS HERITAGE IN THE OCCUPIED TERRITORIES OF CYPRUS IS DESTROYED

Permanent representative of Cyprus to the United Nations, ambassador Zakheos, in a letter to UN Secretary-General accuses the Turks of the destruction of the religious heritage in the occupied territories in the northern part of the island.

In his letter Mr.Zakheos refers to the destruction of over 500 churches by the Turks a fact that constitutes a challenge for the credibility of international organizations and especially, the UN. He calls on Mr.Kofi Annan to brief on the issue all responsible human rights mechanisms of the UN and to include in his next report to the UN Security Council the findings of the investigation conducted by the UNFICYP on the destruction and vandalism taking place in the Turkish occupied territories of northern Cyprus.

[22] 250 INMATES ARE ON A HUNGER STRIKE IN TURKEY

Two hundred and fifty inmates in the special prison of Siirt went on a hunger strike in a show of solidarity to the 190 political prisoners in Erzerum Prisons, who are on the 54th day of their hunger strike. Events in a show of solidarity to the hunger strikers were also held in the cities of Ismir and Mersina.

In Mersina, the anti-terrorist agency forces arrested about 100 people who participated in a protest march, while in Ismir relatives of inmates began hunger strikes demanding the improvement of the detention conditions in the Turkish prisons. In 1996, 12 people had died as a result of hunger strikes in Turkish jails.

[23] THE AUSTRALIAN SUPREME COURT RULED IN FAVOR OF THE NAME “SLAVO-MACEDONIANS”

Today’s decision by the Human Rights and Equal Opportunities Committee (a supreme court institution) in Australia is characterized as a historical one. The Committee ruled against the appeal made by organizations formed by people who come from FYROM trying to overrule the Victoria state prime minister’s decision to call them “Slavo-Macedonians” and their language “Slavonic”

In the committee decision, that is characterized by legal circles as irreversible and not subject to appeal, is mentioned that the decision made at the end of 1995 by the state of Victoria prime minister was correct and justifiable. The Greeks in Australia regard the Committee’s decision as a milestone and a vindication of their long struggle concerning the Greek character of Macedonia.

[24] A GREEK EURO-DEPUTY ACCUSED TURKEY OF PROVOCATIVE POLICY

The systematic and provocative policy of tension followed by the Turkish government toward Greece was presented in the Council of Ministers and the European Commission by PASOK’s Euro-deputy and vice-president of the Socialist Group Yiannis Roubatis.

He stressed that the results of this policy is the encouragement of extremist elements to commit criminal acts such as, setting churches on fire and murdering Orthodox Christian citizens, using as an example the killing of the elderly verger in the church of Agios Therapon in Istanbul.

Another example of the policy of tension sought by Turkey in its relations with Greece are the efforts made by Turkish fighter jets to harass the helicopter on board which was Greek minister of defense Akis Tsochatzopoulos for a second time in the past few months.

Mr.Roubatis called on these two EU institutions to take immediate measures for the protection of the Christian Orthodox churches in Turkey and the rights of civilians to free expression on religious issues. Also, he called on the Council of Ministers and the European Commission to make it clear to Turkey that such types of behavior are unacceptable and will be an obstacle to its participation in the European Conference.

[25] HELLENISM IN EGYPT MOURNS FOR THE DEATH OF PUBLISHER SOKRATIS PATERAS

Sokratis Pateras, the publisher of the historical Greek- Egyptian newspaper “Fos” died last Saturday in a Cairo hospital and his funeral was held on Sunday.

With his death another significant part of the history of the Greek community in Egypt came to an end as the newspaper through its 100year course was the link between the Greeks of Egypt and their fatherland.

[26] THE ECONOMIC COOPERATION BETWEEN GREECE AND AUSTRIA IS ON THE RIGHT TRACK

The economic relations between Greece and Austria and the prospects opened for their strengthening and expansion were examined in the two-day visit of Greek minister of development Vaso Papandreou to Vienna.

Ms.Papandreou met with Austrian minister of Finance Hans Farnleitner and in their talks it was established by the two sides that there is room for improvement in bilateral economic relations. The sectors more open for cooperation are, according to Ms.Papandreou, the energy and construction sectors, while there are favorable prospects for joint ventures on research and technology. The Greek minister also reminded that an agreement on the sector of the renewable energy sources is scheduled to be signed.

Referring to the tourist sector, Ms.Papandreou stressed that there is cooperation potential between the two countries because the high tourist season for Austria is the winter time, while for Greece is the summer time and therefore, there is an opportunity for the exchange of personnel and experience.

[27] CIORBEA’S GOVERNMENT “COLLAPSES”

The Social Democratic and the Democratic Party of Romania withdrew their support today from the Prime Minister Victor Ciorbea, an action which will lead to either early elections or the Prime Minister’s replacement.

On the other hand, the Christian Democrats, the strongest party in the ruling coalition, said they would support the Prime Minister and expressed their hope that they would persuade their partners in the coalition to change their minds.

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