Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 98-02-13

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

Macedonian Press Agency: News in English Directory

MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH

Thessaloniki, 13 February 1998

NEWS IN ENGLISH

[A] NATIONAL NEWS

[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

TITLES

[A] NATIONAL NEWS

NEWS IN DETAIL

[A] NATIONAL NEWS

[01] GREEK FARMERS WILL DECIDE ON FURTHER MOBILIZATIONS TODAY

The country’s protesting farmers, having had a fruitless meeting with the Agriculture Minister Stephanos Tzoumakas yesterday, are to decide today on the course of their mobilizations and if they will close off the national highway.

The President of the Confederation of Democratic Farmers Association Mr. Papademetriou stated that “the government, not the farmers , chose to close the roads.” Meanwhile, the farmers of Thrace threaten to close off the airport of Alexandroupolis, demanding satisfactory compensation for the damages caused to their lands by the recent floods.

[02] GREEK FOREIGN UNDERSECRETARY COMMENTS ON IMIA CRISIS

Foreign Undersecretary Yiannos Kranidiotis, addressing the Hellenic Parliament yesterday evening, stated that Turkey wanted war with Greece during the crisis in late January 1996 when Ankara openly disputed Greek sovereignty of the Imia islets in the Aegean.

Mr. Kranidiotis referred to the recent revelations about the role of the Turkish political leadership during the crisis and developments in the meantime, made by Turkey’s then-Navy Chief.

He stated that the Greek government’s choices in handling the crisis were justified, since the country defended its sovereign rights and its territorial integrity, without being pulled into a warm incident, as Turkey would have wanted it to.

The Foreign Undersecretary reiterated Greece's call on Turkey to accept the jurisdiction of the International Court at The Hague on the basis of reciprocity in order for the two countries to examine their relations.

"The Greek proposal for a step-by-step approach is realistic, since it provides for recourse to the Hague on the issues of the continental shelf in the Aegean and Imia," he stated.

[03] VIETNAM’S DEPUTY PREMIER IN ATHENS TODAY

The deputy Prime Minister of Vietnam Nguyen Manh Cam arrived in Athens yesterday, where he met with Greece’s alternate Foreign Minister George Papandreou.

Mr. Cam, who also serves as his country’s Foreign Minister, is to be received by Premier Kostas Simitis today. Athens and Hanoi will proceed to the signing of three cooperation protocols on double taxation, shipping and investment protection.

[04] GREECE TO GRANT $140 MILLION TO BLACK SEA COUNTRIES, YUGOSLAVIA

The Greek government plans to grant an additional 140 million dollars in export credits to the countries of the Black Sea region and Yugoslavia, in order to facilitate their purchase of Greek products, according to the National Economy Undersecretary Alekos Baltas.

Mr. Baltas stated that a total of 125 million dollars in export credits has already been allocated from the credit facility program.

Addressing a press conference on the targets and priorities of the country’s international economic relations, Mr. Baltas announced that the forum of ministers of foreign economic relations of the countries of central and southeastern Europe was being scheduled for May in Greece.

[05] NEW VIOLATIONS OF THE ATHENS FIR BY TURKISH FIGHTER JETS

Twenty Turkish fighter jets violated 22 times this morning the Athens FIR in the regions between the north-eastern Aegean islands of Limnos and Lesvos and between the islands of Chios and Lesvos.

The Turkish fighter jets were intercepted by Greek aircraft and engagements were reported in 10 instances.

[06] SIMITIS CALLED FOR SACRIFICES FOR A STRONG GREECE

Prime minister Kostas Simitis called for sacrifices by the citizens recognizing that many times the measures taken are unpleasant but in the long run they are proven to be useful as a strong economy is a pre-condition for a strong Greece.

Speaking in the ideology conference of the governing Socialist party of PASOK, Mr. Simitis referred to the problems of modern times and contrary to those who maintain that the Left is close to its end, he said that it is the only power that can deal with the problems under the pre-condition that it will look for solutions.

On PASOK, he said that it was always a deeply patriotic movement while he outlined his disagreements with the beliefs of the traditional Left and he described the characteristics of the Center-Left.

[07] FARMERS WILL BLOCK THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY AT TEMPI

The committee of farmers in Thessaly, central Greece, decided to blockade the Athens-Thessaloniki national highway this afternoon at the region of Tempi.

A representative of the committee stressed that the mobilizations are aimed at saving the medium-small farmers. In the general assembly of the farmers’ committee in Thessaly were present Euro-deputy of the Coalition of the Left party Alekos Alavanos and Political Spring party leader Antonis Samaras.

Also this afternoon, the farmers in Magnisia, central Greece, will block the road junction at Velestino, while their colleagues in Egio have occupied the town’s revenue office.

[08] EARTHQUAKE MEASURING 5,1 ON THE RICHTER SCALE IN RHODES

Strong earthquake measuring 5,1 on the Richter scale shook this morning the region of the south-eastern Aegean island of Rhodes. Its epicenter was located under the sea, 30 kilometers east of Rhodes.

The earthquake was felt in many islands of the Dodecannese. No damages or injuries were reported.

[09] THE MOST ANCIENT BATHS IN NORTHERN GREECE IS IN PELLA AND NOT IN THESSALONIKI

The most ancient baths in northern Greece are in Pella and not in Thessaloniki, based on new facts that were presented today in the 11th Archaeological Conference which is being held in Thessaloniki.

The public baths complex that was recently discovered in Pella is dated back to the 2nd century BC. Until now, the most ancient baths were believed to be those discovered in the ancient market, which is located at the center of Thessaloniki and dates back to the 1st century BC.

Meanwhile, excavations in Pella have unearthed a large twin tomb in which a priceless golden wreath was found. The tomb dates back to mid 4th century BC, based on a gold coin of Philippos B’ that was found in it. This is the first twin tomb discovered in the region of Pella.

Also, it was announced that the ancient port of Thermi, that existed before the city of Thessaloniki was built, has been discovered by archaeologists in the region of the Governors’ mansion. This port had been used by Persian King Xerxes during his expedition to southern Greece in early 5th century BC.

[10] THE TAX REVENUE INCREASE RATE WAS OVER 11% IN JANUARY

The tax revenue increase rate was over 11% in January and approached the target of 11,2% set in the budget.

This increase can be seen clearly by the fact that the amount collected last month was 750,3 billion drachmas, compared to 675,6 billion drachmas in January of 1997.

A considerable amount was collected by the revenue service as its revenues showed an increase of 15,5%.

[11] GREEK PM KOSTAS SIMITIS PRESENTED HIS PARTY’S NEW FACE

Greek Prime Minister Kostas Simitis noted during his speech today at the pan-hellenic ideology conference of his socialist party PASOK that the governing party realized that new methods were needed and it worked for their materialization denying that was is the end of ideology and visions and that progressive thinking faced a crisis.

Mr Simitis expressed his belief that socialist forces would find an answer to the questions raised by European countries. [B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

[12] THE US PRESSURE TURKEY INTO PROMOTING A SOLUTION FOR CYPRUS ISSUE

The United States are pressuring Turkey into taking an active part in the process to find a solution to the Cyprus issue and intend to intensify their efforts after the island’s second round of presidential elections, stated the U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright.

Ms. Albright was responding to a question submitted during the US congress’s International Relations Committee session.

[13] ALBANIA’S EX-PRESIDENT ARRIVES IN THESSALONIKI TONIGHT FOR SURGERY

Albania’s former president Ramiz Alia, the last communist leader of his country, is to fly into Thessaloniki this evening where he will undergo open-heart surgery.

Mr. Alia, 73 years old, will be operated on at the George Papanikolaou hospital probably on Monday the well-known Greek heart surgeon Panayotis Spyrou, who has performed similar operations on several Greek politicians.

The Albanian politician was granted a medical visa by the Greek Consulate in Tirana.

Dr. Spyrou, who saw Mr. Alia a few days ago in Tirana, said that "because of the seriousness of his condition, he should be operated on in Thessaloniki".

[14] THE FOLLOWERS OF EDEK WILL VOTE BY CONSCIENCE

The central committee of the Socialist party of EDEK decided with an overwhelming majority that the party followers should vote by conscience in the second round of the presidential elections in Cyprus that will be held on Sunday. The proposal was approved with 90 votes for and 16 against, while there were 3 abstentions.

Party leader Vasos Lyssarides stressed that through the vote of conscience the party safeguards and preserves the role of the supervisor in any government that may be formed.

[15] THE US PRESSURES TURKEY TO PLAY AN ACTIVE ROLE IN THE SOLUTION OF THE CYPRUS PROBLEM

The United States are pressuring Turkey to play an active role in the promotion of a solution to the Cyprus problem and intend to intensify their efforts after the presidential elections in the island.

The above were stated by US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright responding to a question by a US House Representative during her testimony before the international relations committee of the US House of Representatives.

Ms. Albright added that the United States have spent enough time with the Turks in an effort to deal with the issues concerning Cyprus which are long-drawn and a source of problems for all.

[16] THE BULGARIAN GOVERNMENT FACES NEW STRIKES

The “United Democratic Forces” government of Ivan Kostov is called on to face a number of strikes that have already begun in Bulgaria or are about to begin.

As it was made known, 350 coal-miners in the town of Zlatograd went on a hunger strike demanding that their wages be doubled and also that their working conditions are improved. According to data provided by the workers’ unions, the average monthly wage of a coal-miner is about 83 US dollars.

Meanwhile, the 2.700 employees at the pharmaceutical company “Antibiotic”, in the town of Rozgrad, are also threatening with a strike in case their wages are not increased.

According to the newspaper “Trud”, the Bulgarian railways employees will participate in a one-hour work stoppage that will be held on February 17 and is expected to paralyze the railway transportation. The strikers demand a 20% increase in their monthly wages.

[17] THE TARGETS IN IRAQ HAVE BEEN SET, ACCORDING TO THE US SECRETARY OF DEFENSE

The United States have decided which targets they will strike in Iraq, as it was confirmed in Moscow yesterday by US Secretary of Defense William Cohen, who pointed out that no date has been set yet for the military operations and that Washington still hopes for a diplomatic solution to the crisis.

In an interview yesterday to the Russian television station NTV, the US Secretary of Defense stated that the US Pentagon selects the possible targets in Iraq very carefully in order to minimize as much as possible the implications of a military strike would have on the Iraqi civilians.

Mr. Cohen stated that the initiatives undertaken by Iraq are unacceptable for the UN and if all diplomatic efforts fail the United States will take military measures even though no exact dates have been set yet.

[18] JAIL SENTENCE OF 8-15 YEARS FOR TURKISH POLICE OFFICERS

The Turkish prosecutor called for a prison sentence of 8 to 15 years to be imposed on 6 police officers accused of beating to death 27yearold journalist Metin Goktepe, who was working for the leftist Turkish newspaper “Evrensel”. Goktepe had been arrested in Istanbul on January 8, 1996.

The young journalist was covering the funeral of two inmates, who were killed during a riot in Istanbul’s Umraniye Prison. Five other police officers who were also suspects for the death of Goktepe were acquitted last September.

The trial is being held for security reasons in the town of Afyon and not in Istanbul.

[19] THE ELECTIONS’ SCENERY IN CYPRUS IS GETTING CLEAR

The elections’ scenery in Cyprus is getting clear regarding the second round of the critical presidential elections which will be held next Sunday.

All political parties have reached a decision about the candidate they will support. Secretary General of the communist party of AKEL Dimitris Christofias called the Cypriots to cooperate with Giorgos Iakovou, AKEL and the Democratic party in the big struggle for change. The central committee of the Socialist party EDEK decided with an overwhelming majority that the party followers should vote by conscience in next Sunday’s elections.

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