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Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 98-03-08Macedonian 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: 21:00 GMT+2SECTIONS
NEWS HEADLINES[A] GREECE[B] BALKANS[C] WORLDNEWS IN DETAIL[A] GREECE[01] VICE-CHAIRMAN OF INSURANCE COMPANIES ASSOCIATION MURDEREDWeb Posted: 21:00 GMT+2Athens, March 8 (MPA)The vice-chairman of the country's Insurance Companies Association Nikos Sotiropoulos, 67 years old, was murdered in Athens last evening.Mr. Sotiropoulos was shot at close range by two unknown assailants who remain free. The Greek police is looking into all scenaria, without ruling out the possibility that the crime was a "political" one, committed by a terrorist organization. [02] EURO-DEPUTY TSATSOS SPEAKS TO MPA ON ALBANIAN CONSTITUTIONWeb Posted: 21:00 GMT+2Thessaloniki, March 8 (MPA)Eurodeputy and Constitutional Law professor D. Tsatsos spoke to the Macedonian Press Agency on the newly-revised constitution of Albania, stating that there is ground for cooperation with the country's opposition, Sali Berisha's Democratic Party.Moreover, Mr. Tsatsos stressed that many years are needed in order to establish a country's core of law, the constitution. [03] GREEK ALTERNATE FM, US AMBASSADOR TO ATHENS COMMENT ON KOSSOVOWeb Posted: 21:00 GMT+2Athens, March 8 (MPA)Greece's alternate foreign minister George Papandreou stressed the need for the international community to provide a clear message in regards to Kossovo."On the one hand Serbia must proceed to the partial autonomy of Kossovo," Mr. Papandreou stated, adding though that he international community could not accept a change of borders that would trigger a series of reactions. United States Ambassador to Athens Nicholas Burns also stressed that his country's government hopes that the crisis will defuse and asked the Belgrade government to proceed to negotiations in that direction. Meanwhile US Secretary of State Madleine Albright met today with Germany's Foreign Minister Klaus Kinkel in Bonn. [04] ARCHBISHOP SERAPHIM'S STATE OF HEALTH FURTHER IMPROVESWeb Posted: 21:00 GMT+2Athens, March 8 (MPA)Archbishop of Athens and All of Greece, Seraphim, is in a better state of health, according to his treating physicians at Athens' Laiko Hospital.Hospital officials stated that the Archbishop will remain in the hospital until his therapy has been completed and until it is ascertained that his improvement will continue in the next few days. The Archbishop was hospitalized with a viral infection and respiratory problems, was marking a "slow but steady improvement" and was "responding to treatment." A long-time kidney sufferer, Archbishop Serapheim is to undergo dialysis treatment tomorrow. [05] SAE EMBARKS ON INITIATIVE TO RE-OPEN CHALKI THEOLOGY SCHOOLWeb Posted: 21:00 GMT+2Washington, March 8 (MPA)The Council of Greeks Abroad (SAE) is to embark on a world-wide campaign aimed at having the Chalki School of Theology reopened, to be officially inaugurated on March 12 in Washington during a ceremony that will be attended by a score of US officials and international dignitaries.The President of SAE Andrew Athens, who visited Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos in February, told the Patriarch that all SAE bodies will participate in the international campaign, while he also pledged that SAE will do everything in its power to assist the Patriarchate in achieving economic independence. The historic school was shut down in 1973 after a Turkish government decision. [B] BALKANS[06] PRESIDENT OF ALBANIA TO VISIT GREECE TOMORROWWeb Posted: 21:00 GMT+2Athens, March 8 (MPA)The President of Albania Rejep Meidani is to embark on a three-day visit to Athens tomorrow, on the invitation of his Greek counterpart Kostis Stephanopoulos, where his talks are expected to focus on the situation in Kossovo and the reduction of tension existing today in the relations between Tirana and Belgrade.President Meidani will arrive Monday morning and will be formally welcomed by the President of the Hellenic Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos. The two leaders will have a private meeting which will be followed by a meeting between the Greek and Albanian delegations which will proceed to the signing of agreements concerning the developments of Greek-Albanian co- operation. Thereafter, Mr. Meidani will meet with the Prime Minister Kostas Simitis and will also see the leaders of the country's political parties. In an exclusive interview granted recently to the Director of the Macedonian Press Agency Spyros Kouzinopoulos, and before the violent incidents erupted in Kossovo, President Meidani had expressed his concern over the situation in the region, which he had characterized as "dangerous". He noted that any delay in the situation's stabilization, harbors dangers for the wider region, while he stressed the need for continuous international pressures and the assignment of United Nations observers in Prishtina in order to avoid conflict. Referring to the co-operation between Greece and Albania, President Meidani stated that it is on a positive course. "Following the visits of various delegations, including that of the Greek Premier, my visit will constitute the culmination of this cooperation that has moved into the right direction and is developing positively for the benefit of both peoples and countries. "Aside from this multifaceted and productive cooperation, I also note a convergence in regards to foreign policy in the Balkans, whose substance has been expressed through simple words full of meaning: Europeanization of the Balkans, not Balkanization of Europe," President Meidani stated. [07] GREEK PREMIER TO RECEIVE PRESIDENT OF CYPRUS TOMORROWWeb Posted: 21:00 GMT+2Nicosia, March 8 (MPA)The President of Cyprus Glafkos Clerides is to be received by the Prime Minister of Greece Kostas Simitis and other political leaders during his official visit to Athens between the 9-11 of March.In tomorrow's meeting with the Greek Premier, Mr. Clerides is to discuss the issues concerning the accession of Cyprus into the EU and the Russian S- 300 missiles. On March 12, the Cypriot President will travel to London in order to participate at the European conference which will feature the participation of the European Union's 15 member-states and the countries which are candidates for accession to the Community. [08] ALBANIANS CONDUCT A RALLY IN ATHENS BEFORE YUGOSLAV EMBASSYWeb Posted: 21:00 GMT+2Athens, March 8 (MPA)A large group of Albanians conducted a rally in front of the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in Athens today, in a sign of support to their compatriots in Kossovo.About 200 Albanians gathered this morning in front of the Embassy and shouted slogans such as "Kossovo means Albania". As no one from the Embassy received them, they left after they deposited a resolution of protest at the gate. [09] MILOSEVIC OPPOSED TO INTERNATIONAL INTERVENTION IN KOSSOVOWeb Posted: 21:00 GMT+2Belgrade, March 8 (MPA)During his meeting with Turkey' s Foreign Minister Ismael Cem, held in Belgrade today, the Serb President of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Slobodan Milosevic said "no" to any whatsoever intervention of the international community in Kossovo."The turmoil in Kossovo will be resolved solely by Serbia, on the basis and within the framework of its constitution and laws," Mr. Milosevic stated, while he also defended the Serb police's violent acts, stating that in order to resolve a problem "it is necessary to undertake measures which will deal with the actions of Albanian terrorists." Mr. Cem relayed to Mr. Milosevic a message from Turkish President Suleiman Demirel, to hold a mediocre stance over Kossovo. [10] INTENSE DIPLOMATIC EFFORTS UNDERWAY TO RESOLVE KOSSOVO ISSUEWeb Posted: 21:00 GMT+2Belgrade, March 8 (MPA)Intense diplomatic efforts are underway by the international organizations, to achieve a peaceful solution tot he Kossovo crisis.The "contact group" for Bosnia is to meet in London tomorrow where the participants will discuss the latest developments in the Serbian province. Meanwhile, the western countries make no effort to disguise their opposition to the Yugoslav government's actions and hold Serb President Slobodan Milosevic as the man responsible for the crisis. [C] WORLD[11] NATO LARGEST EXERCISE THIS YEAR STARTS TOMORROW IN NORTH ATLANTICWeb Posted: 21:00 GMT+2Athens, March 8 (MPA)NATO's largest exercise of the year, "Strong Resolve '98", is to take place in the North Atlantic and the Iberian Peninsula between March 9-21. The exercise is aimed at testing NATO's ability to concurrently tackle two crises developing in two different geographic regions.Greece will participate in the exercise in the Iberian Peninsula with the frigate "Spetsai", four F-16 aircraft, as well as with a number of officers for the staff of the joint combined force. All NATO member-states will participate in this massive military exercise, while seven countries observing NATO's Partnership for Peace (PfP) initiative will also take part for the first time, including Austria, Bulgaria, FYROM, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia and Sweden. 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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