Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 98-03-13

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

Macedonian Press Agency: News in English Directory

MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH

Thessaloniki, March 13, 1998

NEWS IN ENGLISH

[A] NATIONAL NEWS

[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

TITLES

[A] NATIONAL NEWS

[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

NEWS IN DETAIL

[A] NATIONAL NEWS

[01] THE GREEK FOREIGN MINISTER WILL VISIT THE US ON MARCH 20-25

Greek foreign minister Theodoros Pangalos will visit Washington on March 20-25 for talks with US government officials and members of the US Congress. He will also have contacts with leading members of the Greek-American community, while he will also deliver speeches in institutions of higher education.

The meeting of Mr. Pangalos with his US counterpart, Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, will be held on March 20.

[02] THE PERMANENCY OF THE PUBLIC SECTOR AGENCIES’ EMPLOYEES WILL NOT BE AFFECTED

The permanency of the employees in the public sector agencies, which is safeguarded by the Constitution, will not be abolished in spite of the fact that those agencies will be turned into limited liability companies.

Measures have been taken which are aimed at preserving the state’s supervision, while employees’ work rights and their social security rights will be fully safeguarded. The above were stated in Parliament by undersecretary of national economy Christos Pachtas responding to a question made by a deputy. He also gave the assurance that this change should cause no concern.

[03] THE ARCHBISHOP OF AMERICA MET WITH THE US PRESIDENT

US president Bill Clinton met with Archbishop of America Spyridon and leading members of the Greek-American community and reiterated his interest in the issues of Greek national importance. The meeting was held on the occasion of the signing of the declaration for the anniversary of Greece’s independence, within the framework of the annual event that takes place in the White House.

The ceremony was attended by president of the World Council of Greeks Abroad, SAE, Andrew Athens, AHEPA president Steve Mantas, United Effort coordinator Andy Manatos and Orthodox Youth Organization representative Theodoros Germanakos, who were accompanied by Greece’s ambassador to Washington Loukas Tsilas. Also, present was Greek EU Commissioner Christos Papoutsis, who is in the United States for talks with US government officials responsible for the sectors of energy, small-medium sized businesses and tourism.

[04] NEW AMBASSADORS OF COLOMBIA, THAILAND, JAPAN, AUSTRALIA AND MALTA TO ATHENS

The ambassadors of Colombia, Thailand, Japan, Australia and Malta to Athens presented their credentials to Greek president Kostis Stephanopoulos.

Also present in the ceremony were undersecretary of foreign affairs Yiannos Kranidiotis and Greek presidency general secretary, ambassador Gikas.

[05] A GREEK PARLIAMENT DELEGATION WILL VISIT LONDON

A five-member Greek Parliament delegation will leave on Monday for a five-day formal visit to London at the invitation of the presidents of the House of Representatives and the House of Lords.

The Greek Parliament deputies will meet with the British deputy foreign minister, the British mediator for Cyprus as well as, their British counterparts from the Labor and the Conservative party.

Among the issues for discussion will be the Greek-Turkish relations, the course of the European monetary union, the issue of Cyprus and its accession into the EU, given the fact that Britain currently holds the rotating EU presidency.

[06] GREEK COMPOSER MIKIS THEODORAKIS HONOURED IN THESSALONIKI

A special event dedicated to the wide personality of the Greek composer Mikis Theodorakis will take place tonight at the publishing house of “Ianos”.

Famous people of the greek cultural sector such as the author Mimis Androulakis, the director Kostas Georgousopoulos and the composer and singer Dionisis Savopoulos will speak in honour of the great composer.

Tomorrow, in a special ceremony that will take place in the European Youth Centre, the mayor of Kalamaria will nominate mr Theodorakis honorary citizen whereas, the same day, mr Theododrakis will be nominated honorary citizen of the prefecture of Panorama as well.

[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

[07] THE TWO-DAY INFORMAL MEETING OF THE EU FOREIGN MINISTERS OPENS IN EDINBURG TODAY

The proceedings of the two-day informal meeting of the EU foreign ministers opens in Edinburg today to discuss the accession negotiations with Cyprus and the situation in Kosovo and the Middle East.

The first European Conference, which was held with the participation of the 15 EU member-states and the heads of states of the candidate-states for EU accession, took place in London yesterday.

Greek prime minister Kostas Simitis stressed after the end of the conference that a necessary pre-condition for the participation of a country in the European Conference is the acceptance from its part of certain basic principles that rule the EU and have been expressed in Luxembourg.

Mr. Simitis stated that he is sorry mostly because Turkey refused to accept what is self-evident as well as the international law and treaties and the jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice in The Hague.

On the issue of the participation of the Turkish Cypriots in the negotiations for Cyprus’ accession into EU, the Greek prime minister stated that the proposals made by Cypriot president Clerides are in accordance with the spirit of the decisions reached in Luxembourg and now it is up to the Turkish Cypriots to take a stand.

Meanwhile, acting Greek government spokesman Nikos Athanasakis commented on the position expressed by French president Jacques Chirac according to which, Cyprus’ EU accession dialogue can not be completed without the participation of the Turkish Cypriots or the solution of the Cyprus problem. Mr. Athanasakis attributed those statements to economic interests and added that it would be beyond any logic to reach the conclusion that France’s decisions are based on the position that the customer is always right.

[08] ALBANIAN UNIVERSITY STUDENTS WILL HOLD A DEMONSTRATION IN PRISTINA TODAY

The Association of Independent University Students in Kosovo, after a meeting with the leaders of the ethnic Albanian political parties and workers’ unions, decided to hold a protest march against the Slobodan Milosevic regime.

The Students’ Association called on the protest march participants to remain calm and dignified during the demonstration that was scheduled to be held in the Dragodan Square this afternoon.

[09] RUGOVA WILL NOT MEET WITH THE SERB DELEGATION

The Serb authorities sent a written invitation to the representatives of the Albanian-speaking population in Kosovo calling them to enter negotiations with the government delegation which is already in Pristina.

Leader of the ethnic Albanians in Kosovo Ibrahim Rugova again refused to meet with the Yugoslav government delegation and called for international mediation.

[10] THE US SUPPORT THE SOLUTION OF THE CYPRUS PROBLEM ON THE BASIS OF A TWO-ZONE, TWO-COMMUNITY FEDERATION

The US government supports the solution of the Cyprus problem on the basis of a two-zone, two-community federation. The above were reiterated by assistant US Secretary of State Stromb Talbott in a seminar organized by the British EU presidency in Washington.

Referring to Turkey’s relations with the EU, he stated that no one believes that Turkey’s full incorporation into the EU will be easy, as Ankara has created its own obstacles such as, the human rights situation in the country and the responsibility it bears concerning the failure in the efforts to find a solution to the Cyprus problem.

[11] CYPRUS’ EU ACCESSION NEGOTIATIONS WILL BE SUCCESSFUL

Cypriot foreign minister Yiannakis Kasoulides expressed the certainty that Cyprus’ EU accession negotiations will be successfully completed and that Cyprus will become an EU member- state.

In statements he made to journalists in London, after the presentation of the Cypriot government proposal on the participation of the Turkish Cypriots in the EU accession talks, Mr. Kasoulides said that the text submitted yesterday to the British EU presidency was a formal proposal-invitation to the Turkish Cypriot community to participate with its own representatives to the joint delegation that will negotiate Cyprus’ accession into the EU.

[12] CYPRUS’ EU ACCESSION NEGOTIATIONS TO THE COUNCIL OF GENERAL AFFAIRS

Greek diplomats are particularly interested in the European Union’s Council of General Affairs where the Foreign Ministers of the EU countries will discuss, among others, the accession of Cyprus in the EU.

Greek Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos will possibly meet tomorrow, in private, with his British counterpart Robin Cook and discuss with him the Kosovo issue.

According to diplomatic sources, the greek side is satisfied with the approval of the proposal of the Cypriot president Glafkos Cliridis regarding the procedure for the participation of the Turkish-Cypriots in the group for negotiations for the accession of Cyprus in the European Union.

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