Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 98-04-14

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

Macedonian Press Agency: News in English Directory

MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH

Thessaloniki, April 14, 1998

NEWS IN ENGLISH

[A] NATIONAL NEWS

[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

TITLES

[A] NATIONAL NEWS

[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

NEWS IN DETAIL

[A] NATIONAL NEWS

[01] GREEK PM DEPARTS TODAY FOR TWO-VISIT TO BULGARIA

The proposal made by Greece’s Defense Minister Akis Tsochatzopoulos that a regional military force be found and established in Thessaloniki is to be among the issues to be discussed by Greece’s Premier Kostas Simitis during his meeting with his Bulgarian counterpart Ivan Kostov.

Mr. Simitis will depart for Sofia today, embarking on a two- day visit where he will discuss with Mr. Kostov a series of matters related to security, cooperation and progress in the Balkans.

The two premiers will focus on regional security, Bulgaria’s candidacy for accession to the European Union and NATO, bilateral relations, and the application of the declarations that stemmed from the Crete Summit held last November.

[02] FORMER PRESIDENT KARAMANLIS REMAINS IN CRITICAL CONDITION

Greece’s former President Konstantinos Karamanlis continues to be in a critical condition, suffering a heart attack early Sunday morning.

His physicians stated that the attempt to remove the artificial respirator from the patient failed. However, they did say that if his situation allows for it, there could be another attempt to remove the respirator from Mr. Karamanlis.

The 91-year-old statesman, who was hospitalized on Tuesday with bronchial pneumonia, went into cardiac arrest at 2.25 am Sunday, and doctors at the YGEIA hospital acted immediately to restore the heart's function, and 20 minutes later moved him to the intensive care unit for better monitoring of his condition.

[03] CANCELLATIONS, DELAYS CONTINUE AT OLYMPIC AIRWAYS FLIGHTS

Olympic Airways (OA) flight services continue to suffer serious disruption today due to a shortage of personnel which is leading OA management to consider hiring aircraft with foreign crews to serve passenger needs.

The problem has been compounded by a shortage also of technicians which has resulted in five OA aircraft remaining grounded following extensive maintenance work, while a further five are expected to gradually re-enter service by June.

[04] GREEK STOCKS MARK NEW RECORD , GENERAL INDEX UP 4.53%

Greek equities posted their 11th record close in the last 20 sessions on the Athens Stock Exchange yesterday, according to press reports, where the market welcomed news that the private Bank of Piraeus had posted the highest bid in a tender for the sale of state Macedonia-Thrace Bank.

The general index closed 4.53 percent up at 2,255.81 points with most sector indices scoring gains.

Specifically, Banks soared 5.64 percent, Insurance rose 4.44 percent, Investment was 4.61 percent up, Industrials increased 4.09 percent, Construction was 3.58 percent higher, Miscellaneous rose 4.03 percent and Holding increased 2.89 percent.

[05] POST OFFICES WORKERS REACT TO ECONOMIC RESTRUCTURES

Staff at Greece’s post offices are strongly opposed to the economic restructuring proposed by the Ministry of Transportation and Communications, and appear determined not to accept the reduction of wages and other changes in their work sector.

The Ministry has proposed a two-year freeze on wages, price increases amounting to 20%, state subsidies, elimination of the deficit and increased production.

Meanwhile, officials from the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development are to arrive in Athens next week in order to review the latest developments in the state-owned enterprises (DEKO) and their revitalization programs.

[06] GREECE’S NEW ARCHBISHOP TO BE ELECTED ON APRIL 28

The country’s 77 Metropolites are to elect the new Archbishop of Athens and all of Greece on April 28, with the voting taking place in the presence of the Minister of Education and Religion Gerasimos Arsenis.

Those who are considered as likely candidates are the Metropolite Anthimos of Alexandroupolis, the Metropolite Christodoulos of Dimitriada and the Metropolite Ieronymos of Theva. All three are projecting a message of unity in the Church’s hierarchy.

[07] THE STATE OF HEALTH OF K. KARAMANLIS REMAINS UNCHANGED

The efforts of the doctors to remove the respirator have failed as the 92yearold former president of the Republic does not react positively to the gradual interruption of oxygen supply.

The medical bulletin that was issued at noon today mentions that the condition of Konstantinos Karamanlis remains unchanged and his breathing is mechanically supported, while the respirator will be removed as soon as his condition allows that.

Meanwhile, at the request of the patient’s family the doctors will not give additional information to reporters besides the information included in the medical bulletins that will be issued daily.

According to information, Mr. Karamanlis’ condition does not allow the doctors to make an attempt to remove the respirator.

[08] THE ELECTION OF THE NEW ARCHBISHOP WILL TAKE PLACE ON APRIL 28

The new Archbishop of Athens and All of Greece will be elected by 77 Metropolites on April 28 in the presence of minister of education and religion Gerasimos Arsenis.

The candidates for the dignity of Archbishop are the Metropolites Anthimos of Alexandroupolis, Ieronimos of Thives and Christodoulos of Dimitriada, who send a message of unity from the Church hierarchy.

[09] THE GREEK CAR INDUSTRY IS UNDER PRIVATIZATION

The Greek Car Industry is in the process of privatization. In a meeting of the responsible government ministers it was decided that a report should be prepared on the alternative methods that can be used for the industry’s privatization.

The issue of personnel redundancies was also discussed as well as, the likelihood for them to be transferred to agencies of the ministries of defense and public works.

The government officials attending the meeting stressed that the industry needs to be reformed to survive the international competition and stated that the road to development passes through restructuring.

[10] PRESS REPORT ON THE LIKELIHOOD OF THE RECOGNITION OF THE TURKISH CYPRIOT REGIME IN CYPRUS

Acting government spokesman, press general secretary Yiannis Nikolaou was called to comment on a press report that refers to the likelihood of the recognition of the Turkish Cypriot regime in northern Cyprus.

The press report mentions that the Greek ambassador to Washington has warned the government that an initiative is being considered regarding the participation of the Turkish Cypriots in the talks for Cyprus’s EU accession talks that leaves open the likelihood for the recognition of the Turkish Cypriot regime.

Mr. Nikolaou stated that secret documents can not be discussed in public but he underlined that the government is not aware of such an information.

He said that the Greek positions are known and that the Turkish Cypriot regime will not be recognized for as long as northern Cyprus is under occupation. He also added that the participation of the Turkish Cypriots in the negotiations will benefit Cyprus’s EU accession talks.

[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

[11] ARCHBISHOP SPYRIDON: OPPORTUNITY TO REVIVE AND SPEAD ORTHODOXY IN THE US

The Archbishop of America Spyridon, speaking to the Macedonian Press Agency in an exclusive interview, stated that for the first time in the history of Western Orthodoxy there is an opportunity to spread its message to more people.

The 54-year-old prelate, with the impressive pastorate in the Churches of Italy, Switzerland, Austria and the successful representation of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in the Worldwide Council of Churches, since September 21, 1996, when he was enthroned Archbishop of America, has tried to inspire a new wind of creativity and revival in Orthodoxy at the United States.

According to the Archbishop, the American society is thirsty for something new, more authentic, more spiritual having grown tired of the propagandist social and political messages.

Moreover, in response to certain circles in the US that would like Orthodoxy to be separated from its Greek roots, the Archbishop stated that Orthodoxy is by nature Greek.

He also stressed the role of the Church is promoting the Greek letters and the Greek culture and emphasized the importance of carrying the Greek heritage and culture to the second and third generations.

Archbishop Spyridon stated that the American culture provides the church with singular opportunities to conduct a successful mission, which truly provides the Orthodox church the opportunity to expand and reach a greater amount of people.

[12] GREECE SUPPORTS BULGARIA’S MEMBERSHIP BID FOR EU, NATO

Greek Prime Minister Kostas Simitis, who is embarking on a two-day, official visit to Sofia today, expressed Greece’s support for Bulgaria’s membership bid for the European Union and NATO.

Speaking to the Bulgarian News Agency, Mr. Simitis said that Sofia's drive to join the Euro-Altantic organizations opened prospects for even closer bilateral ties and welcomed coordinated moves by Greece, Bulgaria and other Balkan countries to try to resolve the Kossovo crisis.

The Premier stated that for the first time since the former Yugoslavia collapsed, a unified proposal was drafted for a solution in Kossovo when a six-nation contact group met in Bonn last month.

Healthy ties between Greece and Bulgaria, whose bilateral trade exceeded US$500 million in 1997, resulted from regular contracts among government and other officials, according to the Premier, who stressed that the both countries were working to ensure peace, stability and prosperity in the Balkans.

[13] US SECRETARY OF DEFENSE TO ARRIVE IN ATHENS ON APRIL 21

The United States Secretary of Defense William Cohen is to arrive in Athens next Tuesday where he will hold talks with his Greek counterpart Akis Tsochatzopoulos.

Mr. Cohen’s four-hour visit to Athens is part of his five-day regional tour which starts this Friday, and includes Turkey, Jordan, Egypt and Israel. Mr. Cohen is also expected to be received by the President of the Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos and Prime Minister Kostas Simitis. He will lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Athens.

US Pentagon officials stated that the American secretary will discuss NATO's structural changes and will reiterate his country’s support for confidence-building measures in the Aegean, promoted by NATO's Secretary General Javier Solana. He will also discuss a Greek weapons acquisition .

Prior to his arrival in Athens, Mr. Cohen's first stop will be at Ankara, where he will meet with Turkish President Suleyman Demirel and other Turkish leaders. He will discuss the continued use of air bases by the US and Greek-Turkish relations, among others.

Mr. Cohen will hold talks with Middle East leaders on the peace process and bilateral military ties of those countries with Washington as well as the situation with Iraq.

During this trip he will also meet with Jordan's King Hussein, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Israeli Prime Minister Benjanim Netanyahu.

[14] BULGARIA CALLS OFFERS TO SELL ITS BALKAN AIRLINES

The consultant in the sell-off of Bulgaria's Balkan airlines has announced that it will shortlist the carriers' potential investors by end-April and invite them to make concrete proposals. Eberhard Bussche-Huennefeld from Treuhand Osteuropa Beratungsgesellschaft mbH (TOB) told a news conference that the consultants planned to sell the airline or a stake in it by September under their agreement with the Privatization Agency.

Bussche-Huennefeld said the Bulgarian government had announced the sale of 100 percent of the airline with 20 percent to be offered to its staff at a preferential price.

The potential buyers included two Bulgarian and two German investors and four multinational consortiums. The United States and Russia had one potential investor each.

[15] 6,000 ALBANIANS IN KOSSOVO HOLD PEACEFUL DEMONSTRATION

About six thousand Albanians from Kossovo marched in Prishtina yesterday, in a peaceful demonstration against the Serb government.

The half-hour marches, held during the past four days, were incident-free with only traffic police standing by.

The silent protesters, mainly young people, did not carrying any banners and refrained from making any gestures.

[16] POLICEMAN INJURED BY GRENADE BLAST IN KOSSOVO

A policeman was slightly injured when three grenades hurled at a police station in the Serbian province of Kossovo exploded, according to the French news agency AFP. The attack in Prishtina took place yesterday around 11:30 p.m. The police station targeted was located in Vranjevac, an Albanian neighborhood.

The injured policeman suffered shrapnel wounds to one of his hands.

[17] RUSSIA’S CHIEF WEATHERMAN APOLOGIZES FOR WRONG FORECAST

Russia’s chief meteorologist apologized for the erroneous weather forecast he made yesterday, when heavy snow fall covered Moscow, as opposed to the high temperatures and sunny weather he had announced.

“It’s difficult to predict this sort of phenomena---because of rapidly changing situation,” stated Alexander Bedritsky, the head of Russia’s Federal Service of Hydrometeorology and environment Monitoring.

He stated that this service, known as Gidrometcenter, had failed to make a correct forecast of the trajectory of a microcyclon. Mr. Bedritsky did add that yesterday’s snowfall may be the strongest of the century.

Moscow was not pleased at all. It lambasted the center for numerous mistakes it said it made throughout the winter and announced that it will terminate its contract with the service.

“Weathermen had made different weather forecasts six times throughout the day and if no emergency measures were taken by the city road maintenance service on their own, the situation on the roads might have been very critical,” the Russian government’s press service stated. It will now create its own weather monitoring service.

[18] SIMITIS-KOSTOV MEETING IN SOFIA

Greek prime minister Kostas Simitis, who is on a two-day formal visit to Bulgaria, met in Sofia with his Bulgarian counterpart Ivan Kostov. Their discussion covered issues concerning bilateral relations, regional cooperation, the European Union and NATO. The Greek prime minister also met with Bulgarian Parliament president Mr. Sokolov and early in the afternoon had a meeting with Bulgarian president Petar Stoyanov. He also met with political party leaders. Among the issues for discussion was the proposal made by Greek minister of defense Akis Tsochatzopoulos for the establishment of a regional military force that will be based in Thessaloniki.

Prime minister Simitis stated that, within the framework of the regional initiatives aimed at preserving stability, peace and development in south-eastern Europe, both Greece and Bulgaria are making efforts for an excellent cooperation and this goal has been achieved to a great extent, he also added that the two countries have developed very important initiatives in the area of inter- Balkan cooperation.

Mr. Simitis characterized the Burgas-Alexandroupolis oil pipe line as a project of strategic importance and added that when it is constructed it will create a large number of job positions in both countries.

Greek minister of development Vaso Papandreou pointed out that there is no problem in the construction of the pipe line.

[19] THE PROSPECTS OF COOPERATION BETWEEN GREECE AND BULGARIA ARE FAVORABLE

The prospects for the further development of the Greek- Bulgarian relations are favorable, according to the statements made by Greek prime minister Kostas Simitis and his Bulgarian counterpart Ivan Kostov.

Already, three Greek banks have opened branches in Bulgaria namely, the National Bank of Greece, the Ionian Bank and Xios Bank.

The total of immediate investments in Bulgaria are 1,3 billion dollars. The first place is occupied by Germany with 21%, followed by Belgium with 20% and Greece with 10%. The Greek investments are mainly in the food and beverages sector.

The largest Greek investors in Bulgaria are the companies “3E”, “Intracom”, “Delta”, “Tsipita”, the “Thraki” paper industry, “Nikas”, “Goody’s”, “Florina” and other smaller ones.

According to data provided by the Greek embassy in Sofia, there are 450 Greek businesses active in Bulgaria that employ 28.000 people. Among them are 100 ready-made clothes’ companies in southern Bulgaria that employ 24.000 people.

[20] THE PRIME MINISTERS OF GREECE, BULGARIA AND ROMANIA WILL MEET IN ATHENS

Greek foreign minister Theodoros Pangalos who is accompanying the prime minister in his visit to Sofia, met today with the members of the Bulgarian Parliament committee responsible for foreign affairs.

Meanwhile, as it was made known by government sources, the meeting of the prime ministers of Greece, Bulgaria and Romania, that is scheduled to take place on May 30 and 31, will be held in Athens instead of Nafplion, as it was originally announced.

[21] THE PRESIDENTS OF BULGARIA, TURKEY AND ROMANIA WILL MEET IN ANTALIA

The presidents of Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey will meet in Antalia, Turkey on April 16 and 17, according to the Sofia newspaper “Kontinent”.

The basic issue for discussion during the meeting of the three Balkan presidents will be the cooperation in countering terrorism, illegal drug trafficking and illegal immigration.

The newspaper writes that the representatives of the three governments will sign a cooperation agreement against terrorism and organized crime.

[22] BUSINESSMEN FROM GREECE AND FYROM WANT MORE BORDER CROSSINGS

Businessmen from the prefecture of Pella in northern Greece met yesterday with their colleagues and also, with representatives of the local authorities in the region of the town of Kavadarci in FYROM and pointed out the need for more border crossings.

According to FYROM’s information secretariat, the visit of the Greek businessmen was aimed at increasing the opportunities for cooperation. The businessmen supported the opening of a new border crossing that will be situated in the region between the border crossings of “Metzitlia” and “Bogorodica” close to the town of Aridea.

[23] THE JOURNALISTS’ UNION IN TURKEY PUBLISHED FACTS ON THE PERSECUTION OF JOURNALISTS

Nineteen journalists were placed under police custody in Turkey last month, while police authorities have searched the offices of 10 newspapers most of which were pro-leftist.

According to facts included in a report that was presented by the Journalists’ Union in Turkey, 14 journalists were attacked last March, while the issues of 10 leftist newspapers and magazines were confiscated and the publication of four of them was temporary banned.

In the report is also mentioned that the radio and television council has reprimanded 17 radio and television stations, while 6 television stations were forced to shut down for 1 to 30 days.

[24] SIMITIS: A NEW ERA BEGINS FOR THE BALKANS

Greek prime minister Kostas Simitis who is on a two-day official visit to Bulgaria, said today, following a long meeting with Bulgarian president Petar Stoyanov, that a new era is to begin in the Balkans and Northeastern Europe since the separations of the past no longer exist and all the countries of the region will soon enter the EU.

Mr Stoyanov stressed that Bulgaria is connected with the European Union through Greece. Greek prime minister described the talks he had with mr Stoyanov as well as the meeting with his Bulgarian counterpart Ivan Kostov as very friendly and cordial.

[25] BILL KLINTON SENDS LETTER TO FATOS NANO FOR KOSSOVO

US president Bill Klinton sent a letter to Albanian prime minister Fatos Nano expressing his concern about the recent developments in Kossovo and calling on Tirana for cooperation in order to find a solution. Mr Klinton stressed that if the situation in Kossovo deteriorated, it would put the Dayton peace in Bosnia accord in danger and expressed his concern over the eventuality of the crisis spreading in “the East and South” which means Bulgaria and FYROM.

Within the framework of the bids to reach a solution, the US president notified mr Nano of his intention to send, within the following days, a State Department delegation to Tirana headed by the US deputy Foreign minister Strob Talbot.

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/