Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 98-06-15
MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Thessaloniki, June 15, 1998
SECTIONS
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
NEWS HEADLINES
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] THE HIRING EXAMS FOR TEACHERS END TODAY
[02] ARCHBISHOP CHRISTODOULOS IS AT THE ECUMENICAL PATRIARCHATE
[03] TWO SOLDIERS WERE KILLED BY A MINE EXPLOSION IN EVROS
[04] NO DEVELOPMENTS IN THE TRANSFER OF FOOTBALL PLAYERS IN GREECE
[05] KAKLAMANIS - PLAVSIC MEETING IN ATHENS
[06] ATHANASAKIS COMMENTED ON TURKEY'S RELATIONS WITH THE EU
[07] ATHANASAKIS: GREECE SUPPORTS THE DIALOGUE IN KOSSOVO
[08] THE EU SUMMIT IN CARDIFF IMPORTANT FOR GREEK ECONOMY
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[09] PANGALOS TO TURKEY: EITHER WE WILL HAVE A BRIGHT FUTURE
TOGETHER OR WE WILL BE LED TO CATASTROPHE
[10] THE EU SUMMIT HAS OPENED IN CARDIFF
[11] NATO MILITARY EXERCISE IN ALBANIA AND FYROM
[12] ROMANIA: THE FORMER KING IS ON VACATION AT HIS HOME COUNTRY
[13] THE PARTHENON MARBLES HAVE LOST THEIR SOUL, WRITES THE "DAILY
TELEGRAPH"
[14] FRANCE WILL NOT ASK FOR SUSPENSION OF CYPRUS ACCESSION TALKS
NEWS IN DETAIL
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] THE HIRING EXAMS FOR TEACHERS END TODAY
Part-time teachers held again protest demonstrations outside
the examination centers where the newly instituted hiring exams
for teachers are taking place.
The teachers' unions are on a 24-hour strike today, while the
unionists consider the likelihood of strike action to be held
during the advancement exams for students that will start next
Friday.
Meanwhile, the protesting teachers question the validity of
the hiring exams and in the following days they will bring their
case to court requesting the annulment of the exams due to
irregularities observed.
[02] ARCHBISHOP CHRISTODOULOS IS AT THE ECUMENICAL PATRIARCHATE
Archbishop Christodoulos of Athens and All of Greece is on a
visit to the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Istanbul where he met with
Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos.
They discussed the relations of the Greek Church with the
Fanar and the opening of an Ecumenical Patriarchate office in
Athens.
[03] TWO SOLDIERS WERE KILLED BY A MINE EXPLOSION IN EVROS
Two soldiers were killed and another one was injured by a
land mine explosion in a minefield in the border region of Evros,
in north-eastern Greece. The accident happened near the village of
Gemisti when the victims stepped on a mine during a mine disposal
operation.
All the victims were serving in the special mine disposal
unit and the causes of the accident are being investigated by
Greek army specialists.
[04] NO DEVELOPMENTS IN THE TRANSFER OF FOOTBALL PLAYERS IN GREECE
The World Cup in France has brought the transfers of football
players in Greece to a virtual standstill as most teams await for
the conclusion of the leading football event before they decide
which players they want as reinforcements in the new football
season.
An unexpected problem was created in the relations of
Thessaloniki's PAOK with PANIONIOS' player Apostolos Mantzios
because of a disagreement in the agreed upon time period of the
new contract. The issue of Tasos Tasiopoulos, who most likely will
leave the team of PAOK is expected to be resolved today.
Meanwhile, PAOK finalized the contract with 17yearold attacker
Elias Zemourtzidis who until now was a player of Adelaide,
Australia "Ellas" football team.
ARIS awaits for the response of British businessman Mike
MacDonald on whether he will take over the team, while according
to information, 22yearold Serb attacker Vesko Popovic is among the
likely new players of the team.
PANATHINAIKOS is still interested in Croat Davor Suker in
spite of the fact that a lot of money will be needed for his
acquisition. OLYMPIAKOS does not appear to be in a hurry to get a
new player, while there is still interest in Brazilian player
Leonardo.
[05] KAKLAMANIS - PLAVSIC MEETING IN ATHENS
President of Bosnian Serb Republic Ms. Biljana Plavsic met
this morning in Athens with Greek Parliament president Apostolos
Kaklamanis.
Their talks focused on the situation in Kossovo and Mr.
Kaklamanis underlined in his statements the need for the respect
of the Dayton peace accord. Ms. Plavsic responded that the accord
is being violated by those who had proposed it.
Meanwhile, the largest NATO military exercise ever held in
the Balkans took place this morning in a show of force by the
north-western alliance directed both to Yugoslav president
Slobodan Milosevic and the ethnic Albanians in Kossovo.
In the exercise participated 84 military aircraft from the 13
member-states of the alliance that took off from 15 air bases in
Italy, Greece, France, Germany and Britain and engaged in
simulated bombardments of targets in Albania and FYROM.
[06] ATHANASAKIS COMMENTED ON TURKEY'S RELATIONS WITH THE EU
Acting Greek government spokesman Nikos Athanasakis commented
on the statements made by US ambassador Nicholas Burns to the
Athens newspaper "Exousia" according to which, the European Union
must keep its doors open for Turkey's membership.
Mr. Athanasakis said that the European Union has closed no
door for Turkey and that the fact that it remains outside the
union is a result of the policy followed by Ankara itself.
[07] ATHANASAKIS: GREECE SUPPORTS THE DIALOGUE IN KOSSOVO
Greece supports the dialogue as a means in the effort to
reach a peaceful solution in Kossovo, stated acting Greek
government spokesman Nikos Athanasakis .
The statement was made by Mr. Athanasakis in response to a
question by a reporter on Greece's participation in the NATO air
exercise that takes place in Albania and FYROM. Greece
participates with two F-16 fighter jets and one C-130 transport
plane.
[08] THE EU SUMMIT IN CARDIFF IMPORTANT FOR GREEK ECONOMY
Greek prime minister Kostas Simitis, addressing the EU Summit
which opened in Cardiff today, referred to the progress of the
Greek economy over the last five years, to the Greek social
policy, to the employment issue as well as to the agrarian policy
implemented by his government.
Mr Simitis stressed that Greece is determined to make every
effort, especially concerning the issue of the EU resources
absorption and added that this period is crucial for the Greek
economic programme, since, during the next decade Greece should
achieve substantial revenues.
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[09] PANGALOS TO TURKEY: EITHER WE WILL HAVE A BRIGHT FUTURE
TOGETHER OR WE WILL BE LED TO CATASTROPHE
Greek foreign minister Theodoros Pangalos in an interview to
the Turkish newspaper "Cumhuriyet" outlined the Greek positions on
the Greek-Turkish relations and the Cyprus issue.
At the same time, he gave examples of his own efforts and the
collective efforts made by the Greek government for the easing of
the tension in the region, the peaceful solution of the problems
and the development of economic and trade relations between the
two countries.
The Greek-Turkish relations are a very significant issue for
both peoples and either the two countries will have a bright
future together or together will be led to catastrophe, said the
Greek foreign minister to newspaper reporter Leila Tavsanoglu.
He stated that he supports the European orientation of Turkey
and reiterated an earlier statement he had made that Turkey is a
part of Europe, while he called on Ankara to be more careful on
issues that concern the protection of human rights and economic
development.
Referring to the issue of the Imia islets, Mr. Pangalos
stated that if the Greek government had adopted the same
"behavior" with Ms. Ciller there would have been a bloodshed and
the relations of the two countries would have deteriorated for
many years.
On the issue of the violation of the Greek air space and the
regular simulated "dog-fights", Mr Pangalos stated that "this is
not an everyday occurrence anymore as now efforts are being made
for the implementation of the confidence-building-measures and
this gives us room to live with our problems".
He praised the stance of and the agreement reached by the
leaders of the armed forces of the two countries, Greek wing
commander Athanasios Tzoganis and Turkish general Ismail Karadayi,
for the reduction of the number of military flights and simulated
"dog-fights". He explained that the economic burden is unbearable
for both countries and if the provocation was absent the huge sums
of money spent for military purposes could have been used for the
development of the economic relations of the two countries.
Mr. Pangalos referred to Turkey's appeal to the International
Court of Justice in The Hague on the issue of the continental
shelf and any other dispute it may have with Greece and stressed
that Turkey needs to build a creative relation with Greece which
in turn can create a great development potential for the two
countries.
On the Cyprus issue, he reiterated that Cyprus will become a
full member of the European Union and that it is to the benefit of
Turkey too to accept the two-zone, two community democratic
structure on the island where the two communities will maintain
their identity intact and become an example of harmonious co-
existence of a Christian and a Muslim community.
Mr. Pangalos accused Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash of
intransigence and stated that even though the geo-political
situation in the planet has changed he continues to live back in
the period of 1974.
[10] THE EU SUMMIT HAS OPENED IN CARDIFF
The EU Summit meeting opened in Cardiff, Wales today. In the
meeting will be presented the proposals on the agenda 2000 that
are regarded as greatly important by Greece because on them will
depend the EU funds the country will receive in the period from
the year 2000 to 2006.
The EU leaders will approve decisions concerning long-lasting
national problems such as unemployment.
Also, the EU leaders will focus on the reforms that will give
a new form to the structure of the 21st century European Union,
while the issue of the rapprochement in the relations of the EU
with Turkey will also be raised. Greece went to Cardiff with
concrete and clear positions on the issue, proclaimed repeatedly
by the Greek prime minister and the foreign minister.
[11] NATO MILITARY EXERCISE IN ALBANIA AND FYROM
A NATO military exercise has started in Albania and FYROM
this morning with the participation of Greek forces.
The exercise, code-named "Determined Falcon", includes
simulated target bombardment. Greece participates with two F-16
fighter jets and a C-130 transport plane.
NATO secretary-general Javier Solana pointed out that the
alliance will not remain apathetic to all that goes on in Kossovo
and that it will not allow the repetition of the 1991 situation in
Bosnia.
It is the last chance for Slobodan Milosevic to change his
position on Kossovo, stated this morning NATO secretary-general
Javier Solana. Mr. Solana underlined that the alliance's air
exercises show that the international community is ready to
intervene if necessary.
[12] ROMANIA: THE FORMER KING IS ON VACATION AT HIS HOME COUNTRY
About 100 pro-monarchists welcomed former King of Romania
Michael and his wife Anna, who arrived in Romania yesterday for a
three-week vacation.
The 70yearold monarch, who was forced to leave his throne by
the Communists in December 1947, regained the Romanian nationality
last year and since then has traveled to the country 6 times.
Michael, who lives in Switzerland, made his first visit to
Romania in 1992, three years after the fall of Communism in 1989.
Romanian president Emil Constantinescu has ruled out any
likelihood of a referendum for the return to monarchy, at least
for as long as he will be in power.
[13] THE PARTHENON MARBLES HAVE LOST THEIR SOUL, WRITES THE "DAILY
TELEGRAPH"
The Parthenon Marbles lost their soul after they were
cleaned, stated to British newspaper "Daily Telegraph" art
historian Robert Bayron, commenting on the irreversible damage
caused to the Marbles and called on the British Museum to give a
detailed report on how it takes care of them.
In an extensive article published in the "Daily Telegraph",
on the occasion of the damage caused to the Parthenon Marbles, it
is stressed that the destruction of antiquities continues today
and mentions as an example an incident in a museum in Malibu,
California.
Columnist Martin Gayford characterized as shameful the
cleaning of the marbles by the British Museum, adding that the
only positive fact is that the destruction was stopped as soon as
the damage was realized.
[14] FRANCE WILL NOT ASK FOR SUSPENSION OF CYPRUS ACCESSION TALKS
France will not raise the question of suspension of the talks
on Cyprus
EU membership at the Summit in Cardiff, although the French
president Jacques Chirac intends to point out that the accession
negotiations are heading towards a deadlock because the membership
procedure does not include information concerning the occupied
part of the island.
Sources from the French delegation reiterated that the Cyprus
accession talks should be for the benefit of all Cypriots and
added that mr Chirac would not raise the issue for discussion
because it is not included in the agenda of the Summit.
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