Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 98-07-02
MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Thessaloniki, July 2, 1998
SECTIONS
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
NEWS HEADLINES
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] HEAT WAVE THROUGHOUT GREECE, TEMPERATURES SOAR TO 102F
[02] THREE NEW BORDER CROSSINGS TO BE CREATED BETWEEN GREECE -
BULGARIA
[03] DRAMA PREFECTURE TO BESTOW HONORS FOR CONTRIBUTION TO
DIASPORA
[04] SOCCER: GERMAN PLAYER SIGNS WITH THESSALONIKI'S ARIS
[05] HEAT WAVE IN GREECE
[06] GREECE WANTS TO BE INCLUDED IN THE INTERREG 2 C PROGRAMME
[07] REPPAS: NO CONFLICT BETWEEN JUSTICE MINISTER AND PROSECUTORS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[08] CANADA IN FAVOR OF RETURNING PARTHENON MARBLES TO GREECE
[09] TURKISH RACKETEERS MURDER TOURISTS TO STEAL THEIR PASSPORTS
[10] UN SPECIAL ADVISER IN NICOSIA TODAY, TO MEET WITH CLERIDES,
DENKTASH
[11] HOLBROOKE AND STATE DEPARTMENT: WE SUPPORT IBRAHIM RUGOVA
[12] SERBS RECAPTURE KOSSOVO MINE FROM ETHNIC ALBANIANS
[13] STATE SUBSIDIES TO INDUSTRY SECTOR AMOUNTED TO ECU798 MILLION
IN ‘96
[14] NATO SECRETARY-GENERAL JAVIER SOLANA TRAVELS TO TIRANA TODAY
[15] CLERIDES - CORDOVEZ MEETING
[16] JAVIER SOLANA IS ON A VISIT TO TIRANA
[17] CUBAN PARLIAMENT DEPUTIES MET IN NICOSIA WITH PRESIDENT
CLERIDES
[18] THE TURKISH ECONOMY IS UNDER THE TOTAL CONTROL OF THE IMF
[19] SANCTIONS ON SWISS BANKS OVER THE JEWISH GOLD
[20] GREEK CYPRIOT AND TURKISH CYPRIOT BUSINESSMEN MET IN OSLO
[21] NATO DISPLEASED OVER HOLBROOKE'S CONTACTS WITH THE KOSOVO
LIBERATION ARMY
[22] DELIVERY OF RUSSIAN S-300 MISSILES TO CYPRUS DELAYED
NEWS IN DETAIL
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] HEAT WAVE THROUGHOUT GREECE, TEMPERATURES SOAR TO 102F
State authorities are in a state of readiness in order to
address the various problems that may arise from the heat wave
expected to strike Greece today, according to the National Weather
Bureau.
According to the forecasts, the temperatures are expected to
soar to 106F (41C) today, reaching 108F (42C) tomorrow and
Saturday.
The Prefect of Thessaloniki, Kostas Papadopoulos has ordered
hospitals and ambulance services to be in a state of readiness,
especially for the groups which are most prone to heat strokes,
such as the elderly and the ill.
Temperatures are forecast to fall on Sunday, with a cool
front moving in from the north, the weather service said in a news
release.
[02] THREE NEW BORDER CROSSINGS TO BE CREATED BETWEEN GREECE -
BULGARIA
Greek and Bulgarian experts are to meet today and tomorrow in
Athens in order to discuss the creation of three new toll stations
at border crossings between the two countries.
The experts are to hammer out the exact locations of the new
toll stations at Rudozem-Xanthi and Kerdzali - Komotini.
[03] DRAMA PREFECTURE TO BESTOW HONORS FOR CONTRIBUTION TO
DIASPORA
The Prefecture of Drama, in northern Greece, is to bestow
honors on two of its citizens who are distinguished members of the
Greek community living abroad, namely Swedish deputy Nikos
Papadopoulos and the Secretary-General of the World Council of
Hellenes Abroad (SAE) Christos Karypides.
The two men will be honored in a celebration to be held on
tomorrow, July 3, at 8:30 p.m. at the amphitheatre of the
Prefecture of Drama.
Along with Mgrs. Papadopoulos and Karypides, the general
director of the Macedonian Press Agency Spyros Kouzinopoulos will
also be honored for his valuable input and contribution to
informing Greeks throughout the world.
[04] SOCCER: GERMAN PLAYER SIGNS WITH THESSALONIKI'S ARIS
German player Reiner Raufman, who played for Cyprus last
year, is expected to sign a three-year contract with Aris today.
Joining PAOK will be Joe Nagbe, while Kostas Lagonides is to
return to the team, having already signed a one-year contract.
According to reports, a Latin-American ball player who took part
in Mudial is also coveted by PAOK.
Meanwhile, Iraklis is continuing training in light of
Sunday's game with Bucharest's National, whose players are to
arrive in Thessaloniki tomorrow evening.
[05] HEAT WAVE IN GREECE
A heat wave has struck Greece. Temperatures will reach today
40 degrees Celsius, while tomorrow will "touch" the 42 degrees
mark.
Minister of health Kostas Gitonas stated that if it is deemed
necessary the emergency plan "Xenokratis" will be implemented,
while he instructed officials in the country's prefectures and
municipalities to offer every possible help to the homeless and
the elderly.
The ministry of labor with a circular it has issued suggests
that all those working outside should take short breaks to avoid
heatstroke.
All the hospitals in the country as well as, the ambulance
service are in a state of readiness.
[06] GREECE WANTS TO BE INCLUDED IN THE INTERREG 2 C PROGRAMME
Greece claims the sum of 30 million ECU within the framework
of the Interreg 2 C European Union programme to be allocated for
interventions aimed at dealing with floods along the banks of
Strimonas River as well as with the drought in the Aegean islands.
The decisions on which countries will be included in the
programme, with a total budget of 300 million ECU, are expected to
be made before the end of July.
[07] REPPAS: NO CONFLICT BETWEEN JUSTICE MINISTER AND PROSECUTORS
Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas, commenting on the
statements the Justice minister Evangellos Giannopoulos made
regarding an investigation in the ministry of National Order
conducted by the Public Prosecutor's Office, stressed that there
is no conflict between the ministry of Justice and the public
prosecutors.
Mr Reppas stated that it was clarified that the investigation did
not concern the political leadership neither the National Order
minister Giorgos Romeos and noted that the government fully
supports the prosecutor's investigation.
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[08] CANADA IN FAVOR OF RETURNING PARTHENON MARBLES TO GREECE
Greek Culture Minister Evangelos Venizelos is currently in
Canada where he represented Greece at the two-day international
conference on international cultural cooperation in Ottawa.
Mr. Venizelos was received by Canada's National Heritage
Minister Sheila Copps who advocated the immediate return of the
Parthenon Marbles, currently housed in the British Museum, to
their homeland, Athens. He also invited Ms Copps to attend an
international conference on "Women-Athletics and Sponsorship" to
be held in Athens in September, and also invited the Canadian
minister to represent her country as an observer at a meeting of
the Culture Ministers of the Euro-Mediterranean Cooperation-
Barcelona Process on the island of Rhodes in September, to be
attended by 15 European Union and 12 non-EU Mediterranean
countries.
[09] TURKISH RACKETEERS MURDER TOURISTS TO STEAL THEIR PASSPORTS
Passport racketeers in Turkey have killed 174 British
nationals during the past ten years, according to press reports in
Britain.
London daily "The Guardian" reported that most of the victims
were of Asian descent whose passports sold for about 6,000
sterling each. The coveted passports are considered by the
racketeers as a sure way to enter Europe.
According to "The Guardian", Britain's Foreign Office has
informed the Turkish authorities who stated that they are aware of
the issue.
[10] UN SPECIAL ADVISER IN NICOSIA TODAY, TO MEET WITH CLERIDES,
DENKTASH
The UN Secretary-General's special adviser for the Cyprus
issue Diego Cordovez arrived in Nicosia today, where he will be
received by the President of the Republic of Cyprus Glafkos
Clerides and the leader of the Turkish-Cypriots Rauf Denktash.
According to UNFICYP's spokesperson, Mr. Cordovez might
conduct a second round of talks with Mgrs. Clerides and Denktash.
Tomorrow, Mr. Cordovez will meet with the Secretary-
General's newly-appointed special representative in Cyprus Ann
Herkus, who will replace Mr. Gustav Feishel.
[11] HOLBROOKE AND STATE DEPARTMENT: WE SUPPORT IBRAHIM RUGOVA
The United States have openly expressed their support to the
leader of Kossovo's ethnic Albanians Ibrahim Rugova, stating that
he is the correct interlocutor and the central and indispensable
leader of the Albanian side in Kossovo and this is why US
president Bill Clinton met with him.
In an effort to justify the recent contacts made by US
officials and the leaders of the Kossovo Liberation Army, State
Department spokesperson James Rubin, told journalists at
yesterday's daily briefing that "if we're going to get a cease-
fire, we have to be in touch with the people who
can control one side of the equation.
" If we don't have contact with the Kosovar Liberation Army
and we get Milosevic to do
what he should have done long ago - which is to stop the crackdown
- the cease-fire will not be able to sustain.
"As a practical matter, we need to be in touch with those who
can make it possible for a cease-fire to sustain; and that's the
reason - and the only reason - we have been in contact with the
Kosovar Liberation Army," Mr. Rubin explained.
US newly-appointed ambassador to the UN Richard Holbrooke
told the BBC that it is necessary to conduct talks with those who
control the Albanian minority's armed forces.
"Of course, Ibrahim Rugova has our complete support," Mr.
Holbrooke said, adding "but Mr.Rugova , as he states, does not
control the armed autonomists."
Moreover, Mr. Holbrooke stated that his contacts with KLA
members were not planned.
Meanwhile, German Foreign Minister Klaus Kinkel warned that
NATO's policy towards the Serbs should not create false hopes of
independence for Kossovo's Albanians.
He also stated that any military intervention by NATO will
require a relevant decision by the UN Security Council.
[12] SERBS RECAPTURE KOSSOVO MINE FROM ETHNIC ALBANIANS
Serbian security forces have regained control of a strategic
coal mine just outside Kossovo's capital from ethnic Albanian
guerrillas, according to press reports.
Reporters were taken on a tour of Ade village, adjacent to
the mine at Belacevic, by the Serbian media centre. The village
was the scene of two days of fighting between ethnic Albanian
insurgents and Serbian forces.
The ethnic Albanians took control of Belacevic, ten
kilometers west of Prishtina, and other nearby villages last
week.
Heavy mining equipment operating in the coal pit and the
conveyor belt that transfers coal
from the mine to two nearby generating plants in Obilic was
operating on Wednesday.
[13] STATE SUBSIDIES TO INDUSTRY SECTOR AMOUNTED TO ECU798 MILLION
IN ‘96
According to a report issued by the European Commission on
the decade's state subsidisation, Greece ranks sixth among the
European Union's 15 member-states in regard to state subsidies
granted to the industry sector.
Specifically, 798 million ECU were pumped into the country's
industry sector, a clear reduction when programmed to 1995's 868.5
million ECU., and 1992's 1.1 billion ECU.
The transportation sector holds the lion's share, with 31.5%
of the subsidies, 4.4% of which (MECU44.1) were granted to Olympic
Airways.
The EU member ranking first in the state subsidies list is
Germany, devouring 12,8 billion ECU in the industry sector during
1996.
[14] NATO SECRETARY-GENERAL JAVIER SOLANA TRAVELS TO TIRANA TODAY
NATO secretary-general Javier Solana is to conduct a visit to
the capital of Albania, Tirana, today, where he will hold talks
with Albanian President Reijep Meidani, Premier Fatos Nano, and
the country's Foreign and Defense Ministers.
During his stay, Mr. Solana will inaugurate NATO's offices
at the Albanian defense ministry; the only one located in South-
eastern Europe and which has been operating since last month.
The state-owned media grant special emphasis to Mr. Solana's
visit to Tirana, due to the current crisis in Kossovo.
[15] CLERIDES - CORDOVEZ MEETING
UN secretary-general special adviser on the Cyprus issue
Diego Cordovez, who is on a visit Nicosia, will meet with Cypriot
president Glafkos Clerides and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf
Denktash.
Tomorrow, Mr. Cordovez will meet with Ann Herkus, who will
replace Gustav Feisel as the UN secretary-general special envoy to
Cyprus.
[16] JAVIER SOLANA IS ON A VISIT TO TIRANA
NATO secretary-general Javier Solana will meet in Tirana
today with Albanian president Redzep Meidani, prime minister Fatos
Nano and ministers of foreign affairs and defense Paskal Milo and
Luan Haidaranga.
Meanwhile, the United States expressed their support to the
leader of the ethnic Albanians in Kosovo, Ibrahim Rugova.
[17] CUBAN PARLIAMENT DEPUTIES MET IN NICOSIA WITH PRESIDENT
CLERIDES
Cuban Parliament deputies met in Nicosia today with Cypriot
president Glafkos Clerides and conveyed to him the full support
and solidarity of their country to the struggle of the Cypriot
people.
Mr. Clerides briefed Group of Friendship in the Cuban
Parliament chairman Ernesto Suarez Mentez and Cuban Parliament
member Leonardo Lopez on the latest developments in the Cyprus
issue.
From their side, the Cuban Parliament deputies, who are on a
visit to Cyprus at the invitation of the Cypriot Parliament,
briefed Cypriot president Clerides on the developments in their
country and the economic isolation imposed on Cuba.
[18] THE TURKISH ECONOMY IS UNDER THE TOTAL CONTROL OF THE IMF
The Turkish economy is placed under the total control of the
International Monetary Fund based on the agreement reached
recently which provides that the international organization will
effectively determine the country's fiscal policy for a period of
at least 18 months.
The newspaper "Hurriyet" as all the Turkish newspapers
stresses that among the targets set by the international
organization is the drop of inflation to 50% in 1998 and to 20% in
1999.
The IMF will check the course of the Turkish economy every 3
months and its conclusions will be sent to international
evaluation and credit organizations.
[19] SANCTIONS ON SWISS BANKS OVER THE JEWISH GOLD
A new initiative was announced by the United States in an
effort to force the Swiss banks to give back hundreds of millions
of dollars owed to the victims of the Holocaust.
A committee of economic officials announced, according to the
radio service of the BBC, that it will impose sanctions on Swiss
banks because they have not paid yet the compensation owed to the
families of the victims of the Holocaust, who did not get their
property back after the defeat of Germany in World War II.
[20] GREEK CYPRIOT AND TURKISH CYPRIOT BUSINESSMEN MET IN OSLO
The two-day meeting of Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot
businessmen which was held with the participation of businessmen
from Greece and Turkey was completed in Oslo with the signing of
an agreement for further cooperation.
The meeting that was held at the initiative of the Oslo Peace
Institute was presided over by US ambassador to the UN Richard
Holbrooke.
[21] NATO DISPLEASED OVER HOLBROOKE'S CONTACTS WITH THE KOSOVO
LIBERATION ARMY
NATO secretary general Javier Solana stated today that he
recognises Ibrahim Rugova as the leader of the Kosovo Albanians,
while, at the same time, the United States have contacts with
radical ethnic Albanian separatists.
Meanwhile, all European states are concerned over the talks
Richard Holbrooke held with two members of the Kosovo Liberation
Army without consulting NATO because it is expected that this
initiative will hamper the negotiations between Serbian
authorities and ethnic Albanians.
[22] DELIVERY OF RUSSIAN S-300 MISSILES TO CYPRUS DELAYED
Russian ambassador to Ankara Vadim Kuznetsof announced today that
the delivery of the Russian S-300 missiles to Cyprus would be
delayed until the end of autumn, following a request by the
Cypriot government, according to the Cypriot Press Agency.
This is the first time that a Russian diplomat officially
announces a delay of the missiles delivery to the island.
Mr Kuznetsof pointed out that the contract on the missiles sale is
a purely economic matter and has nothing to do with politics.
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