Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 98-07-08
MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Thessaloniki, July 08, 1998
SECTIONS
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
NEWS HEADLINES
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] IONIAN BANK TO BE SOLD BY AUGUST
[02] NORTHERN GREECE'S RAILWAY WORKERS TO STRIKE TOMORROW
[03] GREEK WORKERS ARE THE LOWEST PAID IN EU, ACCORDING TO
EUROSTAT
[04] UNICEF: ALMOST HALF OF GREEK MEN SMOKE, SEVENTH IN WORLD
ORDER
[05] REPPAS ON THE ISSUE OF THE NAME OF FYROM
[06] GOVERNMENT MEETING ON THE ECONOMY
[07] GREECE'S RESPONSE TO THE DEMILITARIZATION OF THE ISLANDS
[08] 1.000 PRE-HISTORIC TOMBS WERE DISCOVERED NEAR THESSALONIKI
[09] THE GREEK-BULGARIAN EXHIBITION NESTOS-MESTA '98 OPENS
TOMORROW
[10] EU COMMISSIONER FLYNN WILL VISIT GREECE ON THURSDAY
[11] POLICE COOPERATION ACCORD BETWEEN GREECE AND FYROM
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[12] GREEK DEFENSE MINISTER MEETS WITH US COUNTERPART
[13] RUSSIAN S-300 MISSILES TO BE TEST FIRED IN MOSCOW TOMORROW
[14] US PENTAGON SPOKESPERSON COMMENTS ON GREEK DEFENSE MINISTER'S
VISIT
[15] GREEK PARLIAMENTARY DELEGATION ON OFFICIAL VISIT TO ALGERIA
[16] GREEK DEFENSE MINISTER: CUTS IN DEFENSE SPENDING WOULD BE A
MISTAKE
[17] OECD REPORTS ON MONEY LAUNDERING IN GREECE
[18] CONTACT GROUP TO CONVENE IN BONN TODAY
[19] UNHCR REPORTS 13,000 REFUGEES FROM KOSSOVO
[20] TSOCHATZOPOULOS: RUSSIA'S CONSENT TO A NATO INTERVENTION IN
KOSSOVO IS NECESSARY
[21] GREEK WARSHIP IN DURRES
[22] THE SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE OF THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE IN TIRANA
IS GREEK
[23] THE TURKISH VIOLATIONS IN CYPRUS WERE DISCUSSED BY THE
EUROPEAN COMMITTEE ON HUMAN RIGHTS
[24] KOSOVO LIBERATION ARMY DEMANDS THE PROVINCE'S INTEGRATION IN
ALBANIA
NEWS IN DETAIL
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] IONIAN BANK TO BE SOLD BY AUGUST
The declaration for the sale of the state-owned Ionian Bank
is to be ready by next week and will only grant potential buyers
30 days to submit their tenders.
Officials from the Ministry of National Economy have stated
that the sale process will most likely take place between August
20-30.
The declaration is to make explicit references to the labor
and insurance rights of the bank's employees.
[02] NORTHERN GREECE'S RAILWAY WORKERS TO STRIKE TOMORROW
Only three trains, serving social needs, are to run on the
railway tracks of Macedonia and Thrace tomorrow, after the 24-hour
strike declared by the sector's workers in the region.
In Athens and the Peloponnese the scheduled routes will
proceed as scheduled, expect from those whose destination is in
Macedonia and Thrace.
For more information on the schedule changes, travelers can
contact the local railway stations or their travel agencies.
[03] GREEK WORKERS ARE THE LOWEST PAID IN EU, ACCORDING TO
EUROSTAT
Greeks employed in executive and specialized positions earn
less than a Danish unskilled worker, according to Eurostat's
annual report on wage inequalities.
The European Union's statistics agency said that wage
inequalities in Greece are attributed to the excessive emphasis
given to job seniority.
As such, an unskilled worker in Greece, the lowest paid in
the European Union, earns 231,00 drachmas, whereas his Italian
counterpart earns 346,000.
Luxembourg recorded the highest wages in the EU, three times
more than those of their Greek counterparts, followed by Denmark
and Germany.
Wage inequalities were also major in Spain which ranks second
from the bottom after Greece. The Netherlands and Sweden recorded
the lowest discrepancies.
[04] UNICEF: ALMOST HALF OF GREEK MEN SMOKE, SEVENTH IN WORLD
ORDER
Almost half of adult Greek males smoke, ranking them seventh
in the world, while over one-fourth of Greek women can't do
without cigarettes, giving them the tenth place respectively.
According to a report published by UNICEF, 46% of Greek men
and 28% of Greek women smoke cigarettes, with a 37% of the
country's adult population bring addicted to cigarettes.
According to the same report, approximately 3.5
million persons lose their lives every year from cigarette-related
causes.
[05] REPPAS ON THE ISSUE OF THE NAME OF FYROM
Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas responding to a
question made by reporters on the statements of foreign minister
Theodoros Pangalos on the issue of FYROM, clarified that Greece's
policy on the issue has not changed.
Mr. Reppas also expressed the view that everything stated on
the issue of FYROM's name is simply speculation and added that the
talks between the two countries are being held within the United
Nations and not at bilateral level.
[06] GOVERNMENT MEETING ON THE ECONOMY
A meeting on the economy for the presentation of the first
assessments on the 1999 budget was held at noon today with the
participation of undersecretaries of national economy and finance
Mr. Pachtas and Mr. Dris.
Another meeting was held with the participation of the
undersecretaries of finance and development to examine the price
control mechanisms aimed at limiting inflation. The inflation rate
for the month of June is expected to be announced on Friday.
[07] GREECE'S RESPONSE TO THE DEMILITARIZATION OF THE ISLANDS
The Greek foreign ministry characterized the Turkish
government's position concerning a proposed demilitarization of
the Aegean islands as a violation of the commitments Turkey has
undertaken with the Madrid declaration and the agreement for the
implementation of confidence-building-measures in the Aegean.
In a statement issued by the Greek foreign ministry it is
underlined that the statements of the Turkish foreign ministry are
obviously being made for reasons related to the internal situation
of the country.
[08] 1.000 PRE-HISTORIC TOMBS WERE DISCOVERED NEAR THESSALONIKI
One thousand tombs dated back to the iron era, with
impressive copper jewelry and copper daggers were found at the Nea
Philadelphia cemetery in Thessaloniki, near the pre-historic
settlement unearthed in the region in 1995.
According to archaeologists, this is one of the few pre-
historic settlements in northern Greece where excavations
continue.
[09] THE GREEK-BULGARIAN EXHIBITION NESTOS-MESTA '98 OPENS
TOMORROW
The Greek- Bulgarian trade exhibition "Nestos-Mesta ‘98"
opens in the southern Bulgarian city of Gotse Deltsev tomorrow.
In the exhibition, that was held for the first time last
year, participate 12 Greek companies from the northern Greek
cities of Drama and Kavala and 24 Bulgarian companies. The
exhibition is being held in the Bulgarian city's cultural center
building and will last until Saturday.
[10] EU COMMISSIONER FLYNN WILL VISIT GREECE ON THURSDAY
EU Commissioner Padraig Flynn, responsible for issues of
employment and social affairs, will visit Greece on Thursday. On
his two-day visit to Greece the EU Commissioner will have contacts
with government officials.
On Thursday, he will meet with prime minister Kostas Simitis
and with ministers of labor and health to discuss issues within
their authority and on Friday he will visit hospitals and
psychiatric clinics in the region of Athens and in the island of
Leros.
[11] POLICE COOPERATION ACCORD BETWEEN GREECE AND FYROM
Greek minister of National Order Giorgos Romeos went on an
official two-day visit to FYROM today, where he met with the
Internal minister of the neighbouring country, Al. Cokrevski.
During the talks the two ministers had, in Ochrid, they
reached an agreement on the cooperation of the police authorities
of Greece and FYROM.
In statements he made later, mr Romeos stressed that the two
sides had a cooperation, in the past, on drugs, organised crime
and illegal emigration issues and noted that, through the present
agreement, this cooperation has become more substantial.
Mr Romeos, also, pointed out that organized crime and arms
smuggling are common enemies for the two countries.
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[12] GREEK DEFENSE MINISTER MEETS WITH US COUNTERPART
Greece's National Defense Minister Akis Tsochatzopoulos is
continuing his ten-day official visit to the United States and is
to meet with his US counterpart William Cohen is Washington today.
Yesterday, Mr. Tsochatzopoulos stated that the delivery of
the Russia-made S300 anti-aircraft missiles to Cyprus is to take
place in November, not this summer, following a decision of
Cypriot President Glafkos Clerides. This delay is enforced in
order to reduce the tension and to not disrupt the US and United
Nations initiatives for the Cyprus issue.
[13] RUSSIAN S-300 MISSILES TO BE TEST FIRED IN MOSCOW TOMORROW
The S-300 anti-aircraft missiles purchased by Cyprus from
Moscow are to be test-fired tomorrow in Russia.
Cypriot Defense Minister Yiannakis Omirou arrived in Moscow
yesterday on a four-day visit and will attend the test-firing of
the ground-to- air missiles which will take place at a firing
range 1,200 km south of Moscow.
The President of the Republic of Cyprus Glafkos Clerides is
also due to visit Moscow from July 11-14.
[14] US PENTAGON SPOKESPERSON COMMENTS ON GREEK DEFENSE MINISTER'S
VISIT
Commenting on the official visit conducted to the United
States by Greek National Defense Minster Akis Tsochatzopoulos, US
Pentagon spokesperson Kenneth Bacon stated that it marked the
"second chapter" after "a very good" visit to Athens last April
by US Defense Secretary William Cohen.
"I think they have created a very good relationship and they
are going to build on it", Mr. Bacon stated.
Mr. Tsochatzopoulos is to meet with Mr. Cohen today and the
two men will discuss issues related to Kossovo and NATO military
options, confidence-building measures and de-escalation of tension
in the Aegean as well as Cyprus.
[15] GREEK PARLIAMENTARY DELEGATION ON OFFICIAL VISIT TO ALGERIA
A delegation of the Hellenic Parliament's foreign affairs and
defense committee arrived in Algiers yesterday at the invitation
of Algeria's national assembly president.
The six-member delegation, headed by MP Elias Papadopoulos
will meet with several Algerian officials. The visit is conducted
within the framework of inter-Parliamentary exchanges and the
strengthening of Greek-Algerian relations.
[16] GREEK DEFENSE MINISTER: CUTS IN DEFENSE SPENDING WOULD BE A
MISTAKE
Under the conditions of "indivisible European security", an
international armed intervention in Kossovo is "unthinkable"
without Russia's consent, stated the Greek National Defense
Minister Akis Tsochatzopoulos, now in the United States on a short
working visit.
Speaking in Washington at the Carnegie Foundation for
promotion of universal peace, he pointed to the great importance
of the recent meeting between Russian President Boris Yeltsin and
Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic and emphasized: "Political
efforts should be fully exhausted before NATO turns to any
military measures".
In the minister's opinion, such measures "should be a
component part of more general political strategy, hammered out by
international organizations: the European Union, the United
Nations, the Contact Group of the Organization for Security and
Cooperation in Europe and the West European Union".
"The main principle of the new NATO is cooperation with
international organizations to which it renders assistance," the
minister noted. "A military intervention without a mandate
violates this principle."
Asked about Greece's plans on purchasing weapons, the
minister stated: "We are not a rich country, ... but we need
modernization. Greece has been constantly slashing expenditures
for weapons since 1987-1988. I believe it was a political mistake.
If you lag behind in this sphere, it will be difficult to come
abreast".
"We now carry out a five-year program for modernization in
cooperation with many countries," Tsochatzopoulos continued. "I
was here already at Lockheed's and Boeing's. We need fighters with
an early warning system as well as training and refueling planes.
We shall announce a tender."
In the minister's opinion, his country "has no choice" in the
question on the need for rearmament. "Neighbors show a huge
military buildup," he said. "Turkey spends annually four billion
US dollars for weapons. The cost of our entire five-year program
is 16 billion dollars".
[17] OECD REPORTS ON MONEY LAUNDERING IN GREECE
The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development
(OECD) has reported on cases of money laundering in Greece, among
other European countries, in a study issued by its Financial
Action Task Force.
The study, which focuses on legislative reforms needed to
take place in order to face the phenomenon, reports that drug
traffic and trade constitutes one of the most rapidly growing
problems in the country.
According to the study's author, Patrick Mullet, the study
was not limited to Greece but, instead, concerned the countries
which participate in the Financial Action Task Force and was based
on data gathered by the Task Force's delegation.
"Due to its geographic position, Greece could be used by
organized crime syndicates active in eastern and central Europe,"
Mr. Mullet told the BBC.
Stressing that the study's basic aim is not to discover the
countries active in money laundering, but, rather, countries whose
legislation impedes such activity, Mr. Mullet added that Greece's
relevant legislation is far more efficient than it was four years
ago.
[18] CONTACT GROUP TO CONVENE IN BONN TODAY
The six-member "Contact Group" is to convene in Bonn today in
order to examine ways to reduce the tension in Kossovo and to
review the results of the recent tour conducted in the region by
the US envoy Richard Holbrooke.
According to diplomatic reports, the "six" are expected to
ask the members of the Kossovo Liberation Army (KLA) to stop
attacking the unarmed Serbs, since they deem that the Yugoslav
forces have already done so.
According to the same reports, the Contact Group is to review
cease-fire proposals as well as a proposal that foresees the
formation of a committee, which will comprise KLA representatives,
which will be willing to embark on talks with Belgrade.
[19] UNHCR REPORTS 13,000 REFUGEES FROM KOSSOVO
"The situation in Western Kossovo continues to be very
tense," Judith Kumin, a spokeswoman for the United Nations High
Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), told reporters in Geneva
yesterday.
Ms. Kumin said that UNHCR had reports of artillery fire from
the Kossovo side of the border on Monday morning. "There are only
a few new arrivals of refugees in northern Albania, as the border
seems nearly impossible for civilians to cross," she said.
According to the refugees, villages in the western part of
Kossovo continue to be shelled, mainly at night. Food there is
reportedly becoming scarce, since people are afraid to go into
towns to get fresh supplies.
So far, UNHCR has registered over 10,000 refugees in the
Tropoje district of northern Albania. The agency believes that an
additional 3,000 refugees have left Tropoje for other parts of
Albania, making a total of 13,000 refugees who have crossed the
border into Albania since May.
The authorities in Montenegro, meanwhile, report that over
15,000 internally displaced persons have arrived there from
Kossovo, including ethnic Albanians and Serbs, according to UNHCR.
[20] TSOCHATZOPOULOS: RUSSIA'S CONSENT TO A NATO INTERVENTION IN
KOSSOVO IS NECESSARY
Greek minister of defense Akis Tsochatzopoulos stressed in
his speech on the promotion of world peace which was delivered in
the Carnegie Institute in Washington that an armed intervention of
NATO in Kossovo will be unthinkable without the consent of Russia
within the framework of the indivisible European security.
Mr. Tsochatzopoulos pointed out the significance of the
recent meeting of Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevic with
Russian president Boris Yeltsin and stressed that NATO should use
every political means before it uses any military measure. The
military measures, stated Mr. Tsochatzopoulos, should be part of
an overall political strategy which is hammered out by
international organizations, namely, the European Union, the
United Nations, the OSCE Contact Group and the Western European
Union. NATO's main principle is its cooperation with the
international organizations and a military intervention without
authorization would be a violation of that principle, said Mr.
Tsochatzopoulos.
Also, the Greek minister of defense said that it is
unacceptable to encourage the secessionist ethnic Albanians, who
maintain the hope that NATO will attack Serbia, while he
emphasized the view that the respect for the internationally
recognized borders and the respect of human rights should be two
absolutely necessary preconditions for the successful solution of
the problem, adding that if the borders change once there will be
a great turmoil in the Balkans where there are many minorities.
Mr. Tsochatzopoulos also spoke about the need to create an
international peace-keeping force by the Balkan states capable of
supporting the efforts of NATO and the Western European Union.
[21] GREEK WARSHIP IN DURRES
The Greek frigate "Macedonia" sailed into the port of Durres
together with other three warships of NATO's permanent naval force
in the Mediterranean.
The visit of the four vessels, the first one made to an
Albanian port, is placed within the framework of the efforts made
by the north Atlantic alliance for the strengthening of security
and stability in the region.
[22] THE SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE OF THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE IN TIRANA
IS GREEK
Separate meetings with Albanian president Redzep Meidani,
prime minister Fatos Nano and Parliament president Skender Ginusi
had in Tirana Council of Europe political affairs general director
Peter Furer and the European organization's general secretary
special representative Andreas Papakonstantinou within the
framework of their visit to Albania, opening the term of the Greek
diplomat as the head of the Council of Europe in the country.
Their talks focused on the reforms made by the government for
the strengthening of the institutions and the developments in the
region. According to the Albanian television, Mr. Furer assured
that Yugoslavia's request for membership to the Council of Europe
will not be considered for as long as Belgrade continues its
present policy toward Kossovo.
[23] THE TURKISH VIOLATIONS IN CYPRUS WERE DISCUSSED BY THE
EUROPEAN COMMITTEE ON HUMAN RIGHTS
The latest public meeting of the Council of Europe Human
Rights Committee that was held in Strasbourg dealt with the human
rights violations in Cyprus.
Cypriot prosecutor general Alekos Markides stated to MPA that
in the meeting was discussed Cyprus' appeal on the human rights
and freedoms violations which are the result of the continuing
Turkish invasion and military occupation of northern Cyprus. In
the next two to three months the European institution is expected
to examine important aspects of the Cyprus issue.
[24] KOSOVO LIBERATION ARMY DEMANDS THE PROVINCE'S INTEGRATION IN
ALBANIA
According to reports by international press agencies in
Geneva, the spokesman of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA), Mahmut
Bardili, stated, today, that KLA rejects the bids for a political
solution for the Kosovo crisis and added that it will fight for
the secession of the province from Serbia and Yugoslavia and the
creation of the "Great Albania".
The statement was made to reporters at the UN headquarters,
where mr Bardili introduced himself as the spokesman of the
SKosovo National Movement"
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