Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 98-09-04
MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Thessaloniki, September 4, 1998
SECTIONS
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
NEWS HEADLINES
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] THESSALONIKI'S 63rd TRADE FAIR TO BE INAUGURATED TONIGHT BY
PREMIER
[02] SCORE OF OFFICIALS TO ATTEND INAUGURATION OF 63RD TIF
[03] PRESIDENT OF HELLENIC REPUBLIC TO VISIT FLORINA PREFECTURE
THIS WEEKEND
[04] TURKEY IS IN CONFLICT WITH THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY
[05] THE BIGGEST INCREASE OF THE YEAR IN INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION WAS
RECORDED IN JUNE
[06] THE NUMBER OF CHARTER FLIGHTS TO GREECE HAS INCREASED BY 8.5%
[07] TWO GREEKS AND 8 OF GREEK ORIGIN WERE AMONG THE PASSENGERS OF
THE SWISSAIR PLANE
[08] THE EUROPEAN STOCK MARKETS ARE ON A POSITIVE COURSE
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[09] EIGHT GREEKS WERE AMONG THE PASSENGERS OF SWISSAIR'S FLIGHT
SR111
[10] ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH VARTHOLOMEOS SENDS WISHES TO TIF
[11] GREECE AND TUNISIA SIGN DEFENSE AGREEMENT
[12] GREECE OPENS CONSULATE IN YUGOSLAV CITY OF NIS, FIRST COUNTRY
TO DO SO
[13] UN SECRETARY-GENERAL INSISTS ON BI-COMMUNAL TALKS IN CYPRUS
[14] RUSSIA'S DUMA TO CONVENE TODAY OVER CERNOMYRDIN'S
APPOINTMENT
[15] THE S-300 MISSILES ARE AN ANTI-AIRCRAFT DEFENSE SYSTEM
ACCORDING TO A US STATE DEPARTMENT REPORT
[16] TEN GREEKS AMONG THE VICTIMS OF THE SWISSAIR PASSENGER PLANE
CRASH
[17] THE GREEK-AMERICAN INSTITUTE PROTESTED AGAINST THE DENKTASH
PROPOSAL
NEWS IN DETAIL
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] THESSALONIKI'S 63rd TRADE FAIR TO BE INAUGURATED TONIGHT BY
PREMIER
Thessaloniki is to be the city at the heart of Europe for a
course of ten days, thanks to the 63rd International Trade Fair
that is to be inaugurated this evening by the Prime Minister
Kostas Simitis.
The Premier will be accompanied by a large delegation of
government officials.
Government spokesperson Dimitris Reppas stated that, in his
speech, Mr. Simitis will insist on the adherence to the present
fiscal policy and will grant emphasis on the promotion of reforms
that are expected to propel the country into the Economic and
Monetary Union.
[02] SCORE OF OFFICIALS TO ATTEND INAUGURATION OF 63RD TIF
A score of officials are to attend this evening's
inauguration ceremony of Thessaloniki's 63rd International Trade
Fair.
The inauguration will take place at 8 p.m. with an address
given by the Prime Minister Kostas Simitis, who is expected to
arrive in the city at 6:15 p.m.
The ceremony, held at the Fair's "Ioannis Vellidis"
convention center, will be attended by US Assistant Secretary of
Commerce Mary Fran Kirchner, the Commerce, Industry and Tourism
Minister of Cyprus, the Ukrainian Public Order Minister, the
Ukrainian International Economic Relations and Agriculture
Undersecretaries and the Polish Finance Undersecretary.
The Premier will unveil the government's economic policy for
the next 12 months during tomorrow evening's speech, to be given
at 9 p. m.
At noon on Sunday, Mr. Simitis will give a press conference
spanning all issues.
This year's TIF is to the participation of the People's Republic
of China, whose pavilion is one of the biggest and covers 500
square meters.
[03] PRESIDENT OF HELLENIC REPUBLIC TO VISIT FLORINA PREFECTURE
THIS WEEKEND
The President of the Hellenic Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos
is to conduct a two-day visit to the prefecture of Florina this
weekend.
According to the announcement issued by the President's
office, Mr. Stephanopoulos will visit the cities of Amynteo,
Florina, the guardhouses of Niki, Koula and Agia Paraskevi, as
well as the Prespes lake.
[04] TURKEY IS IN CONFLICT WITH THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY
Turkey moves to the opposite direction with that of the
decisions and the wishes of the international community and
repeats the provocation toward Greece, stated Greek government
spokesman Dimitris Reppas.
Mr. Reppas made the statement when he was asked by reporters
to comment on the statements made by Turkish prime minister Mesut
Yilmaz, who spoke of accelerated procedures for the incorporation
of the Turkish occupied northern Cyprus into Turkey.
[05] THE BIGGEST INCREASE OF THE YEAR IN INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION WAS
RECORDED IN JUNE
Industrial production increased by 6.4% in June, which is the
biggest increase recorded this year. The encouraging facts
provided by the National Statistics Agency multiply the
expectations of the government's economic staff for a considerable
contribution of the industry sector to the strengthening of the
GDP in 1998.
The increase observed is linked to a great degree to the
increase of the general index of mine, industry and electricity-
natural gas production. This index increased in June by 8%, while
the electricity-natural gas production index alone showed a
notable increase of 28.7%.
[06] THE NUMBER OF CHARTER FLIGHTS TO GREECE HAS INCREASED BY 8.5%
The charter flights arrivals in Greece showed a rise of 8.5%
during the second trimester of 1998. The number of passengers who
selected this way to come to Greece for their vacation was
recorded by the National Statistics Agency.
Specifically, 1.545.890 people arrived at the airports of
Thessaloniki, Athens, Iraklio, Rhodes and Corfu in the April-June
period, while at the same time last year they were 1.424.788.
The largest increase was recorded at the airport of Corfu by
17.81%, while also impressive was the increase observed at the
airport of Iraklion with 633.999 passengers. On the contrary, the
situation is less encouraging at the Athens Airport where the
number of charter flights arrivals in the April-June period showed
a decline of 6.08%.
[07] TWO GREEKS AND 8 OF GREEK ORIGIN WERE AMONG THE PASSENGERS OF
THE SWISSAIR PLANE
Two Greeks and 8 of Greek origin are included in the list
with the names of the 229 passengers of the Swissair plane that
crashed yesterday. Their names are Peter and William Karipidis,
Gabriela Karipidis, Chronoula Bonanou-Economopoulou, Nikos
Kefalidis, Evgenia and Platonas Spanopoulos, Christos Tsolis,
Maria Tzamargioudaki and Zenios Marinos.
Swissair has announced that the 14 crew members were Swiss,
while of the 215 passengers, 136 had a US passport, 30 were
French, 28 Swiss, 2 Greeks and the rest 21 came from different
countries.
[08] THE EUROPEAN STOCK MARKETS ARE ON A POSITIVE COURSE
The European stock markets are on a positive course today in
spite of yesterday's losses in the New York Stock Exchange.
Meanwhile, in Russia the efforts continue for the easing of
the stock market crisis. Russian president Boris Yeltsin promised
more powers to the Communist dominated Lower House of Parliament,
known as Duma, in order to win its approval of prime minister
designate Victor Chernomyrdin.
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[09] EIGHT GREEKS WERE AMONG THE PASSENGERS OF SWISSAIR'S FLIGHT
SR111
Eight Greeks, six of whom were traveling on foreign
passports, were among the 229 passengers of the Swissair flight
SR111 that crashed off the coast of Canada yesterday, killing all
abroad.
The victims' relatives left for Halifax yesterday in order to
identify the remains of their loved ones. Swissair launched an
emergency plan yesterday and offered to the families of the
victims a round-trip flight to Canada and $20,000 in immediate aid
for each passenger killed.
A Swissair spokesperson in Athens said that nineteen of the
215 passengers on the flight were booked on connecting flights to
the Greek capital.
The MD-11 airliner was en route from New York to Geneva when
the pilot saw smoke in the cockpit. He warned the passengers and
the 14 crew members that they would be making an emergency landing
in Halifax. Instead, it crashed off the coast of Nova Scotia.
The plane, a three-engine McDonnell Douglas aircraft, went
down in the Atlantic at 9:30 p.m. Wednesday (0130 GMT Thursday),
an hour and 40 minutes after takeoff from New York's Kennedy
Airport.
Yesterday's crash was the first suffered by Swissair since
1979, when a DC-8 overshot the runway in Athens. Fourteen people
died when that plane burst into flames.
[10] ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH VARTHOLOMEOS SENDS WISHES TO TIF
The Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos has forwarded a
message to the International Trade Fair of Thessaloniki, wishing
for its success.
In his message, to be read during this evening inaugural
ceremony, the Patriarch also expresses his regret that he will be
unable to attend the event, to which he is invited every year, due
to previously undertaken commitments.
[11] GREECE AND TUNISIA SIGN DEFENSE AGREEMENT
Greece's Defense Minister Akis Tsochatzopoulos, winding up an
official visit to Tunisia yesterday, signed a defense agreement
with his Tunisian counterpart Ben Yahia providing for cooperation
in the defense and military sectors.
Mr. Tsochatzopoulos said that the countries of the
Mediterranean region could contribute decisively to the
maintenance of stability and security in the region, overcoming
the problems arising at a localized level.
Mr. Yahia said that the agreement aims at "not only defense
but at peace in the region of the Mediterranean."
While in Tunis, Mr. Tsochatzopoulos held talks with a number
of Tunisian government officials on bilateral, regional and
international issues, including the Cypriot problem and the need
to respect United Nations Security Council resolutions.
In his meeting with Tunisian President Ben Ali, he asked for
Tunis's support for Greece's bid to sit on the Security Council as
a non-permanent member.
[12] GREECE OPENS CONSULATE IN YUGOSLAV CITY OF NIS, FIRST COUNTRY
TO DO SO
Greece is to inaugurate its consulate in the city of Nis
today, being the first country covering the region of southern
Serbia as well as Kossovo.
Aiming at the facilitation of Yugoslav tourists and
businessmen wishing to obtain visas for Greece, the consulate will
also serve the city's big Greek community, comprising primarily
students and businessmen, and will contribute towards the
development of economic and cultural relations between Serbia and
Greece.
The inauguration will be conducted by the Foreign Ministry's
Administration and Organization Secretary General Konstantinos
Zoras in the presence of the Mayor of Nis Zoran Zivkovic and other
Serb officials.
[13] UN SECRETARY-GENERAL INSISTS ON BI-COMMUNAL TALKS IN CYPRUS
Following a brief meeting with Cypriot President Glafkos
Clerides in Durban yesterday, United Nations Secretary-general
Kofi Annan reiterated that the UN's Security Council would not
waiver from its insistence that Cyprus peace talks be held on a bi-
communal basis.
Commenting on the Turkish Cypriot confederation plan, which
aims to initiate peace talks between "two equal states", Mr. Annan
said that "I think this issue has been already raised and brought
to the attention of the UN Security Council, which has already
given its response."
Mgrs. Clerides and Annan met on the sidelines of the Non-
Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit held in South Africa in order to
discuss the situation in Cyprus and UN efforts to reduce tension.
Mr. Clerides said he was satisfied with the brief meeting and
suggested there were prospects for a new UN initiative to start
the peace process.
The Cypriot President repeated his condemnation of the
confederation proposal and stressed that demilitarization is the
only way to secure a peaceful solution.
He described Turk-Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash's
confederation proposal as "totally unacceptable", saying it aimed
at "destroying Cyprus as a sovereign and independent state and
becoming a Turkish protectorate."
[14] RUSSIA'S DUMA TO CONVENE TODAY OVER CERNOMYRDIN'S
APPOINTMENT
Russia's lower house of parliament (Duma) is to vote today on
prime minister-designate Victor Cernomyrdin in the second of three
possible votes, although it has made clear its overwhelming
rejection of President Yeltsin's choice of premier.
If Mr. Cernomyrdin is rejected by the Duma three times,
President Yeltsin will have to dissolve the House and call an
early parliamentary election. Mr. Chernomyrdin won the support of
only 94 of the Duma's 450 members last Monday. In order to be
elected, he needs at least 226 votes.
[15] THE S-300 MISSILES ARE AN ANTI-AIRCRAFT DEFENSE SYSTEM
ACCORDING TO A US STATE DEPARTMENT REPORT
The US State Department categorically rejected the Turkish
allegations that the Russian
S-300 missiles Cyprus is planning to buy can be used for offensive
purposes as surface-to-surface missiles, characterizing them as
anti-aircraft defense system.
This conclusion is included in a US State Department report
that was given to publicity by the British-American Council of
information on issues of security. The report was drawn up last
January by the team of former US envoy to Cyprus Richard
Halbrooke.
The report, part of which was broadcast by the BBC radio,
refers to the capabilities of the
S-300 missiles and describes them as a defense security system,
while taking under consideration that Turkey was alarmed by their
possible use for offensive purposes, to conclude that those
concerns are groundless.
[16] TEN GREEKS AMONG THE VICTIMS OF THE SWISSAIR PASSENGER PLANE
CRASH
Ten Greek names are included in the list with the 229 victims
of the Swissair passenger plane crash, while the causes of the
tragic accident are still unknown. It should be reminded that the
airplane, that was on route to Geneva from New York, crashed in
the frozen waters of the Atlantic, off the Nova Scotia coasts in
Canada.
The rescue crews have picked up 44 bodies as the search
continues in bad weather conditions. Light on the causes of the
tragedy is expected to be shed by the two black boxes of the MD-11
passenger plane, while the US pentagon spokesman has ruled out the
likelihood of a terrorist action.
[17] THE GREEK-AMERICAN INSTITUTE PROTESTED AGAINST THE DENKTASH
PROPOSAL
The Greek-American Institute calls on the US government to
reject the Denktash proposal for the creation of a confederation
in Cyprus.
With a letter addressed to US Secretary of State Madeleine
Albright, the US Congress, US State Department officials and US
ambassadors to Athens, Nicosia and Ankara, the Institute
criticizes the initial reaction of the US ambassador to Nicosia
concerning Denktash's proposal as well as, the reaction of US
State Department officials characterizing it as inadequate and
weak.
In the letter it is pointed out that the Denktash proposal is
in effect a recognition of two separate sovereign states in Cyprus
and violates the declared positions of the United States and the
United Nations. According to the Greek-American Institute protest
letter, Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash acts following the
orders of the Turkish armed forces that continue to occupy 40% of
the island and underlined that his proposal is the last in a
series of provocative statements that undermine the stability in
the Aegean and eastern Mediterranean.
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