Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 98-09-17
MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Thessaloniki, September 17, 1998
SECTIONS
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
NEWS HEADLINES
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] GREEK PREMIER RECEIVES EU TRANSPORT COMMISSIONER NEIL KINNOCK
TODAY
[02] GREEK DEFENSE MINISTER MEETS WITH BRITISH COUNTERPART IN
ATHENS
[03] S.E. EUROPEAN COUNTRIES LEADERS TO MEET IN ANTALYA ON
OCTOBER12-14
[04] FBI DIRECTOR ARRIVES IN GREECE TODAY FOR TWO-DAY VISIT
[05] FERRARI, SUPERFAST FERRIES & CAMPARI EMBARK ON SIX-DAY EVENT
TODAY
[06] CHAMPION'S LEAGUE RESULTS: PANATHINAIKOS BEATS DYNAMO KIEV 2-
1
[07] SIMITIS IN ANTALYA IN OCTOBER
[08] LOSSES ARE RECORDED IN MOST EUROPEAN STOCK MARKETS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[09] BERISHA FOLLOWERS TO CONDUCT ANOTHER PROTEST RALLY IN TIRANA
[10] CONFLICT IN KOSSOVO CONTINUES
[11] THE LIFTING OF BERISHA'S PARLIAMENTARY IMMUNITY IS BEING
DISCUSSED IN THE ALBANIAN PARLIAMENT
[12] FOREIGN MINISTER PANGALOS IS IN NEW YORK
[13] A BRITISH FOREIGN OFFICE OFFICIAL MET WITH CLERIDES AND
KASOULIDES
NEWS IN DETAIL
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] GREEK PREMIER RECEIVES EU TRANSPORT COMMISSIONER NEIL KINNOCK
TODAY
European Union Transport Commissioner Neil Kinnock will begin
an official two-day visit to Greece today where he is due to meet
Prime Minister Kostas Simitis, Merchant Marine Minister Stavros
Soumakis and Transport and Communications Minister Tassos
Mandelis.
He will also meet representatives of the Union of Greek
Shipowners and Union of Passenger Shipowners. In addition, the
commissioner will tour the site of a new international airport
being built for Athens at Spata, and meet informally with
Alternate Foreign Minister George Papandreou.
[02] GREEK DEFENSE MINISTER MEETS WITH BRITISH COUNTERPART IN
ATHENS
British Defense Secretary George Robertson, who met yesterday
in Athens with his Greek counterpart Akis Tsochatzopoulos, has
rejected the Turkish-Cypriot leader's (Rauf Denktash) proposal
for a confederation of two states in Cyprus.
Following his talks with Mr. Tsochatzopoulos, Mr. Robertson
stated that Britain "does not support the Denktash proposal."
He added that "we cannot accept any solution of confederation
of two sovereign states", pointing out that it would be contrary
to agreement for a bicommunal, bizonal federation that has been
discussed for almost 25 years.
He said Britain "welcomes any proposals for a solution on the
island but this is not one we would support".
He repeated, however, his country's opposition to the
deployment of the Russian-made S300 even though he recognized the
right of governments to make decisions concerning their defense.
Pointing out that Britain was "genuinely concerned" over the
S300, he argued they would not "add to the security" but rather
"add to tension and therefore create problems".
"There are better ways of getting security than this particular
system, " he added.
In turn, Mr. Tsochatzopoulos said "those concerned with the
problems created by the military build-up in Cyprus should support
a policy of arms reduction, something both Greece and Cyprus
support".
He also stressed that it is every state's undeniable right to
choose the way to defend itself.
Mr. Robertson arrived in Athens after holding talks in Ankara
with the Turkish Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz , defense and
foreign ministers.
[03] S.E. EUROPEAN COUNTRIES LEADERS TO MEET IN ANTALYA ON
OCTOBER12-14
The leaders of the Southeastern European countries are to
conduct a Summit Meeting in Antalya, Turkey on October12-14.
Greek Premier Kostas Simitis has stated that he will meet
with his Turkish counterpart Mesut Yilmaz, as well as with other
leaders, on the sidelines of the Summit.
[04] FBI DIRECTOR ARRIVES IN GREECE TODAY FOR TWO-DAY VISIT
The director of the United States Federal Bureau of
Investigation (FBI) Louis Freeh will begin a two-day visit to
Greece as of today.
Mr. Freeh is scheduled to meet today with Public Order
Minister George Romeos and Greek Police (El.AS) chief Lt. Gen.
Athanasios Vassilopoulos. According to reports, issues to be
discussed include drugs smuggling, terrorism and state security.
US ambassador in Athens Nicholas Burns will host a dinner in
Mr. Freeh's honor later in the evening.
[05] FERRARI, SUPERFAST FERRIES & CAMPARI EMBARK ON SIX-DAY EVENT
TODAY
Ferrari, the famous sports car, SuperFast Ferries and Campari
are to embark on a six-day event in Athens today with the
participation of over 70 Ferrari cars from all over Europe.
The cars will depart from the Italian port of Ancona this
morning and will arrive in Patras 19 hours later aboard a
SuperFast ferry, owned by Greek blue-chip Attica Enterprises,
which is listed on the Athens bourse.
Among events planned starting on Friday are skill races in
Alepohori near Megara and then a drive to Athens.
The Ferraris will be lined up in front of the Kallimarmaro
Stadium in central Athens and the Acropolis.
[06] CHAMPION'S LEAGUE RESULTS: PANATHINAIKOS BEATS DYNAMO KIEV 2-
1
Panathinaikos of Athens beat Dynamo Kiev 2-1 in Athens, while
Olympiakos Piraeus drew 2-2 with Porto in Portugal in Champion's
League group matches yesterday.
Panathinaikos plays in the E Group, while Olympiakos is in
the A Group.
[07] SIMITIS IN ANTALYA IN OCTOBER
The summit meeting of state and government leaders from south-
eastern European countries will take place in Antalya, Turkey on
October 12-14.
According to what prime minister Simitis said in his press
conference during Thessaloniki's International Trade Fair, he will
have contacts with his Turkish counterpart Mesut Yilmaz and with
leaders of other countries on the sidelines of the summit meeting.
[08] LOSSES ARE RECORDED IN MOST EUROPEAN STOCK MARKETS
The big losses are the prevailing trend today in most
European stock markets after the biggest drop of the past 12 years
that was recorded in Japan's Nikkei index. The drop was caused by
the US Central Bank president refusal to be committed to cutting
interest rates.
The losses recorded in the Athens Stock Exchange were 1.10%
at noon today.
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[09] BERISHA FOLLOWERS TO CONDUCT ANOTHER PROTEST RALLY IN TIRANA
Another protest rally is to be held in Tirana today by the
followers of the main opposition leader and former president Sali
Berisha who has called on them to press on until the government
resigns.
Today, a parliamentary committee is to review whether or not
Mr. Berisha's and five Democratic Party deputies' parliamentary
immunity will be lifted in order to criminally prosecute them.
Meanwhile, the European Union, the Organization for Security and
cooperation in Europe and the Western European Union has issued an
appeal to all of Albania's political forces to support president
Rejep Meidani.
[10] CONFLICT IN KOSSOVO CONTINUES
France and Britain have embarked upon preliminary talks
concerning the submittance of a resolution that will aim at
achieving cease-fire in Kossovo. According to reports, certain
NATO member-countries are ready to draw military measures in order
to end the conflict.
US President Bill Clinton warned of the danger of a massive
human tragedy threatening Kossovo.
[11] THE LIFTING OF BERISHA'S PARLIAMENTARY IMMUNITY IS BEING
DISCUSSED IN THE ALBANIAN PARLIAMENT
The discussion on the lifting of Sali Berisha's parliamentary
immunity, who is accused of a coup attempt, starts at this hour in
the Albanian Parliament.
The former president did not visit the general prosecutor's
office today to testify on the recent incidents that took place at
the center of Tirana.
Meanwhile, the tragic toll of the armed attack against the
police station in the town of Leza, 65 kilometers north of Tirana,
is 3 people dead and 10 injured.
[12] FOREIGN MINISTER PANGALOS IS IN NEW YORK
Greek foreign minister Theodoros Pangalos is on a visit to
New York. This morning he met with leading members of the Greek-
American community and Archbishop Spyridon and in the evening he
will visit the Butler Library, where rare publications of Greek
interest are being exhibited.
Tomorrow evening, Mr. Pangalos will deliver a speech at
Columbia University on "Greece and the future of Europe", while on
Monday he will meet with leading members of the Greek-American
community and later on the same day, he will attend a formal
dinner given by UN Secretary-General in honor of the heads of the
diplomatic delegations.
On Wednesday afternoon, Mr. Pangalos is expected to leave for
Washington accompanied by the general secretary for the Greeks
Living Abroad Stavros Lambrinidis, while the following day he will
return to New York to address the UN General Assembly.
[13] A BRITISH FOREIGN OFFICE OFFICIAL MET WITH CLERIDES AND
KASOULIDES
The British foreign office head of political directorate met
with Cypriot president Glafkos Clerides and foreign minister
Yiannakis Kasoulides in Nicosia today.
The British official stated that he works for the solution of
the Cyprus problem in close cooperation with Britain's special
envoy Sir David Hanney and underlined that the efforts of Britain
focus on the implementation of a moratorium of flights over
Cyprus.
He also clarified that his country continues to be actively
involved in the efforts for the solution of Cyprus problem within
the framework of the UN.
He was accompanied by the British High Commissioner and today
he will meet with Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash.
Complete archives of the Macedonian Press Agency bulletins are available
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