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Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 98-09-18

Macedonian Press Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

From: The Macedonian Press Agency at http://www.mpa.gr and http://www.hri.org/MPA.


MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Thessaloniki, September 18, 1998

SECTIONS

  • [A] NATIONAL NEWS
  • [B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

  • NEWS HEADLINES

    [A] NATIONAL NEWS

  • [01] HONORARY PRESIDENT OF NEW DEMOCRACY TO MEET WITH TURKISH PREMIER
  • [02] INTERNATIONAL STOCK MARKET TAKE A PLUNGE
  • [03] YOUNG PERSONS FROM S.E. EUROPE MEET IN PLATAMONAS, DISCUSS THEIR ISSUES
  • [04] BURNS: VISA REQUIREMENT FOR GREEK TRAVEL TO US TO BE ABOLISHED SOON
  • [05] ALTERNATE FM COMMENTS ON LATEST DEVELOPMENTS IN ALBANIA
  • [06] PASOK'S CENTRAL COMMITTEE MEETS TODAY
  • [07] GREEK-ROMANIAN BUSINESS MEETING IN THESSALONIKI
  • [B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

  • [08] ALBANIAN PARLIAMENT TO RULE ON SALI BERISHA'S IMMUNITY LIFT
  • [09] GREEK FM TO ATTEND UHAC CONFERENCE ALONG WITH HOLBROOKE, DUKAKIS
  • [10] MAJORITY OF EUROPEANS SUPPORT COMMON CURRENCY, THE EURO
  • [11] PRESIDENT OF CYPRUS CLERIDES TO MEET WITH UN SECRETARY- GENERAL ANNAN
  • [12] CEKA: NANO LOST BECAUSE HE UNBOUND THE HANDS OF THE CORRUPTED
  • [13] THE EUROPEAN TROIKA WILL BE IN TIRANA TOMORROW
  • [14] CLERIDES - ANNAN MEETING IN NEW YORK
  • [15] ISTVAN PATAKI, THE NEW AMBASSADOR OF HUNGARY TO GREECE

  • NEWS IN DETAIL

    [A] NATIONAL NEWS

    [01] HONORARY PRESIDENT OF NEW DEMOCRACY TO MEET WITH TURKISH PREMIER

    The honorary president of Greece's main opposition party and former premier, New Democracy's Konstantinos Mitsotakis, is to meet with Turkish Premier Mesut Yilmaz on Sunday evening with whom he will discuss the course of Greek-Turkish relations.

    The meeting, to take place at a hotel in Bosporus, is at the request of the Turkish premier in light of Mr. Mitsotakis' visit to Istanbul.

    Mr. Mitsotakis has informed the Prime Minister Kostas Simitis as well as the President of Cyprus Glafkos Clerides of Mr. Yilmaz's initiative.

    [02] INTERNATIONAL STOCK MARKET TAKE A PLUNGE

    A negative climate continues to prevail in stock market throughout the world as the possibility of an agreement among the Seven for a reduction interest rates is dimming.

    The chairman of the US Central Bank refused to commit to such reduction which led investors to be discouraged. As a result, drops were noted in the largest stock markets.

    [03] YOUNG PERSONS FROM S.E. EUROPE MEET IN PLATAMONAS, DISCUSS THEIR ISSUES

    Young persons representing all the countries from Southeast Europe are to embark on a four-day meeting today in Platamonas, an event organized by the New Generation General Secretariat.

    Fifteen government officials on youth issues from all countries in southeastern Europe will participate in the meeting, as well as 100 representatives of non-governmental organizations from these countries, including Turkey for the first time.

    The event is taking place as a preparation of Youth Week which will take place in July 1999.

    This initiative is part of the action program for 1998-1999, which was adopted by the ministers responsible for youth issues in the countries of southeastern Europe in the framework of a relevant multipartite agreement signed in Athens in March.

    [04] BURNS: VISA REQUIREMENT FOR GREEK TRAVEL TO US TO BE ABOLISHED SOON

    US ambassador to Athens Nicholas Burns has announced that the visa requirement applied to Greeks who plan to travel to the United States will be abolished soon.

    "It is a measure which has been abolished 10 years ago for the citizens of all European Union countries, with the exception of those of Portugal and Greece," Mr. Burns stated yesterday.

    "I believe that the abolition of the visa is a matter of a few months and this is so because processes must be completed inside the government for such a thing to be achieved," he said.

    [05] ALTERNATE FM COMMENTS ON LATEST DEVELOPMENTS IN ALBANIA

    Alternate Foreign Minister George Papandreou stated that Greece is "keenly interested in a smooth and democratic evolution in Albania, its economic recovery and the protection of human rights as well as the strengthening of democratic institutions," during a press interview held yesterday.

    Presenting Greece's positions and initiatives on a bilateral level and within the framework of international organizations towards achieving normalization in the neighboring country, Mr. Papandreou stated that Greece, as current Council of Europe president, has promoted the organization's involvement in the Albanian issue.

    He also said that during Tuesday's extraordinary meeting of the CoE's permanent representatives, Greece received a mandate to undertake initiatives on Albania in cooperation with other international and European organizations such as the OSCE, the EU and the WEU.

    He added that the most likely development is a joint visit to Albania in the next few days by the foreign ministers (or their deputies) of the countries currently holding the presidency of the OSCE (Poland), the EU (Austria) and the WEU (Italy),as well as EU Commissioner for foreign relations Hans van den Broek.

    OSCE, EU and WEU officials are already in Albania to examine the situation on the spot.

    Asked to comment on statements by former Albanian president Sali Berisha accusing Greece of involvement in the Albanian turmoil, Mr. Papandreou said that Greece has never interfered in Albania's internal affairs, adding that it is not the first time that Mr. Berisha "makes statements of a similar content."

    Replying to a relevant question, Mr. Papandreou avoided any comment on the issue of the possible lifting of Mr. Berisha's parliamentary immunity, but said that further polarization (in Albania) must be avoided.

    [06] PASOK'S CENTRAL COMMITTEE MEETS TODAY

    The two-day meeting of PASOK's Central Committee, with main issues for discussion the preparation of the party's 5th congress and the imminent local administration elections, opens in Athens this afternoon.

    For this purpose, the governmental committee and the political secretariat of the governing party met at noon today presided over by prime minister Kostas Simitis.

    [07] GREEK-ROMANIAN BUSINESS MEETING IN THESSALONIKI

    A fertile autumn for the Greek-Romanian business relations starts in Thessaloniki at the initiative of the local Trade and Industry Chamber.

    Romanian businessmen, members of Bucharest's Trade and Industry Chamber, will be in Thessaloniki on Monday for the signing of cooperation agreements.

    According to a statement by Thessaloniki's Trade and Industry Chamber, the Romanians are interested in signing agreements of cooperation in the sectors of advise services, the representation of foreign companies in their country and the development of money investments.

    [B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

    [08] ALBANIAN PARLIAMENT TO RULE ON SALI BERISHA'S IMMUNITY LIFT

    The Albanian parliament is to decide today whether or not it will lift the parliamentary immunity of main opposition leader and former president Sali Berisha, in order to allow for criminal proceedings to be filed against him for organizing an armed uprising on September 14.

    The government is ready to proceed to the lift, even though this might harbor new uprisings from the opposition leader's followers.

    Meanwhile, Mr. Berisha has called his supporters to participate in a country-wide rally today.

    [09] GREEK FM TO ATTEND UHAC CONFERENCE ALONG WITH HOLBROOKE, DUKAKIS

    Greece's Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos, United States ambassador to the United Nations Richard Holbrooke and former US presidential candidate Michael Dukakis will be among the participants at the following week's 14th annual Hellenic Leadership Conference to be held in Washington.

    According to an announcement issued by the United Hellenic- American Caucus (UHAC), a renewed peace initiative for Cyprus and the Aegean will be the focus of the three-day meeting between top policy-makers and Greek leaders from the US and around the world .

    Mr. Pangalos will host a strategy session and a working dinner on September 23 for his fellow participants. Many of the major Greek-American organizations, as well as Greek and Cypriot organizations will be represented in these meetings by their leaders.

    On September 24, participants will spend most of the day on Capitol Hill meeting with committee and subcommittee chairmen and other policy- makers in the US Congress.

    Moreover, the conference participants will meet with the chairman of the US Senate Gordon Smith and Senator Joseph Biden, as well as Greek-American Senator Paul Sarbanis (of the Senate's Foreign Relations Committee) and Senator Ted Kennedy (of the Senate's Armed Services Committee).

    In the US House of Representatives, some of those with whom participants will meet include: House Minority Leader Richard Gephardt; the chairman and next ranking Democrat of the House International Relations Committee, Congressmen Ben Gilman and Sam Gejdenson; the chairman and ranking Democrat of the House Foreign Operations Appropriations Subcommittee, Congressman Sonny Callahan and Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi the former chairman and current ranking Democrat of the powerful Appropriations Committee, Congressman David Obey; as well as Greek-American Congressmen Mike Bilirakis (co-chair of the Hellenic Caucus) and Mike Pappas (of the House National Security Committee). Participants will also be meeting with Ambassador Holbrooke and special State Department Cyprus coordinator Thomas Miller.

    The Livanos Award will be presented to Mr. Dukakis.

    [10] MAJORITY OF EUROPEANS SUPPORT COMMON CURRENCY, THE EURO

    A large majority of Europeans support the euro, according to a European Commission public opinion poll.

    According to the poll, 60 per cent of EU citizens that responded said they fully support the new currency, up from 50 per cent last year.

    Italians are the most ardent supporters at 83 per cent, 79 per cent of Luxembourg's citizens favor the euro, while 67 per cent of Greeks had a positive response.

    Almost half of the citizens of the European Union (EU) member states favor Cyprus' accession to the Union, being the fourth most favorite of the 11 candidate countries, after Hungary, Poland and the Czech Republic.

    As far as European standards of living go, Greece has the worst record among the EU member-states. Forty-four percent of the Greeks responded that they are not satisfied with their lifestyles, 48% said that they are somewhat satisfied and only seven percent reported being very satisfied.

    [11] PRESIDENT OF CYPRUS CLERIDES TO MEET WITH UN SECRETARY- GENERAL ANNAN

    The President of Cyprus Glafkos Clerides, who is departing for New York this evening, is to meet with the United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

    Prior to his meeting with Mr. Annan, President Clerides will salute the UN General Assembly.

    In light of his talks with the UN secretary-general, Mr. Clerides met yesterday with Mr. Annan's alternate special representative in Cyprus.

    [12] CEKA: NANO LOST BECAUSE HE UNBOUND THE HANDS OF THE CORRUPTED

    In an interview to the Macedonian Press Agency, Neritan Ceka, the president of Albanian opposition party of Democratic Alliance and former Minister of the interior in the present cabinet, blamed the Prime Minister Fatos Nano for the recent political crisis in his country, mainly in regards to existing corruption in Albania's public life, pyramid-like corruption which spanned from the economy to the police.

    Mr. Ceka also stated that he believes the crisis is currently under complete control, although he added that he blames Mr. Nano not only for certain aspects of his character, as he stated, but also for the manner in which he handled the crisis.

    "He seems brave on easy days, but bravery is something to be shown on difficult days," Mr. Ceka said.

    He added that " on the one hand Albania faced Berisha's aggression, and on the other hand it faced the government's corruption which started from the top and reached the bottom."

    Mr. Ceka further added that "justice will decide on the first issue, but the second issue became prevalent the moment it was clear that the government did not enjoy tremendous social support and this is why 200 people were able to overtake the power."

    When asked if he includes the Premier personally in his allegations of corruption, Mr. Ceka said that he is responsible for unbinding the hands of all those who are involved in the matter.

    [13] THE EUROPEAN TROIKA WILL BE IN TIRANA TOMORROW

    The European troika made up of Papandreou, Geremek, Schussel and Dini, will be in Tirana tomorrow in an effort to find a solution for the political crisis in Albania.

    The troika will meet with Albanian president Redzep Meidani and prime minister Fatos Nano. Meanwhile, a huge rally of Sali Berisha's supporters is taking place at the central square of Tirana today.

    The Albanian Parliament will vote today on whether to lift the parliamentary immunity of the former Albanian president in order to be brought before justice accused of instigating the recent unrest aimed at the overthrow of the government.

    [14] CLERIDES - ANNAN MEETING IN NEW YORK

    Cypriot president Glafkos Clerides, who leaves for New York this afternoon, will have a meeting with UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan. Before the meeting, the Cypriot president will address the UN General Assembly.

    It should be noted that in view of his departure today president Clerides met yesterday with Mr. Annan's deputy special representative in Cyprus, Ann Herkus.

    [15] ISTVAN PATAKI, THE NEW AMBASSADOR OF HUNGARY TO GREECE

    Former foreign affairs undersecretary Istvan Pataki will be the new ambassador of Hungary to Greece.

    His appointment was unanimously approved by the foreign affairs committee of the Hungarian Parliament.

    Hungary's new ambassador to Greece is a carrier diplomat and was undersecretary of foreign affairs responsible for European issues in the previous government headed by Gula Horn. He is regarded as a specialist on issues of European Union expansion and Hungary-EU relations.


    Complete archives of the Macedonian Press Agency bulletins are available on the MPA Home Page at http://www.mpa.gr/ and on the U.S. mirror at http://www.hri.org/MPA/


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