Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 98-09-22
MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Thessaloniki, September 22, 1998
SECTIONS
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
NEWS HEADLINES
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] PM TO MEET WITH MAIN OPPOSITION PARTY HONORARY PRESIDENT
[02] MEDITERRANEAN CULTURE MINISTERS HOLD CONFERENCE IN RHODES
SEPT. 25-27
[03] PM TO SPEAK AT PASOK RALLY MARKING 2ND ANNIVERSARY OF PARTY
VICTORY
[04] "ARTISTS WITHOUT BORDERS" TO EMBARK ON 3-MONTH TRAIN TOUR OF
BALKANS
[05] ALTERNATE FM TO BRIEF COUNCIL OF EUROPE ON ALBANIA MISSION
[06] GREECE PROPOSES CREATION OF WORLD UNION FOR OLYMPIC MEDALISTS
[07] GREEK & ROMANIAN COMMERCE-INDUSTRY CHAMBERS SIGN COOPERATION
PROTOCOL
[08] SIMITIS WILL SPEAK AT AN OPEN-AIR RALLY IN ATHENS
[09] GAINS WERE RECORDED IN THE INTERNATIONAL STOCK MARKETS
[10] A "WILD SWAN" WILL MAKE A STOPOVER IN THESSALONIKI TO TELL
THE STORY OF CHINA
[11] THE GREEK INVESTMENTS IN ROMANIA REACHED 80.7 MILLION DOLLARS
IN 1998
[12] MITSOTAKIS BRIEFED THE PRIME MINISTER ON HIS MEETING WITH
YILMAZ
[13] REPPAS: BILL CLINTON IS ACCOUNTABLE TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
[14] THE GREEK MINISTER OF JUSTICE ISSUED A STATEMENT ON THE
LEWINSKY SEX SCANDAL
[15] PANGALOS' INTERVIEW WITH THE ASSOCIATED PRESS RADIO
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[16] US FAVOR BI-ZONAL, BI-COMMUNAL FEDERATION IN CYPRUS
[17] FRANCE AND GERMANY EXPRESS SYMPATHY FOR CLINTON'S LEWINSKY
PLIGHT
[18] ALBANIA: BOMB THROWN AT HOME OF MINOR OPPOSITION LEADER, NO
VICTIMS
[19] FORMER DIRECTOR OF ALBANIAN PRESS AGENCY, ATA, ARRESTED
[20] MELOS SPEAKS AFTER ATTACK: CULPRITS WANT TO HARM GREEK-
ALBANIAN TIES
[21] CYPRIOT PRESIDENT TO MEET WITH RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER IN
NEW YORK
[22] BOMB ATTACK TARGETING THE HOUSE OF VASILIS MELOS
[23] THE RUSSIAN AMBASSADOR TO GREECE BECAME DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER
IN THE NEW RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT
[24] TASOS STAFILIDIS: A YOUNG ACTOR FROM KILKIS IN THE SWEDISH
PARLIAMENT
[25] THE GREEK PRIVATIZATION PROGRAMME WAS PRESENTED IN LONDON BY
THE UNDERSECRETARY OF FINANCE
[26] THIRTEEN TONS OF HEROIN WERE SEIZED IN TURKEY IN 1997
NEWS IN DETAIL
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] PM TO MEET WITH MAIN OPPOSITION PARTY HONORARY PRESIDENT
The Prime Minister Kostas Simitis is to have a meeting with
the honorary president of the main opposition party of New
Democracy Constantine Mitsotakis where the latter will inform Mr.
Simitis on his meeting with Turkish prime minister Mesut Yilmaz,
held in Istanbul on Sunday.
Specifically, Mr. Mitsotakis will brief the Premier on the
views expressed by Mr. Yilmaz on the course of the Greek-Turkish
relations and the Cyprus issue.
[02] MEDITERRANEAN CULTURE MINISTERS HOLD CONFERENCE IN RHODES
SEPT. 25-27
The first Mediterranean wide conference of culture ministers
will be held on the island of Rhodes from September 25-27.
Greece's Culture Minster Evangelos Venizelos has stated that
all of the region's countries except Libya will be participating
and will discuss all the large cultural programs planned for the
celebration of the new millennium as well as the 2004 Olympic
Games.
The minister said that the celebrations for the year 2000
include exhibitions, publications, Greek participation in musical
and theatrical international events, as well as the new monuments
such as the new Acropolis museum and Goulandris Museum of Modern
Art.
He said that the events for the year 2000 include a religious
element represented by the Orthodox Christian Church and organized
by the Patriarchate of Jerusalem and will include Byzantine art
exhibitions.
[03] PM TO SPEAK AT PASOK RALLY MARKING 2ND ANNIVERSARY OF PARTY
VICTORY
Prime Minister Kostas Simitis is scheduled to speak at a
rally of ruling PASOK supporters this evening in the Athens
district of Kallithea to mark the second anniversary of his
party's 1996 general election victory.
Mr. Simitis is expected to outline the government's progress
to date and stress its commitment to achieving inclusion in
Economic and Monetary Union.
[04] "ARTISTS WITHOUT BORDERS" TO EMBARK ON 3-MONTH TRAIN TOUR OF
BALKANS
"Artists Without Borders", a Greek non-profit group, is to
embark on a three-month train tour of 11 Balkan and European
cities tomorrow, outlining the origins of culture and the
development of Western civilization.
The train consists of six white wagons representing various
stages of Western culture:
democracy, theater, commerce and industry, technology, the Olympic
idea and human rights. The train will spend at least two days in
each city and hold theatrical shows with local groups. It is
funded by the Greek culture ministry and parliament.
The train will first visit Sofia, Bulgaria and then travel to
Bucharest, Romania; Leipzig, Germany; Brussels, Belgium;
Strasbourg, France; Milan, Italy; Ljubljana, Slovenia; Zagreb,
Croatia; Banja Luka and Sarajevo, Bosnia; Belgrade, Yugoslavia and
end in Skopje, capital of FYROM.
[05] ALTERNATE FM TO BRIEF COUNCIL OF EUROPE ON ALBANIA MISSION
Greece's Alternate Foreign Minister George Papandreou,
currently the president of the Council of Europe's (CoE)
ministerial committee, will brief the C of E today on the outcome
of his recent mission to Albania last weekend.
According to reports, the president of the C of E's
Parliamentary Assembly, Leni Fischer, said Mr. Papandreou would
give the assembly more details on his trip to Tirana, where he
represented the CoE.
The European delegation, sponsored by the CoE, the
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), the
Western European Union (WEU) and the European Union, urged
Albania's political leaders to find a peaceful solution to the
country's turmoil and issued a stern warning to opposition leader
and former Albanian president Sali Berisha not to undermine
stability in the country.
Ms Fischer also called for self- restraint in Tirana, saying
the Albanian crisis threatened the "fragile balance" in the
Balkans, especially given the tension in the Yugoslav province of
Kosovo.
"We cannot accept violence in Albania, the country needs
peace," she told reporters, adding that Albanian President Rexhep
Mejdani was expected in Strasbourg on Thursday to speak before the
assembly.
[06] GREECE PROPOSES CREATION OF WORLD UNION FOR OLYMPIC MEDALISTS
Olympic Games medalists from all over the world are
participating in the international conference of Olympic medal
winners currently held at the International Olympic Academy in
Olympia.
Sports Undersecretary Andreas Fouras announced the Greek
government's intention to support the effort for the creation of a
world union for Olympic champions, with its permanent headquarters
in ancient Olympia.
The conference, due to end tomorrow, was also addressed
yesterday by the president of the Athens 2004 Olympic Games
committee, Stratis Stratigis, and many Olympic medalists.
Organized by the Association of Greek Olympics medal winners,
SEO, the conference has drawn the participation of 35 Greek and
120 foreign athletes who have won a total of 300 Olympic medals.
[07] GREEK & ROMANIAN COMMERCE-INDUSTRY CHAMBERS SIGN COOPERATION
PROTOCOL
The commerce and industry chambers of Greece and Romania
signed a cooperation protocol yesterday, thereby sealing with
success the contacts made between Greek and Romanian businessmen.
The protocol was signed between the Greek and Romanian
chambers' chairmen, namely Mgrs. Dimitris Bacatselos and George
Cojocaru respectively.
The agreement foresees the undertaking of opportunities
between the two sides aiming at the fortification of commercial
ties between their members.
Moreover, the two chambers will exchange relevant information
pertaining to economy and ventures, while they will also undertake
the initiative for the organization of events that will support
bilateral business missions.
[08] SIMITIS WILL SPEAK AT AN OPEN-AIR RALLY IN ATHENS
An assessment of the government's work in the past two years
and the policy that will be followed by the government until the
next parliamentary elections, will be presented by prime minister
Kostas Simitis in his speech that will be delivered at an open-air
rally in Davakis Square in Kallithea, Athens today.
The governing socialist party of PASOK has made every
preparation for a big rally and according to the party's central
committee secretary Kostas Skandalidis, times have changed and no
comparisons can be made with the political rallies held in the
80's, adding that the party's leading members want a big rally.
[09] GAINS WERE RECORDED IN THE INTERNATIONAL STOCK MARKETS
An upward trend was recorded today in most stock markets of
the world which is attributed to yesterday's publicising of
Clinton's video-taped testimony before the special grand jury that
caused less damage than expected.
Gains were recorded and in the general price index in the
Athens Stock Exchange. At noon today there was an increase by
2.88%.
[10] A "WILD SWAN" WILL MAKE A STOPOVER IN THESSALONIKI TO TELL
THE STORY OF CHINA
One of China's "wild swans", Jung Tsang, will make a stop in
Thessaloniki to present her book which is included in the 11 most
popular books of the 20th century in Britain. "The Wild Swans -
Three Daughters of China" was first published in English in 1991
and in two years it sold 5 million copies.
It was declared Britain's Book of the Year in 1994 and its
author was honored with the first NRC Award, while it is among the
first 11 books included in the list with the 100 most read books
in Britain in the 20th century. The list includes just 13 women
authors.
By September 1995 it had been translated into 28 languages.
In June 1997 it was published in Greece and now is at its 8th
edition.
[11] THE GREEK INVESTMENTS IN ROMANIA REACHED 80.7 MILLION DOLLARS
IN 1998
Greece ranks 11th in the list with the 20 most significant
foreign investors in Romania. The Greek invested capital in the
country was 80.7 million dollars on July 31, 1998 and appeared
considerably increased compared to last March when it was less
than 68 million dollars.
The 1.526 businesses of Greek interest correspond to 2.4% of
foreign investors in Romania, while the 482 Cypriot businesses
correspond to 0.8% in a total of 59.103 registered foreign and
joint ventures in Romania.
The biggest share of investments in the Romanian market
belongs to the 900 Dutch businesses which, with a capital of 462.4
million dollars, correspond to 13.8% of the foreign invested
capital.
[12] MITSOTAKIS BRIEFED THE PRIME MINISTER ON HIS MEETING WITH
YILMAZ
Right-wing main opposition party of New Democracy honorary
president Konstantinos Mitsotakis briefed prime minister Kostas
Simitis on the contents of his meeting with Turkish prime minister
Mesut Yilmaz.
Mr. Mitsotakis avoided to make any statements to reporters on
the contents of his meeting with Mr. Yilmaz after his meeting with
prime minister Simitis. The Greek prime minister will meet with
his Turkish counterpart on October 12 on the sidelines of the
Balkan conference that will be held in Antalya, Turkey.
[13] REPPAS: BILL CLINTON IS ACCOUNTABLE TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
Bill Clinton was elected by the people and he is accountable
only to the American people. This was the response of Greek
government spokesman Dimitris Reppas to reporters when he was
asked to comment on Bill Clinton's stance after the publicising of
the video-taped testimony he had given before the grand jury
concerning his sexual relationship with the young White House
intern, Monica Lewinsky.
[14] THE GREEK MINISTER OF JUSTICE ISSUED A STATEMENT ON THE
LEWINSKY SEX SCANDAL
Greek minister of justice Evangelos Yiannopoulos issued a
statement on the Lewinsky sex scandal that rocks the White House
and threatens the US president with impeachment.
Mr. Yiannopoulos mentions among others that the democratic
people around the world should revolt against the new McCarthyism,
stressing that in the past the extreme right in America, the
organised fascist world, the American reactionaries were murdering
democratic presidents, democratic leaders and progressive
scientists, like John Kennedy, his brother Robert and Martin
Luther King, while Ethel and Julius Rosenberg were sent to the
electric chair. In the McCarthy period film directors, actors,
writers and other literary people were persecuted as well as,
politicians like Malcolm X , says Mr. Yiannopoulos.
The minister of justice statement continues saying that those
who had refused to go to Vietnam were called homosexuals. First
they were murdering people, now they humiliate them. First
bullets, now stains. A new kind of a KKK is being revived through
the method of erotic tapes. Everything the extreme right and the
right failed to get through the election vote now try to get it
through slander.
Mr. Yiannopoulos concludes that the European people resist to
the new way of humiliation of the political thought and action,
adding that the alleged independent prosecutor Kenneth Starr is
the continuation of the darkest act aired by all the television
networks.
[15] PANGALOS' INTERVIEW WITH THE ASSOCIATED PRESS RADIO
Foreign minister Theodoros Pangalos gave an interview to the
Associated Press Radio correspondent to the United Nations Ms.
Sally Shelley Swing.
On the Cyprus issue, Mr. Pangalos said that the Greek formula
is the UN formula that calls for a two-zone, two-community
federation after talks between the Cypriot Republic and the
Turkish Cypriot leadership. Mr. Pangalos stated that Greece
supports this procedure and pressures should be exerted on Ankara
because Ankara is directly associated with the Turkish Cypriot
intransigence.
The main goal of the world community should be the end of the
Turkish military presence in Cyprus, said Mr. Pangalos, adding
that Turkey will have to state that it will withdraw its forces.
Mr. Pangalos said that pressures can be exerted on Turkey
regarding its armaments, stressing that it uses heavy American
weapons in Cyprus that have been given to Ankara only for the
reinforcement of its own defence and therefore, it commits an
illegal act based on the US legislation and the whole issue must
be resolved by the US government.
On the S-300 missiles, Mr. Pangalos stated that it is an
issue concerning only the Cypriot government as Turkey has the
total air control due to the fact that its Air Force planes are
just 5 minutes away from Cyprus and therefore, Cyprus has the
right to defend itself.
On the future of Europe, Mr. Pangalos said that the EU with
the single currency, the common defence and foreign policy and the
new institutions that will bring Europe closer to its people, like
the direct election of certain of its officials, will play a
leading role in the world scene.
On the crisis in Kossovo, Mr. Pangalos stated that Greece has
sent the largest humanitarian aid and has accepted on its
territory 300.000 Albanian refugees. He said that Greece shares
the view of the international community and does not want
independence for Kossovo but an increased autonomy within Serbia,
while a military intervention will not be the appropriate solution
to the problem.
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[16] US FAVOR BI-ZONAL, BI-COMMUNAL FEDERATION IN CYPRUS
Greece's Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos met with the US
emissary for the Cyprus issue Richard Holbrooke in New York
yesterday.
The US official stated that Washington fully supports the
creation of a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation on the island.
Moreover, Mr. Holbrooke told the Greek Foreign Minster that he
will remain at his Cyprus post.
When asked if the Turks will be convinced to restart the
negotiations based on the US proposal, Mr. Holbrooke responded
that he did not know.
[17] FRANCE AND GERMANY EXPRESS SYMPATHY FOR CLINTON'S LEWINSKY
PLIGHT
French Prime Minster, Germany chancellor and the vice-
president of the Italian government have all expressed their
support for the United States President Bill Clinton concerning
the Monica Lewinsky scandal that has taken the world by storm.
Helmut Kohl expressed his concern for the debilitation of the
world's most significant post and stated that the fact that this
matter was publicly discussed is unbearable.
Bill Clinton admitted to having had an inappropriate
relationship with Ms. Lewinsky.
[18] ALBANIA: BOMB THROWN AT HOME OF MINOR OPPOSITION LEADER, NO
VICTIMS
A bomb was thrown at the house of Albania's minor opposition
party leader he Human Rights Union president Vasilis Melos,
causing minor manages. There were no victims in the attack, which
occurred last night, while the perpetrators remain unknown.
On Sunday evening a hand grenade was thrown at the house of
one of the six prosecutors involved in the charges brought against
main opposition leader Sali Berisha.
[19] FORMER DIRECTOR OF ALBANIAN PRESS AGENCY, ATA, ARRESTED
The former director of the Albanian press agency ATA Ilir
Zhilla, has been arrested on charges of "participating in the
armed uprising" that has tormented the neighboring country,
according to the French news agency AFP, which quotes court
sources.
Mr. Zhilla was arrested on Sunday evening, the same day the
director of the Democratic Party's radio station Radio Contact
Alfons Zeneli was arrested. Mr. Zeneli is charged with
participating in last week's violent anti-government rallies where
eight persons were killed and 80 others were injured.
The staff director of Radio Contact stated that the police
did not produce a warrant for Mr. Zeneli's arrest outside a Tirana
cafeteria, while Agron Bala, the radio station's owner, told the
AFP that he was beaten by unknown culprits who he said were acting
for the government.
The ATA has reported that the police has ordered the arrest
of approximately twenty individuals.
[20] MELOS SPEAKS AFTER ATTACK: CULPRITS WANT TO HARM GREEK-
ALBANIAN TIES
Albania's minor opposition party leader, the Human Rights
Union president Vasilis Melos, has expressed his concern that
last night's attack, when a makeshift bomb was thrown at his house
causing only minor damages, may aim at straining relations between
Albania and Greece.
There were no victims in the attack, which followed a
similar one against the house of one of the six prosecutors
assigned to bringing charges against the president of the main
opposition party, the Democratic Party's Sali Berisha.
Mr. Melos, when asked if the attack could be associated with
last weekend's C of E, OSCE and WEU meeting in Tirana, where
Greece's alternate FM George Papandreou also participated in his
capacity as C of E president, responded "maybe."
"What I can say is that Mr. Papandreou relayed the concern of
the C of E as well as of a neighboring country over the situation
in Albania," Mr. Melos said, adding that "maybe someone, through
this action, wants to create another episode in Greek-Albanian
relations since there can be reactions in Greece when this act is
aimed against the leader of the Human Rights Union party."
Mr. Melos' party also represents the interests of the Greeks
living in Albania.
[21] CYPRIOT PRESIDENT TO MEET WITH RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER IN
NEW YORK
The President of the Republic of Cyprus Glafkos Clerides is
to meet with Russia's newly appointed Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov
in New York today, within the framework of the United Nations 53rd
General Assembly.
Mgrs. Clerides and Ivanov are expected to discuss the latest
developments in the Cyprus issue, while present at their talks
will also be the Russia special envoy to Cyprus Vladimir Cisov.
[22] BOMB ATTACK TARGETING THE HOUSE OF VASILIS MELOS
The bomb attack targeting the house of Vasilis Melos,
president of the Human Rights Union party, which represents the
Greek minority in Albania opens a new round of unrest in the
Albanian capital, according to political observers. This is
confirmed by a similar attack against prosecutor Bugiar Ibtci.
Mr. Melos in his first statements, after the attack on his
house, was very careful but he launched a verbal attack on all
those who want to upset the political climate in Albania and the
country's relations with Greece.
[23] THE RUSSIAN AMBASSADOR TO GREECE BECAME DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER
IN THE NEW RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT
Russia's ambassador to Greece Ms. Valentina Matviyenko has
accepted the post of deputy prime minister, responsible for social
affairs, in the new Russian government, stated to Itar-Tass the
Russian embassy spokesman in Athens.
Ms. Matviyenko is 49 years old and works for the Russian
foreign ministry since 1991. She was an active member of the
Communist party youth league in the 70's and 80's before her
election to the Duma.
[24] TASOS STAFILIDIS: A YOUNG ACTOR FROM KILKIS IN THE SWEDISH
PARLIAMENT
Tasos Stafilidis, a young actor from the village of Gavras in
Kilkis, northern Greece, is the Greek candidate of the Leftist
Party who was elected to the Swedish Parliament. Speaking to MPA,
Tasos Stafilidis said that without his Greek roots he would have
been different from what he is today.
His parents went to Sweden as immigrants in 1970 and a year
later Tasos was born in Lessbo Vaxsjo. He became an actor and
later he was involved in politics. His parents wanted him to learn
Greek and even though he speaks the language fluently he is not
happy with his Greek, saying that he can not use political terms
in the Greek language.
He said that in last Sunday's elections was voted by many
Greeks adding that his voters showed trust in him because they
were satisfied with his work in the Helsingborg City Hall during
the past 7 years.
[25] THE GREEK PRIVATIZATION PROGRAMME WAS PRESENTED IN LONDON BY
THE UNDERSECRETARY OF FINANCE
The Greek privatizations programme was presented to 75
foreign investors in London by Greek undersecretary of finance
Nikos Christodoulakis.
To the question by the BBC, if foreign investors are
concerned over the impact of the international money investment
crisis on the Greek market,
Mr. Christodoulakis responded that the Greek market was one of the
most stable in Europe during the latest crisis and this happened
because the Greek investors had not been exposed too much in the
markets of Russia and Eastern Europe and even less to the markets
of Malaysia and Latin America.
Mr. Christodoulakis said that the fundamental factors that
affect the development of the Greek economy are favourable, while
businesses are profitable and Greek investors are not greatly
exposed to unstable stock markets, adding that an international
progress is recorded in private and state investments. This means,
added Mr. Christodoulakis, that economy will continue to develop
positively in the next two years and therefore, the Athens Stock
Exchange will follow an upward trend regardless of the temporary
turbulence that may be observed.
To the question on the problems in the international money
markets and how they can affect the Greek market, Mr.
Christodoulakis responded that this question can not be answered
easily because sometimes unexpected events can play a decisive
role.
Finally, he expressed optimism both for the Greek market and
the foreign investments in Greece. Foreign investments have
already been made and now they give fruit therefore, one can be
optimistic, said Mr. Christodoulakis.
[26] THIRTEEN TONS OF HEROIN WERE SEIZED IN TURKEY IN 1997
Thirteen tons and 634 kilos of heroin were seized by the
Turkish authorities in 1997.
According to statements made by Turkish prime minister Mesut
Yilmaz, published by the newspaper "Hurriyet", the confiscated
heroin corresponds to 38% of the total quantity of the drug
confiscated at the same period of time all over the world and to
54% that was confiscated in Europe.
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