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Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 98-10-07

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, October 7, 1998

SECTIONS

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

  • NEWS HEADLINES

    [A] NATIONAL NEWS

  • [01] PARLIAMENT TO REVIEW IMMUNITY LIFT OF TWO OPPOSITION DEPUTIES
  • [02] NATO SECRETARY-GENERAL SOLANA TO ARRIVE IN ATHENS ON FRIDAY
  • [03] DEFENDORY '98 EXHIBITION OF WEAPONS UNDERWAY IN PIRAEUS
  • [04] PRIME MINSTER SIMITIS TO RECEIVE MINISTER OF DEFENSE TOMORROW
  • [05] THE RESPONSIBLE COMMITTEE DECIDED TO BACK THE LIFTING OF THE PARLIAMENTARY IMMUNITY OF THE TWO ND DEPUTIES
  • [06] THE NATO SECRETARY-GENERAL VISIT TO GREECE WAS CANCELED
  • [07] PAPANDREOU: EVERY EFFORT SHOULD BE MADE FOR A POLITICAL SOLUTION IN KOSOVO
  • [B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

  • [08] OPTIMISM ABOUNDS IN FINANCIAL MARKETS, NIKKEI RISES TO +600 POINTS
  • [09] HOLBROOKE-MILOSEVIC TALKS BRING NO RESULTS
  • [10] GREECE'S DEPUTY FM: VIOLENCE IS NOT THE BEST SOLUTION TO KOSSOVO
  • [11] CIA DOCUMENTS NOW ADOPT CORRECT NAME FOR FYROM
  • [12] MILOSEVIC REPORTED TO HAVE RUSSIAN GROUND-TO-AIR MISSILES
  • [13] OSCE CONCERNED OVER BELGRADE'S ORDER FOR CENSORSHIP OF FOREIGN NEWS
  • [14] CIA DOCUMENTS REFER TO SKOPJE AS FYROM
  • [15] NEW MILOSEVIC-HALBROOKE MEETING
  • [16] RUSSIA WILL TAKE MEASURES FOR THE PROTECTION OF ITS VESSELS CARRYING THE S-300 MISSILES
  • [17] PAPANTONIOU: GREECE IS NOT AFFECTED NEGATIVELY BY THE GLOBAL CRISIS

  • NEWS IN DETAIL

    [A] NATIONAL NEWS

    [01] PARLIAMENT TO REVIEW IMMUNITY LIFT OF TWO OPPOSITION DEPUTIES

    The proposals to lift the parliamentary immunity of two deputies from the main opposition -party New democracy are to be reviewed in Parliament today. The two parliamentarians are Kostas Karaminas and Varsamis Yovanoudas.

    Meanwhile, a warrant for the arrest of another ND deputy, George Voidonikolas has been issued. He is charged with issuing bounced checks. The matter was examined at the party's headquarters by ND leader Kostas Karamanlis.

    [02] NATO SECRETARY-GENERAL SOLANA TO ARRIVE IN ATHENS ON FRIDAY

    NATO Secretary-General Javier Solana is to arrive in Athens on Friday and will be received by the Prime Minister Kostas Simitis, according to government spokesman Dimitris Reppas.

    Mr. Reppas said he had no new information on the dialogue between Greece and Turkey at NATO under Mr. Solana's auspices . Moreover, he did not comment on press reports which claim there had been a recent meeting between Greek and Turkish officials on the issue, saying that it was Mr. Solana's as well as Athens' and Ankara's wish that these talks remain confidential.

    [03] DEFENDORY '98 EXHIBITION OF WEAPONS UNDERWAY IN PIRAEUS

    Greece's Minister of Defense Akis Tsochatzopoulos inaugurated the 10th Defendory international exhibition of conventional weapons at the Piraeus Port Authority (OLP) exhibition center yesterday.

    Mr. Tsochatzopoulos accompanied his visiting Russian counterpart Igor Sergeyev around the Greek defense industry's pavilions and the two men in turn inspected Russian weapons systems on display.

    Afterwards, US ambassador Nicholas Burns guided Mr. Tsochatzopoulos around the pavilions of the US defense industries.

    Mr. Tsochatzopoulos also received visiting Senegalese Foreign Minister Cheikh Harnidou Kane and Italian Deputy Defense Minister Gianni Rivera.

    [04] PRIME MINSTER SIMITIS TO RECEIVE MINISTER OF DEFENSE TOMORROW

    Prime Minister Kostas Simitis is to meet with the Minster of National Defense Akis Tsochatzopoulos tomorrow with whom he will discuss the armed forces outfitting program.

    The meeting will determine whether or not the National Defense and Foreign Affairs Council will meet on Friday.

    [05] THE RESPONSIBLE COMMITTEE DECIDED TO BACK THE LIFTING OF THE PARLIAMENTARY IMMUNITY OF THE TWO ND DEPUTIES

    The responsible Parliament committee decided to propose to Parliament the lifting of the parliamentary immunity of the two New Democracy deputies Kostas Karaminas and Varsamis Yiovanoudas.

    In the vote that was held, 31 backed the lifting of the parliamentary immunity for Mr. Karaminas and 7 were against it. In the case of Mr. Yiovanoudas 27 voted in favor and 10 against. The final decision will be made by the Parliament.

    The political parties represented in Parliament and minister of justice Evangelos Yiannopoulos backed the lifting of the parliamentary immunity of the New Democracy deputies Kostas Karaminas and Varsamis Giovanoudas in the responsible parliamentary committee meeting held today.

    It should be reminded that Mr. Karaminas is being accused of refusing to undergo alcohol test after a deadly car accident he caused, while Mr. Yiovanoudas is accused of beating up his girlfriend, university student Maria Katavati, with whom he had an extramarital affair.

    [06] THE NATO SECRETARY-GENERAL VISIT TO GREECE WAS CANCELED

    The scheduled visit of NATO secretary-general Javier Solana to Greece has been canceled.

    Mr. Solana was scheduled to meet with prime minister Kostas Simitis and have talks with minister of defense Akis Tsochatzopoulos.

    The exact reasons that led to the cancellation of the visit have not been made public yet.

    [07] PAPANDREOU: EVERY EFFORT SHOULD BE MADE FOR A POLITICAL SOLUTION IN KOSOVO

    Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevic has disappointed Greece and his stance does not help the Serbs, said Greek deputy foreign minister Giorgos Papandreou, adding that Milosevic's stance also does not help the Greek government in its effort to undertake initiatives nor the Balkans in general.

    Mr. Papandreou stated that the first step Milosevic could make is to stop the use of excessive force in Kosovo and expressed the hope that the Yugoslav president will respond positively to the initiative that will be undertaken next week in Antalya, Turkey by Greece, Romania and Bulgaria.

    Mr. Papandreou said that Greece has great reservations over the likelihood of a NATO military intervention in Kosovo and pointed out that every effort should be made for a political solution through diplomacy, consultations and any other initiatives that are possible to be developed.

    On the 4.000 Greeks, who live in Belgrade, he stressed that the government follows the developments closely and for the moment there is no danger for them but if things change they will be warned in time.

    [B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

    [08] OPTIMISM ABOUNDS IN FINANCIAL MARKETS, NIKKEI RISES TO +600 POINTS

    The global economy does not look as dire anymore, following yesterday's impressive rise in European financial markets and the slight recovery at Wall Street. The Nikkei index rose to +600 points.

    According to financial analysts, this slight recovery could lead the a further increase in the indices of European markets. In the Athens Stock Exchange, the general price index rose by .81% yesterday.

    [09] HOLBROOKE-MILOSEVIC TALKS BRING NO RESULTS

    United States envoy Richard Holbrooke met with Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic yesterday, but the talks bore no breakthrough in the Kossovo crisis, at a time when NATO is reiterating its threat to bring its troops in the region.

    Mr.Holbrooke also stated that, during his visit to Kossovo, he ascertained that the Yugoslav military forces have not withdrawn from the area.

    [10] GREECE'S DEPUTY FM: VIOLENCE IS NOT THE BEST SOLUTION TO KOSSOVO

    "Greece has forwarded its own message to Belgrade," stated that undersecretary of Foreign Affairs Yiannos Kranidiotis in New York, responding to reporters' questions regarding the Greek government's stance in regards to the possibility of a NATO military intervention in Yugoslavia.

    Mr. Kranidiotis stressed that "our view is that the use of violence is not always the best solution to a crisis," adding that "all other means must be exhausted before we resort to violence."

    He referred to a strict message addressed to Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic by the tripartite Greek-Bulgarian- Romanian summit meeting in Delphi during last weekend and expressed the view that diplomatic means for de-escalating the crisis have not yet been exhausted. Mr. Kranidiotis expressed the hope a war between Turkey and Syria would be averted and that the dispute would be overcome through negotiations.

    [11] CIA DOCUMENTS NOW ADOPT CORRECT NAME FOR FYROM

    The efforts exerted by the Pan-Macedonian Association of United States and Canada have paid off, as they have resulted in a shift within the Central Intelligence Agency's policy, that is, to begin referring to the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia as "FYROM".

    The head of the CIA's public relations department Grace Sullivan, as well as the director of information of Kessing's Worldwide, Richard Thomas, have met the requests that these changes be made, requests which were submitted by the chairman of the PanMacedonian Committee of National Affairs., Mr. Ikonomou.

    Ms. Sullivan, in a letter addressed to Mr. Ikonomou, thanked the Association for addressing the matter regarding the publication "Former Yugoslavia: Collection of Maps", which was published by the CIA in 1993.

    In her letter, Ms. Sullivan points out that the United States recognized FYROM's independence in February of 1994 and stresses that all maps that were published thereafter bear the name FYROM.

    In turn, Mr. Thomas of "Keesing's Worldwide", the organization that compiles and publishes data concerning the world's countries and their leaders, points out that as soon as he noted the mistake in the reference books on FYROM, which mistakenly referred to the country as the "Republic of Macedonia" he corrected it to FYROM. He further added that there was no political motive involved in the slight.

    The chairman of the Pan-Macedonian Association Evangelos Michalopoulos stated that the CIA"s assurance and recognition that the name of FYROM remains as it has been established through the UN's interim agreement constitutes significant success. .

    [12] MILOSEVIC REPORTED TO HAVE RUSSIAN GROUND-TO-AIR MISSILES

    According to the London Times, Serb President Slobodan Milosevic' security forces have acquired state-of-the-art, ground- to-air missiles from Russia, capable of facing NATO's aircraft.

    While the Times' report that it has not been ascertained whether the missiles were acquired through legitimate and official Russian channels, the new defense system needs to be taken into serious consideration.

    The paper detailed the weaponry as new warheads, fuses and sensors for mobile Sam 6 missiles. An upgrade of an old Russian surface-to-air missile had also converted the existing system to one with faster reactions and an extended range. In addition, the system was mobile and could provide early warnings of NATO air strikes.

    The Times reported that the threat posed by the system was discussed by British Ministry of Defense staff yesterday.

    [13] OSCE CONCERNED OVER BELGRADE'S ORDER FOR CENSORSHIP OF FOREIGN NEWS

    The Organization for Security and cooperation in Europe (OSCE) has expressed its profound concern over the Yugoslav government's orders to the country's privately-owned radio and television stations that they not re-broadcast foreign news.

    The OSCE's representative responsible for freedom of the press, warned that these threats constitute a violation of Belgrade's commitments as outlined in 1975's accords.

    Meanwhile Yugoslavia's Ministry of Information has stressed that the re-broadcasting of such programs constitutes an immediate threat to the state as it equals espionage and adds that any form of subversive activity that is harmful to the country's defense capability is unacceptable.

    [14] CIA DOCUMENTS REFER TO SKOPJE AS FYROM

    The Pan-Macedonian Association of US and Canada had a significant success. Its systematic and right to the point moves had as a result the US official documents to refer to Skopje as FYROM, the name under which the US government had recognized the new republic in February 1994.

    This fact is being confirmed both by the letters of the CIA public relations head to Pan-Macedonian Association national issues committee president and by the maps issued recently.

    [15] NEW MILOSEVIC-HALBROOKE MEETING

    A new meeting on Kosovo had today US special envoy Richard Halbrooke with Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevic. The goal of the meeting was to persuade Milosevic to comply with the UN Security Council decisions.

    The meeting, according to the Americans, did not have the desired results. Mr. Halbrooke maintains that the Serb forces remain in Kosovo.

    [16] RUSSIA WILL TAKE MEASURES FOR THE PROTECTION OF ITS VESSELS CARRYING THE S-300 MISSILES

    Russia will take decisive action in case Turkey hits the Russian vessels that will carry the S-300 anti-aircraft defense missiles to Cyprus. The statement was made to the BBC by the Russian defense ministry international cooperation committee director general Leonid Ivasov. The general is a member of the Russian delegation visiting Athens, headed by Russian defense minister Igor Sergeyev.

    General Ivasov stated that Cyprus has the right to install the missiles adding that they are defense missiles and therefore Turkey should not be worried. He also stated that Russia will take measures for the protection of its ships and crews, adding that if the Turks strike the Russian ships the Russian reaction will be negative.

    He also reiterated that his country has signed a military cooperation with Cyprus during the recent visit of the Russian defense minister to Nicosia. On its content, he said that it provides for the cooperation between Russia and Cyprus in the military sector and in the sector of defense and added that the legal framework has already been defined. The Russian general said that the transport and the installation of the S-300 missiles in Cyprus is being placed within this framework.

    [17] PAPANTONIOU: GREECE IS NOT AFFECTED NEGATIVELY BY THE GLOBAL CRISIS

    Greek minister of national economy and finance Yiannos Papantoniou stated to the US television network CNN that the international economic crisis did not lead Greece away from its goals.

    The basic goal of the government continues to be Greece's participation in the EMU and all necessary initiatives will be undertaken toward this direction, said Mr. Papantoniou adding that the EMU is a major national target and all necessary means will be used in order to be met.

    The global economic crisis is estimated that it will not overturn the government predictions for a growth rate of 3.5% and 3.7% this year, said Mr. Papantoniou stressing that Greece is a European economy and Europe has not been strongly affected by the crisis.

    Mr. Papantoniou, in response to an observation by the US interviewer that there is skepticism over the feasibility of the target concerning the reduction of inflation to 2.5% by 1999, said that there are difficulties but all necessary measures will be taken to overcome them.

    To the question if the 2004 Olympic Games will increase the US investment interest toward Greece, Mr. Papantoniou responded that big infrastructure projects are underway in the country and strong US interest for investments is already being recorded adding that when Greece will become a member of the EMU this interest will be even greater.

    Referring to the overall economic crisis, Mr. Papantoniou expressed disappointment over the "lack of leadership" which is being observed in the handling of the crisis. He attributed the "absence" of strong economies to the fact that Germany is in a transitional period due to the recent elections, Japan remains very weak and the United States have domestic problems.

    Outlining the ways through which the global economy could overcome the crisis, he said that the strong countries should increase the resources of the International Monetary Fund and pointed out the need for a stronger political direction by the IMF, while he suggested the strengthening of mechanisms overseeing the movement of capital.


    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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