Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 98-10-22
MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Thessaloniki, October 22, 1998
SECTIONS
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
NEWS HEADLINES
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] PM TO LAUNCH INT/L BUSINESS CONFERENCE IN NORTHERN GREECE
[02] PARLIAMENTARY DELEGATION TRAVELS TO AZERBAIJAN
[03] PARLIAMENT LIFTS IMMUNITY OF TWO DEPUTIES
[04] GREECE WILL REFER COMMISSION TO EUROPEAN COURT
[05] OLYMPIAKOS TOPS AJAX 1-0, PANATHINAIKOS LOSES TO LENS 1-0
[06] EU INFORMAL SUMMIT TO BE HELD THIS WEEKEND IN AUSTRIA
[07] INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC CONFERENCE IN ALEXANDROUPOLIS
[08] KARAMANLIS: NEW DEMOCRACY WILL WIN THE ELECTIONS
[09] ARCHBISHOP CHRISTODOULOS IS ON A VISIT TO MOUNT ATHOS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[10] GREEK COMMISSIONER DISAGREES WITH EU'S FINANCING TO TURKEY
[11] GREEK FOREIGN MINISTER ON OFFICIAL VISIT TO RUSSIA
[12] GREECE ON THE COURSE TO EMU ACCESSION
[13] GREECE'S DEPUTY FM IN SOFIA TODAY FOR BSEC MEETING
[14] TURKISH FM: S-300 MISSILES ARE TROUBLE FOR GREEK-CYPRIOTS
[15] MPA'S GENERAL DIRECTOR IN AUSTRALIA, SPEAKS ON BALKAN ISSUES
[16] FORMAL SUMMIT THIS WEEKEND TO DISCUSS EUROPE'S FUTURE
[17] DE SILGUY: GREECE WILL ACCELERATE ITS GROWTH RATE
NEWS IN DETAIL
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] PM TO LAUNCH INT/L BUSINESS CONFERENCE IN NORTHERN GREECE
Prime Minister Kostas Simitis will inaugurate the 3rd
International Conference on Mediterranean Cooperation and
Development which begins at the northern Greek city of
Alexandroupolis today.
Expected to attend the four-day conference are officials from
seventy six countries including ministers, ambassadors, trade
attaches and bank governors.
Among the items on the agenda are energy networks, transport,
telecommunications, small and medium-sized enterprises, and peace
and security in the region.
Moreover, the event will review the prospects for a new
economic area after the year 2000 spanning the Mediterranean,
Balkans and Black Sea.
Greece's Alternate Foreign Minister George Papandreou, who is
also the head of the conference's organizing committee, has
personally called on the delegates to forge contacts in order to
help expand cooperation in the region.
Organizing the event is the Foundation for Mediterranean
Cooperation, backed by the European Parliament, the European
Investment Bank, the Foundation for Mediterranean Studies and
local authorities in the north.
[02] PARLIAMENTARY DELEGATION TRAVELS TO AZERBAIJAN
Greek deputies Christos Rokofyllos and Spylios Spyliotopoulos
are to represent the Hellenic Parliament during the conference of
the Alliance Committee which begins today in Azerbaijan and will
address NATO's expansion.
During their stay in Baku, the two parliamentarians will meet
with Azerbaijan's President of the Republic, the Speaker of the
House, and the ministers of defense and foreign affairs.
[03] PARLIAMENT LIFTS IMMUNITY OF TWO DEPUTIES
The Parliament's plenary session has voted in favor of
lifting the parliamentary immunity of two main opposition (New
Democracy) party deputies, Varsamis Yovanoudas and Kostas
Karaminas, who are facing criminal charges.
However, 20 deputies voted against the lift for Mr.Karaminas,
and 36 against Mr.Yovanoudas's.
The party's leader Kostas Karamanlis had asked the party's
parliamentary group secretary to remind the faction's deputies
that the party's official position is to lift these two men's
immunity.
[04] GREECE WILL REFER COMMISSION TO EUROPEAN COURT
Greece is determined to refer the European Commission to the
European
Court in the case its European Union allies proceed to approving
Turkey's funding, in spite of Greece's relevant veto.
In an overwhelming majority, the EU Council of Ministers
adopted in Strasbourg the 135-million-ecu package of economic aid
to Turkey.
[05] OLYMPIAKOS TOPS AJAX 1-0, PANATHINAIKOS LOSES TO LENS 1-0
Olympiakos Piraeus beat Ajax Amsterdam 1-0 in Athens
yesterday in a European Champions League soccer match.
The other Greek team in the Champions League, Panathinaikos
Athens, lost 1- 0 to RC Lens in an away game for Group E.
Olympiakos and Ajax are in Group A.
[06] EU INFORMAL SUMMIT TO BE HELD THIS WEEKEND IN AUSTRIA
The leaders of the European Union's member-states are to meet
this weekend (October24-25) at Portschach, Austria.
The informal session will get underway on Saturday afternoon
and Austrian Chancellor Victor Klima will grant a press conference
on Sunday afternoon on the Meeting's results..
[07] INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC CONFERENCE IN ALEXANDROUPOLIS
Deputy foreign minister Giorgos Papandreou characterized the
harmonic co-habitation of Christians and Muslims in Thrace, north-
eastern Greece, as an example of inter-cultural cooperation in the
Balkans, the Mediterranean and the Black Sea.
Mr. Papandreou, who opened the 3rd International Conference
on "the prospects in the new economic space after the year 2000",
underlined the significant role that can be played by the society
of citizens in the crucial zone of the Mediterranean, the Balkan
region and the Black Sea.
He also stated that within the framework of the responsible
organizations there will be future meetings of local cultural-
social institutions and non governmental organizations of the
wider region aimed at forming the basis of a multi-faceted network
of continuous dialogue.
In the conference that is being held in the city of
Alexandroupolis participate government ministers, diplomats and
businessmen from 76 countries.
[08] KARAMANLIS: NEW DEMOCRACY WILL WIN THE ELECTIONS
Right-wing main opposition party of New Democracy Kostas
Karamanlis characterized the results of the recent local
administration elections as a heavy defeat for the government and
prime minister Simitis personally.
Speaking in the New Democracy parliamentary group meeting,
Mr. Karamanlis stated that the Simitis government is the most anti-
social government Greece ever had and expressed optimism that New
Democracy will win the next parliamentary elections.
[09] ARCHBISHOP CHRISTODOULOS IS ON A VISIT TO MOUNT ATHOS
Archbishop Christodoulos of Athens and All of Greece is on a
four-day visit to Mount Athos.
The Archbishop during his stay in the monastic community will
visit the monasteries of Grigoriou, Dionisou, St. Pavlos and St.
Panteleimon.
The head of the Greek Orthodox Church is scheduled to attend
the three-day festivities that will be held in Thessaloniki on the
occasion of the city's patron saint feast on October 26.
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[10] GREEK COMMISSIONER DISAGREES WITH EU'S FINANCING TO TURKEY
Greek EU Commissioner Christos Papoutsis has expressed his
disagreement with the Commission's decision to adopt Hans van den
Broek's plan for EU financing of Turkey.
"I believe that today's (yesterday's) proposal by the
Commission in essence exceeds the Cardiff mandate..." Mr.
Papoutsis said in a statement, referring to the Commission's claim
that it is abiding by the decision's drawn at last June's summit
held in Cardiff.
"I disagreed with this proposal because it is based on a
disputable piece of legal acrobatics," he said, adding that "I
fear it sets a dangerous precedent for circumventing the
possibility of member-states to exercise the right of veto when
invoking vital national interests. It creates a serious and
institutional complication which will give rise to many
discussions in the Council of Ministers and the European
Parliament."
The Greek Commissioner further stressed that the Union's
political decisions to date dictate that progress in relations
with Turkey be conditional on that country's respect for human
rights and the development of good neighborly relations with
Greece, as well as on its positive contribution to a just solution
of the Cyprus problem, according to UN resolutions.".
[11] GREEK FOREIGN MINISTER ON OFFICIAL VISIT TO RUSSIA
Greece's Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos is currently on
an official visit to Russia, where he will meet with Prime
Minister Yevgeni Primakov, his counterpart Igor Ivanov and with
other government and national assembly (Duma) senior officials.
While in Moscow, the Greek Foreign Minister will sign a
cooperation protocol between the two countries' departments of
historical archives and an agreement for the upgrading of the
consular authorities in the Greek and Russian capitals.
In honor of the 170th anniversary since the establishment of
diplomatic relations between the two countries, Mr. Pangalos will
inaugurate an exhibition at the Moscow Music Hall dedicated to the
life and works of Greek composer Dimitris Mitropoulos.
[12] GREECE ON THE COURSE TO EMU ACCESSION
The Greek economy appears to be achieving the Maastricht
Treaty criteria for participating in the European single currency,
according to the European Commission's biannual economic
forecasts.
The Commission's report projected that inflation would fall
to 4.5 percent this year, and 2.4 percent in 2000.
Only Ireland and Luxembourg were forecast to record higher
rates of growth than Greece in the 15-nation EU.
[13] GREECE'S DEPUTY FM IN SOFIA TODAY FOR BSEC MEETING
Greece's Deputy Foreign Minister Yiannos Kranidiotis is to
depart for Sofia today in order to attend the 12th ministerial
summit of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation pact (BSEC).
The meeting will address issues concerning the BSEC's
transformation into an international organization, the signing of
a multilateral agreement for the combating of organized crime, and
cooperation in the sectors of tourism, the environment, energy and
transport.
Mr. Kranidiotis will brief the participants on the
establishment in Athens of the International Center of Black Sea
Studies.
The summit's sessions will conclude with the signing of a
Greece-BSEC agreement for the establishment of the Black Sea Trade
and Development Bank's headquarters in Thessaloniki.
[14] TURKISH FM: S-300 MISSILES ARE TROUBLE FOR GREEK-CYPRIOTS
Turkish Foreign Minister Ismael Cem stated that the Russian-
made anti-aircraft S-300 missiles purchased by the Cypriot
government are "trouble" for the Greek-Cypriots.
According to the Turkish-Cypriot press, Mr. Cem stated that
the Greek-Cypriot side supposedly does not know "what it will do
with them."
Moreover, the Turkish Foreign Minister expressed his
certainty that Turkey will achieve accession to the European Union
and that it is a mistake to say that Turkey will become European
once it achieves such accession since "it has been a European
country for 700 years now."
[15] MPA'S GENERAL DIRECTOR IN AUSTRALIA, SPEAKS ON BALKAN ISSUES
The Macedonian Press Agency's General Director Spyros
Kouzinopoulos, currently on a visit to Australia, forecast that
FYROM will undergo a serious crisis immediately after the
parliamentary elections that will wrap up on November 1.
Addressing two conferences organized by the Panmacedonian
Associations of Melbourne and Perth, held within the framework of
"Dimitria ‘98", Mr. Kouzinopoulos spoke at length on the current
situation in FYROM.
Referring to FYROM, the Greek journalist stated that his
forecast is also supported by the views expressed by political
analysts in FYROM who have stated that the Albanian parties in
that country are expected to adopt a tough stance in regards to
negotiating their position in the new government, given the fact
that neither of the two large parties, VMRO-DPMNE and the Social
Democrats, have secured a majority vote for forming an autonomous
cabinet.
In regards to Greece's relations with FYROM and the name
dispute, the MPA's general director noted that Skopje is not
expected to shift or lessen its intransigence towards Greece after
the parliamentary elections, since the country is entering the
phase of presidential elections ( to be held in 1999) which are
expected to be an even tougher race since the up-to-date president
Kiro Gligorov is retiring from politics.
Mr. Kouzinopoulos emphasized that resolving the existing
differences between Greece and FYROM will bolster national
independence, domestic security, and economic development in
FYROM, since Greek private sector ventures constitute that
country's first investor, while Greece also holds third place
among FYROM's trade allies with a trade volume that amounted to
over $186 million dollars in 1997.
In closing, the MPA's General Director outlined the Agency's
mechanisms which promote the activities of Greeks living abroad
and provide a credible venue for them both in Greece and
throughout the world.
He referred to the Agency's monthly periodical "Elliniki
Diaspora", which is being published by the MPA since December 1994
as well as the continuous flow of information pertinent to Greeks
living abroad on its Internet website, the electronic edition
"Greeks Abroad" and the daily news bulletin which is complete with
news related to the world's Greek community, its interests and
concerns.
"Through its activities in this sector, the Macedonian Press
Agency's ambition is to constitute a bridge linking the Greeks
living abroad with the motherland, with Thessaloniki, the
headquarters of the Council of Hellenes Abroad," Mr. Kouzinopoulos
concluded.
Lastly, he relayed the messages forwarded to the
Panmacedonian Associations of Australia by the Minister of Press
and Media Dimitris Reppas and the Minster of Macedonia-Thrace
Philippos Petsalnikos and also referred to the activities of the
Macedonia-Thrace Bank, which sponsored the journalists delegation.
[16] FORMAL SUMMIT THIS WEEKEND TO DISCUSS EUROPE'S FUTURE
The leaders of the European Union's member states are to
discuss the future of Europe, the EU's enlargement, the Economic
and Monetary Union, the desired political fulfillment and the
social continent, during this weekend's informal summit to be held
in Portschach, Austria.
Austria's chancellor Victor Klima, whose country presently
holds the EU's rotating presidency expressed the hope that the
Meeting will be successful and stated yesterday before the
European Parliament that "Europe has an obligation to undertake
its global financial responsibilities and to contribute to the
ongoing world crisis as well as to the restoration of the global
economy to a point of stability."
Greece's Prime Minister Kostas Simitis will depart for
Austria tomorrow .
[17] DE SILGUY: GREECE WILL ACCELERATE ITS GROWTH RATE
EU Commissioner Yves-Thibault de Silguy in an exclusive
interview to MPA, after the presentation of the European
Commission predictions for the period 1998-2000, expressed the
view that Greece will not be affected by the international
economic crisis and will accelerate its growth rate in the next
three years.
The EU Commissioner stated that Greece accelerates the
procedure aimed at winning back the lost time and gains lost
ground through public and private investments.
According to the European Commission predictions, the public
deficit will remain under 2.4% in 1998 and under 2.1% in 1999,
while the goal to limit inflation to 2.9% in 1999 is regarded as
feasible.
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