Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 98-11-19
MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Thessaloniki, November 19, 1998
SECTIONS
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
NEWS HEADLINES
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] GREECE AND UZBEKISTAN SIGN MILITARY COOPERATION AGREEMENT
[02] GREEK FOREIGN MINISTER IN SOUTH AFRICA TODAY
[03] 1ST BALKAN CONFERENCE ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT EDUCATION
BEGINS
[04] NATIONAL BANK UNVEILS AUTHENTIC COPY OF RIGAS' CHART
[05] 10TH PANHELLENIC AIDS CONFERENCE BEGINS TODAY IN ATHENS
[06] MEETING FOR PANEUROPEAN X AXIS BEGINS IN THESSALONIKI TODAY
[07] DELEGATION OF CHINESE JOURNALISTS TO VISIT THESSALONIKI
[08] NEW DEMOCRACY DEPUTY BAKOYANNI DEPARTS FOR VISIT TO THE US
[09] INTERBALKAN-BLACK SEA BUSINESS CENTER TO HOLD MISSION TO
BELGRADE
[10] GREEK-BULGARIAN FIBER-OPTIC LINK TO BE READY WITHIN SIX
MONTHS
[11] GREECE'S DEFENSE MINISTER IN UZBEKISTAN
[12] GREECE TO PARTICIPATE AT NEXT YEAR'S FOOD FAIR IN AUSTRALIA
[13] CUSTOMS WORKERS IN PORTS, AIRPORTS AND BORDERS ON 3-DAY
STRIKE
[14] PREMIER MEETS WITH LEADERS OF GENERAL CONFEDERATION OF
WORKERS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[15] "ECONOMIST" OPTIMISTIC OVER GREECE'S ACCESSION TO THE EMU
[16] ALBANIA: REFERENDUM FOR Á CONSTITUTION TO BE HELD ON SUNDAY
[17] EUROPEAN SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIP: GREECE 0, ALBANIA 0
[18] CYPRIOT PRESIDENT CLERIDES TO VISIT ATHENS ON NOVEMBER 27
[19] TURKISH WARSHIPS DOCK IN KYRENIA HARBOR
[20] UNDERSECRETARY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS IN ROME FOR IGAD
[21] SEMINAR ON THE GREEK ECONOMY TO BE HELD IN PARIS TOMORROW
[22] SEV AND FRENCH COMMERCIAL CHAMBER OF GREECE MEET IN PARIS
[23] NATIONAL NEWS AGENCIES CAN SERVE AS GUIDING LIGHTHOUSES
[24] US REQUEST OCALAN'S EXTRADITION
[25] TWO MILLION BRITISH TOURISTS TRAVELED TO GREECE SO FAR IN
1998
NEWS IN DETAIL
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] GREECE AND UZBEKISTAN SIGN MILITARY COOPERATION AGREEMENT
The Defense Ministers of Greece and Uzbekistan, Mgrs. Akis
Tsochatzopoulos and Hikmatulah Tursunov, have signed a military
cooperation agreement, the first such protocol Greece signs with a
country of the former Soviet bloc in central Asia.
The agreement call for the training of Uzbek officers in
Greek military academies, as well as mutual participation in the
"Partnership for Peace" program.
[02] GREEK FOREIGN MINISTER IN SOUTH AFRICA TODAY
Greece's Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos embarked on an
official two-day visit to South Africa today.
Famous Greek composer Mikis Theodorakis is accompanying the
FM on his visit and will conduct his musical adaptation of
Odysseus Elytis' epic "Axion Esti".
Mr. Pangalos has said that proceeds from the concert would be
donated to South African President Nelson Mandela's charity to
help impoverished children.
Mr. Mandela has said he will attend the Greek composer's
concert.
Tomorrow, Mr. Pangalos will travel to Ethiopia to meet with
government officials while he will also meet with Patriarch Paul.
The Foreign Minister is to conclude the Africa tour on Saturday
where he is scheduled to return to Athens.
[03] 1ST BALKAN CONFERENCE ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT EDUCATION
BEGINS
The First Balkan Conference on "Education and Research
Within the Frame of Sustainable Development" will be inaugurated
in Thessaloniki today by the Undersecretary of Education Yiannis
Anthopoulos.
The three-day Conference's basic idea is to introduce new
education systems, like the "Open University or the Selective
Studies", as powerful instruments of knowledge within the frame of
the social - economical development of any country.
Scientists, politicians, reporters, industrial and commerce
representatives from Albania, Bulgaria, FYROM, Serbia, Montenegro,
Romania, and Turkey will participate in the Conference.
The event is being held under the auspices of the Ministries
of Education and Culture and it is also supported by the Ministry
of Macedonia and Thrace.
[04] NATIONAL BANK UNVEILS AUTHENTIC COPY OF RIGAS' CHART
The Cultural Center of the National Bank of Greece in
Thessaloniki has acquired an authentic copy of the Chart of Rigas,
the great Greek revolutionary who envisioned Balkan friendship and
unity.
The document will be officially presented today and it will
be placed on display.
The display is of great significance as it coincides with the
bicentennial anniversary since Rigas' death. The Chart was printed
in 1797 at Vienna and comprises 12 sheets that compose a map of
four square meters.
.
[05] 10TH PANHELLENIC AIDS CONFERENCE BEGINS TODAY IN ATHENS
The Tenth Panhellenic AIDS conference is beginning in Athens
today until November 21, featuring the participation of
physicians, nursing staff and medical school students.
According the a relevant news conference, the noted reduction
in AIDS outbreaks in developed countries is mostly due to the
emergence of new treatments, however new cases continue to appear
in groups that were not previously considered prone to the virus.
Meanwhile, AIDS continues to run rampant in Eastern European
countries, Africa and South-eastern Asia.
[06] MEETING FOR PANEUROPEAN X AXIS BEGINS IN THESSALONIKI TODAY
The first session of the directing committee for the
Paneuropean X Axis, chaired by Greece, is to begin in
Thessaloniki today and will be held until tomorrow.
The meeting will feature the participation of
representatives from all the interested countries, namely Greece,
FYROM, the F.R. of Yugoslavia, Croatia, Slovenia, Austria, Hungary
and Bulgaria.
The participants, aside from documenting the present
infrastructure situation, are to tackle issues concerning the
increase of passenger and freight mobility between Central and
South Eastern Europe.
The development of the said axis is expected to provide a
boost to Greek exports towards Central Europe, thereby increasing
Northern Greece's role as a stopover for passenger and freight,
especially since the port of Thessaloniki will serve this very
purpose.
The X Axis begins in Thessaloniki and runs through Skopje,
Belgrade, Zagreb, Ljubliana to end in Saltzburg, Austria. Sections
of the axis are being developed trough Grac, Budapest and Sofia.
[07] DELEGATION OF CHINESE JOURNALISTS TO VISIT THESSALONIKI
A delegation of Chinese journalists, led by the secretary-
general of the Pan-Chinese Journalists' Association Liang Gujie,
is to visit Thessaloniki between November 23-25.
The delegates are to conduct a series of meetings, among them
with the Prefect of Thessaloniki Kostas Papadopoulos on Tuesday,
November 24.
[08] NEW DEMOCRACY DEPUTY BAKOYANNI DEPARTS FOR VISIT TO THE US
Main opposition party deputy, New Democracy's Dora Bakoyanni,
is departing for an official visit to the United States today.
Ms. Bakoyanni is to address an event held at the US Congress
tomorrow, concerning the role of Greece today and before the
change of the century.
Moreover, the deputy, who has served numerous times as
minister during New Democracy's term and is also the daughter of
N.D.'s honorary president Konstantinos Mitsotakis, is to meet with
White House staff, leaders of the Greek-American community and
American businessmen.
[09] INTERBALKAN-BLACK SEA BUSINESS CENTER TO HOLD MISSION TO
BELGRADE
The Thessaloniki-based Inter-Balkan and Black Sea Business
Center (DIPEK) is to organize a business mission to Belgrade in an
effort to establish economic ventures between the Federal Republic
of Yugoslavia and Greece.
The mission will depart from Thessaloniki the following
Thursday and will remain in the Yugoslav capital until Sunday.
Various chambers of northern Greece are participating in the
delegation, along with various businessmen who are active or
interested in developing ventures in Yugoslavia.
[10] GREEK-BULGARIAN FIBER-OPTIC LINK TO BE READY WITHIN SIX
MONTHS
A fiber optics telecommunications system linking Greece to
Bulgaria is to operate within six months after completion of the
latest step in the project, according to officials.
A new stretch of the cable in Bulgaria that is finally to
link Sofia with Thessaloniki. was launched on Tuesday by Greece's
Intracom, a high-technology communications specialist that is
listed on the Athens bourse, and also active in the Balkans.
Intracom expects to complete the cable within six months
against the one-year deadline contained in the original deal with
BTK, Bulgaria's state telecom, which is funding the project.
The cable on the Greek side has already been completed.
[11] GREECE'S DEFENSE MINISTER IN UZBEKISTAN
Greece's Defense Minister Akis Tsochatzopoulos held talks
with his Uzbek counterpart, Khik-matulla Tursunov in Tashkent
yesterday, where they also signed a military cooperation
agreement.
Mr. Tsohatzopoulos also held talks with Uzbekistan's Foreign
Minister Abdulaziz Kamilov, while today he will meet with Prime
Minister Utkir Sultanov and the Uzbek Parliament Speaker Erkin
Khalilov.
During a press conference, Mr. Tsochatzopoulos praised
Uzbekistan's role as "an island of stability in a volatile part of
the world".
The military cooperation agreement signed yesterday has three
main axes: activities within the framework of NATO's Partnership
for Peace program, cooperation as part of a collective policy of
Eurasian security - as is being shaped by the Euroatlantic Council
- and thirdly, purely bilateral relations.
The Greek minister also said both sides want accession to a
"joint European security policy" regarding to security vis-a-vis
the transport of oil from the greater region. He added that a
European initiative on the crucial issue is necessary.
Mr. Tsohatzopoulos' visit will be followed by talks in
Tashkent between National Economy
Undersecretary Alekos Baltas and the granting by Athens of credits
totaling 50 million dollars.
President Kostis Stephanopoulos, meanwhile, will pay an
official visit to Uzbekistan next March. In addition, a Greek
embassy is expected to open soon in Tashkent. Up to now, Greece
has been represented in Uzbekistan by its embassy in Moscow.
[12] GREECE TO PARTICIPATE AT NEXT YEAR'S FOOD FAIR IN AUSTRALIA
The Hellenic Foreign Trade Board (HEPO) has announced that it
will organize the Greek participation at Australia's "FINE-FOOD"
international fair in Sydney next summer.
The food and beverage exhibition is the largest of its kind
in that country.
[13] CUSTOMS WORKERS IN PORTS, AIRPORTS AND BORDERS ON 3-DAY
STRIKE
Greek customs workers are continuing their three-day strike
for the second day today, a move that has created havoc in the
country's ports, airports and borders where travelers can enter
the country only by foot.
Customs workers have said they will only allow the entry of
military-related equipment, pharmaceuticals for hospitals and
radioactive materials. The strike, set to end tomorrow, also poses
problems for implementation of the government's new tax regime on
automobiles, as cars set for import remain stuck at border posts
for at least three days
[14] PREMIER MEETS WITH LEADERS OF GENERAL CONFEDERATION OF
WORKERS
Prime Minster Kostas Simitis met with the presidium of the
General Confederation of Greek Workers (GSEE), the country's
largest union, a meeting attended by the Ministers of National
Economy and Labor, Yiannos Papantoniou and Miltos Papaioannou
respectively.
According to reports, the GSEE has requested more flexible
objective criteria and additional funds for unemployment.
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[15] "ECONOMIST" OPTIMISTIC OVER GREECE'S ACCESSION TO THE EMU
The London-based periodical "Economist" applauds Greece's
progress in reducing its public deficit in the Gross National
Product, thereby increasing its chances of acceding to the
Economic and Monetary Union by January 1, 2001.
The magazine, in its present edition, forecasts that the
country's GNP will close below the 3 per cent mark, which is the
Maastricht criterion.
[16] ALBANIA: REFERENDUM FOR Á CONSTITUTION TO BE HELD ON SUNDAY
A referendum for the establishment of the country's first
constitution is to held on Sunday in Albania, the first since the
fall of the communist regime in 1990.
The ratification of a democratic constitution, which will
replace that of 1976, constituted one of the prerequisites set
forth to Tirana for Albania's accession to Europe.
[17] EUROPEAN SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIP: GREECE 0, ALBANIA 0
Greece and Albania drew 0-0 in their European soccer
championship qualifier match held in Tirana yesterday.
With an attendance well over 15,000 fans, it was the first
men's international soccer match to be played in Albania since
1996.
All international sporting events in Albania were stopped
last year, when riots against the government erupted after
thousands of families lost their life savings in a huge investment
scandal.
[18] CYPRIOT PRESIDENT CLERIDES TO VISIT ATHENS ON NOVEMBER 27
Cypriot President Glafkos Clerides is to be received by
Greece's Prime Minister Kostas Simitis on November 27, during his
visit to Athens where he will be accompanied by Cypriot Foreign
Minister Yiannakis Cassoulides and Defense Minister Yiannakis
Omirou.
The talks will be attended by Greece's Foreign and Defense
Ministers, Mgrs. Theodoros Pangalos and Akis Tsochatzopoulos
respectively.
On the agenda for the meeting are Cyprus' EU accession
process and the issue of the S-300 missiles.
[19] TURKISH WARSHIPS DOCK IN KYRENIA HARBOR
Four Turkish warships docked in Cyprus's occupied Kyrenia
harbor yesterday as part of Turkish military exercises that will
include strikes on mock S-300 missile targets.
Two Turkish navy frigates and two submarines sailed into
Kyrenia harbor yesterday morning, where three cruisers were
already stationed.
Turkish naval and air exercises code-named "Determination"
and "Taurus" were both in full swing in the occupied areas
yesterday.
As part of "Taurus 98", Turkish Armed Forces will attack mock
targets representing the S-300 missiles, which it has threatened
to strike for real if they are ever deployed in Cyprus.
On Monday, Turkish air force planes violated Cyprus airspace
on three separate occasions, Cypriot Defense Ministry sources said
yesterday.
In the morning, two R4 reconnaissance planes entered Cyprus
airspace through occupied Kyrenia, flew over Kyrenia and left
through the Karpass peninsula.
They were followed by two more R4s, which followed the same
flight pattern.
Live ammunition will be used during the exercises and the
government expects more air violations in the coming days.
The Taurus exercises began yesterday and will end tomorrow,
while Determination, which started on Monday, will end next week.
[20] UNDERSECRETARY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS IN ROME FOR IGAD
Greece's undersecretary of Foreign Affairs Yiannos
Kranidiotis is presently in Rome where he will represent Greece at
the international forum of the "Allies of IGAD" , which addresses
issues related to Somalia and Sudan.
The IGAD (Intergovernmental Authority for Development) is a
regional cooperation organization in Africa which is active in
matters related to development policy and political prevention and
management of crises.
The "Allies of IGAD" was founded in 1994 by Western countries
and this is Greece's first year of participation.
[21] SEMINAR ON THE GREEK ECONOMY TO BE HELD IN PARIS TOMORROW
A seminar on the Greek economy will be held in Paris
tomorrow, jointly organized by the French Commerce Chamber of
Greece with the Federation of Greek Industry and French employers
association, MEDEF.
Among those who will address the seminar titled "Greece at
the Dawn of the New Millennium", are Development Minister Vasso
Papandreou and Deputy National Economy Minister Alekos Baltas.
French representatives of business will discuss their
experiences in Greece of the industry and infrastructure sectors.
[22] SEV AND FRENCH COMMERCIAL CHAMBER OF GREECE MEET IN PARIS
Greek and French business representatives will embark on
meetings in Paris today within the context of a business mission
jointly organized by the Greek Industries Association (SEV) and
the French Commercial Chamber of Greece.
The Greek delegation comprises 21 business executives
representing a number of sectors of Greek industry, who will seek
to strike new deals or to continue and extend existing ones.
[23] NATIONAL NEWS AGENCIES CAN SERVE AS GUIDING LIGHTHOUSES
National news agencies can grant the mass media the
opportunity to become light into the darkness, by providing them
with sound information and promoting cultural values, stated the
Macedonian Press Agency's General Director during his address
given at a conference organized by the Bulgarian Telegraph Agency
in Sofia, celebrating its centennial anniversary.
In his address titled, "The Mass Media and Communications in
the 21st Century", Mr. Kouzinopoulos stated that the explosion of
new technologies is challenging certain fundamental axioms, such
as the individual's image and the right to freedom of mobility and
conduct.
"Within this frenzied rate of international economic societal
and political developments, modern technology is at the driver's
seat by elevating the concept of possessing information into an
impetus. The pressing need felt by the Balkan states with
international dynamism, to enter the next millennium with the best
afforded outlook determines the degree of significance that must
be granted to the entirety of the mss media-publicity-
information," Mr. Kouzinopoulos stated.
Concurrently, he stressed that it is imperative that the
national news agencies, more so than all of the other news
organizations, contribute to the improvement of quality by
providing more news and information for the neighboring peoples,
on matters related to the common cultural heritage, in order to
bring these peoples closer, develop friendship, cooperation and to
eradicate once and for all the danger of conflagration.
"We believe that the creation of the Balkan News Bank, whose
pilot operation has already begun at the Macedonian Press Agency's
facilities, is to steer us in this direction, through the
participation of the national news agencies of all the Balkan
countries, a direction to be further drawn by the system of
satellite linkage among the national news agencies of South-
eastern Europe with Thessaloniki, a program promoted by the MPA
and viewed quite favorably by the European Union, the Map's
general director stated.
Mr. Kouzinopoulos stressed that in the course to the 21st
century, the national news agencies, by granting the correct
information and illustrating cultural values, can grant the mass
media the opportunity to bring light into darkness, by striking
ignorance and populism so that the media may become a foundation
of hope for the weak, a voice and refuge of the persecuted and a
suit of armor for the people.
Mr. Kouzinopoulos also pointed out that the citizen should
not feel that the development of technology will constitute a
barrier to the protection of his fundamental rights, since, as he
stated, "we would then be at risk of finding ourselves in a
situation with indiscernible boundaries between politically
correct censorship and ethics-based protection.
"Nations must guarantee that the information and multimedia
revolution will proliferate while granting maximum respect to
human rights. This includes not only the fundamentals -privacy and
copyright-, but also the right to use new technologies," he added.
He further stated that the threat of transforming the news
world into a vast supermarket is evident already, especially
during an era when the people's interest in politics is declining,
while thoughtless consumerism and abstention from the public life
are on the rise.
The journalists' role in the new era will remain a
significant one for assuring credibility in the news, checking
the reliability of sources and aiding the reader in forming the
same point of view. However, in order to achieve this, great
efforts have to be exerted in the professional training sector and
in the dissemination and promotion of professional conduct rules,
which will be made known to the public and will be upheld by the
journalists.
He concluded that as a result of the globalisation of
information, the mass media, and especially the national news
agencies, have a duty and an obligation to promote culture and
cultural values overall.
[24] US REQUEST OCALAN'S EXTRADITION
The United States have requested the extradition of the PKK
leader Abdullah Ocalan from Italy, as Ankara continues to exert
pressure on Rome to hand him over. Meanwhile the Greek Foreign
Ministry has reacted strongly to Turkish claims that Greece and
Cyprus grant protection to Kurdish autonomists.
[25] TWO MILLION BRITISH TOURISTS TRAVELED TO GREECE SO FAR IN
1998
Approximately two million Britons visited Greece so far in
1998, and the number is expected to increase by 16% before the
year is over.
Britain praised Greece's tourism sector in its "World Travel
Market" exhibition in London where the Hellenic Tourism
Organization (ÅÏÔ) general secretary Michalis Kyriakidis met with
travel entrepreneurs who he said now view Greece in a more
positive light, praising recent upgrades in infrastructure and at
the nation's airports.
The International Federation of Tour Operators (IFTO) has
indicated its overall satisfaction with improvements in services
offered by the Greek tourism sector.
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