Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 98-11-20
MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Thessaloniki, November 20, 1998
SECTIONS
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
NEWS HEADLINES
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] ADVERSE WEATHER STRIKES ALL OF GREECE
[02] CUSTOMS WORKERS IN PORTS, AIRPORTS AND BORDERS CONTINUE
STRIKE
[03] DELEGATION OF CHINESE JOURNALISTS TO VISIT THESSALONIKI NEXT
WEEK
[04] EDUCATION MINISTER TO INVOLVE TEACHERS AND STUDENTS IN REFORM
[05] PM MEETS WITH UNION LEADERS, STRESSES EMU SIGNIFICANCE
[06] PRINCE CHARLES TO ARRIVE IN ATHENS ON SUNDAY
[07] TENS OF VILLAGES ARE CUT OFF BY THE SNOW IN NORTH-WESTERN
GREECE
[08] THE CABINET MET TODAY UNDER PRIME MINISTER SIMITIS
[09] 50 EURO-DEPUTIES CALL ON ITALY TO GRANT POLITICAL ASYLUM TO
OCALAN
[10] AMENDMENT ON KOZLODUI'S NUCLEAR REACTORS PROPOSED BY A GREEK
EURO-DEPUTY
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[11] ITALY PERSISTING IN ITS DECISION NOT TO EXTRADITE OCALAN
[12] ALBANIA: REFERENDUM FOR Á CONSTITUTION TO BE HELD ON SUNDAY
[13] CYPRIOT PRESIDENT CLERIDES TO VISIT ATHENS ON NOVEMBER 27
[14] SEMINAR ON THE GREEK ECONOMY TO BE HELD IN PARIS TODAY
[15] GREEK FM IN S. AFRICA, MEETS WITH NELSON MANDELA
[16] INTERNATIONAL MEDIA CONFERENCE HELD IN SOFIA
[17] PRIMAKOV TO REPLACE YELTSIN ON VISIT TO INDIA
[18] CLINTON'S REPORT TO CONGRESS ON CYPRUS ISSUE
[19] TURKISH GOVERNMENT IS TOPPLING, CENSURE MOTION TO BE HELD
NEXT WEEK
[20] OSCE AMBASSADOR RECEIVED DEATH THREATS IN TIRANA
[21] NATO BLAMES BOTH THE SERBS AND THE ETHNIC ALBANIANS FOR THE
SITUATION IN KOSOVO
NEWS IN DETAIL
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] ADVERSE WEATHER STRIKES ALL OF GREECE
Adverse weather has stricken all of Greece with snow falling
in many areas. A number of villages central Greece have been
isolated as the roads are inaccessible and most transportation can
be conducted with anti-skid chains.
Temperatures in northern Greece have reached the below-zero mark
in many areas.
The central ports have issued weather advisories and ships
remain docked due to high winds.
[02] CUSTOMS WORKERS IN PORTS, AIRPORTS AND BORDERS CONTINUE
STRIKE
Greek customs workers are continuing their three-day strike
for the third 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 today, 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
[03] DELEGATION OF CHINESE JOURNALISTS TO VISIT THESSALONIKI NEXT
WEEK
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.
[04] EDUCATION MINISTER TO INVOLVE TEACHERS AND STUDENTS IN REFORM
Education Minister Gerasimos Arsenis has announced that he
will meet with teachers and students at their schools during the
following the days in order to hold talks over the educational
reform recently announced.
During a three-hour press conference held yesterday
afternoon, Mr. Arsenis opined that the negative reactions to the
reforms stem from "fear of the unknown".
The Education Minister stressed that the aim of the reform
was open education and open access to tertiary education. Mr.
Arsenis reiterated that by the year 2000 there would be an
additional 70 departments in the country's universities, and that
all high-school graduates would be able to attend the university,
without having to undergo entrance examinations, solely on the
basis of grades in their school graduation certificate.
[05] PM MEETS WITH UNION LEADERS, STRESSES EMU SIGNIFICANCE
Prime Minister Kostas Simitis met with the presidium of the
General Confederation of Greek Workers (GSEE), the country's
largest union, yesterday and, while stating that he is willing to
hold talks on their demands, he stressed that the state's labor
policy would be determined by entry into European economic and
monetary union.
The Premier further added that the government's priority is
to support low wage earners and the unemployed.
He said that beyond measures being taken, both categories
would benefit from government policy, including a drop in interest
rates and cuts in indirect taxes.
GSEE President Christos Polyzogopoulos charged the government
with reneging on its word and increasing the tax burden on workers
to 27 percent this year.
GSEE has already called a nationwide 24-hour strike on
December 15 to protest the government's economic policy, and civil
servants are expected to follow suit.
[06] PRINCE CHARLES TO ARRIVE IN ATHENS ON SUNDAY
Prince Charles is to conduct an official visit to Athens on
Sunday, November 22, until Tuesday, November 24.
The Prince of Wales is to arrive at the Greek capital on
Sunday evening and will attend a formal reception at the Megaron
Mousikis. On Monday morning he will lay a wreath at the Unknown
Soldier's monument and immediately thereafter he will be received
by the Mayor of Athens Dimitris Avramopoulos who will decorate him
with the city medal.
In the afternoon, the Prince will be received by the
President of the Hellenic Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos and will
visit the Acropolis later in the day.
On Tuesday, Prince Charles will travel to Heraklion, Crete
where he will visit Knossos, prior to returning to the United
Kingdom.
[07] TENS OF VILLAGES ARE CUT OFF BY THE SNOW IN NORTH-WESTERN
GREECE
Snow, rain and extremely low temperatures are the main
characteristics of the weather in northern Greece. Snow falls
since this morning across north-western Greece and as a result 36
villages have been cut off in the prefectures of Kastoria, 31 in
Grevena and 4 in Kozani, while in many regions the temperature has
dropped below zero.
Cars can move only with non-skid chains in the road network
of Veria-Kozani in the region of Kastania, Florina-Kastoria via
Vigla and Vitsio and in the road network of Drama-Kato Nevrokopi
as well as, throughout the regional road network of the
prefectures of Florina, Kastoria and Grevena.
The bad weather has hit the rest of the country too, while in
Athens the streets have turned into rivers due to the heavy
rainfall.
[08] THE CABINET MET TODAY UNDER PRIME MINISTER SIMITIS
The new internal regulations for the government ministries
were the main topic of the meeting that was held today by the
cabinet, presided over by prime minister Kostas Simitis.
Specifically, announcements are expected on mergers of
government agencies, abolition of departments and transference of
state employees. The cabinet also discussed the measures that need
to be taken to deal with the problem that will be faced by
computers due to the so-called, millennium bug, in the year 2000.
[09] 50 EURO-DEPUTIES CALL ON ITALY TO GRANT POLITICAL ASYLUM TO
OCALAN
Fifty Euro-deputies have signed a text calling on Italian
prime minister Massimo D'Alema to grant political asylum to
Kurdish PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan.
The text was delivered to Italian ambassador to Athens Enrico
Pietromacri by Greek Euro-deputy of the Coaltion of the Left party
Alekos Alavanos.
[10] AMENDMENT ON KOZLODUI'S NUCLEAR REACTORS PROPOSED BY A GREEK
EURO-DEPUTY
The final closure of the first four nuclear reactors of the
Kozlodui nuclear plant is a pre-condition for Bulgaria's
uneventful EU accession course, according to an amendment proposed
by Greek Euro-deputy from the New Democracy party Antonis
Trakatelis which has been approved by Euro-parliament's foreign
affairs committee.
Mr. Trakatelis stated that since the nuclear safety is an
Agenda 2000 priority the operation of nuclear reactors that can
not be upgraded should stop as they can cause a nuclear accident
with tragic consequences for the public health and the
environment.
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[11] ITALY PERSISTING IN ITS DECISION NOT TO EXTRADITE OCALAN
Italy's Minster of Justice has asked the Italian Court of
Appeals to restrict PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan to at-home
confinement.
Italian Premier Masimo D'Alema reiterated his government's
stance not to extradite Mr. Ocalan by stressing that "there are
still certain principles which are not bound by any threat."
Meanwhile over 700 of Mr. Ocalan's supporters were arrested
in Turkey for rallying in favor of their leader.
[12] 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.
[13] 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.
[14] SEMINAR ON THE GREEK ECONOMY TO BE HELD IN PARIS TODAY
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.
[15] GREEK FM IN S. AFRICA, MEETS WITH NELSON MANDELA
Greece's Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos is presently on
an official two-day visit to South Africa where he met with South
African President Nelson Mandela.
Mgrs. Mandela and Pangalos signed five bilateral agreements
regarding investment protection, tourist sector cooperation,
avoidance of double taxation and the construction of a hospital in
South Africa.
Mr. Mandela has also accepted the offer to head the 2004
Olympic Games truce initiative.
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.
Today, 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 tomorrow
where he is scheduled to return to Athens.
[16] INTERNATIONAL MEDIA CONFERENCE HELD IN SOFIA
An international conference titled "Media and Communication
in the 21st Century" began in Sofia yesterday, dedicated to the
centennial anniversary since the founding of the Bulgarian
Telegraph Agency (BTA).
The conference featured the participation of news agencies
from around Europe and among the speakers was the Macedonian Press
Agency's general director Spyros Kouzinopoulos, the editor in
chief of the Athens News Agency, the director of Turkey's Anadolu
news agency Mehmet Guler, the director of the French Press Agency
(AFP) Gilbert Greler, as well as representatives of news agencies
from Albania, Romania, Germany, the Czech Republic, and others.
The conference focused on methods that news agencies must use
to confront rapid technological developments in order to secure
and upgrade their leading role in providing reliable and credible
information to the public.
In his address, 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.
[17] PRIMAKOV TO REPLACE YELTSIN ON VISIT TO INDIA
Russian Prime Minister Yevgeny Primakov will replace
President Boris Yeltsin on an official visit to India, planned for
early December, according to the Kremlin.
"Mr. Yeltsin did not always feel well, but he works a lot
every day, he is aware of all events and he is constantly making
decisions" chief Kremlin's spokesman Dimitri Yakushkin said.
The Indian trip will be the third in as many months that the
Russian President has backed out of, apparently for health
reasons, although official spokesmen denied that the strain of
traveling was the cause of the latest cancellation.
[18] CLINTON'S REPORT TO CONGRESS ON CYPRUS ISSUE
The United States steadily support a solution for the Cyprus
issue that will be based on a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation,
according to President Bill Clinton's bi-monthly report to
Congress.
The report, which spans the period between August 1-September
30, the US President stresses that the US have encouraged both
sides on the island to prepare for potential negotiations spanning
all issues.
US envoy Richard Holbrooke and special coordinator for the
Cyprus issue Thomas Miller have conveyed this message in numerous
contacts they have had with officials from Cyprus, Greece and
Turkey, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly,
held in New York last September.
[19] TURKISH GOVERNMENT IS TOPPLING, CENSURE MOTION TO BE HELD
NEXT WEEK
Turkish Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz has stated that he does
not plan to resign before the censure vote to be held against him
in Parliament on November 25.
The coalition government yesterday lost the initial stage of
a parliamentary vote, as the assembly voted 310-213 against Mr.
Yilmaz.
Parliament will now hold a full-blown vote of confidence on
Wednesday, November 25 and if more than 275 parliamentarians vote
in favor of the censure, then the government will fall.
``We are waiting to be overturned with a censure,'' Ahad Andican
the Minister of the Presidency stated.
[20] OSCE AMBASSADOR RECEIVED DEATH THREATS IN TIRANA
The head of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in
Europe (OSCE) in Tirana, Dans Everts, received death threats
shortly after the opposition accused him of participating in
propaganda supporting the constitution.
According to local press reports, an unidentified person
called at the OSCE bureau in Tirana and warned Mr. Everts that iof
he does not cease calling on the Albanians to vote during Sunday's
referendum, he "will not leave Albania alive."
While Mr. Everts refused to elaborate, he simply commented
that OSCE is especially concerned over the possibility of a
climate of instability being created, especially by the Democratic
Party.
[21] NATO BLAMES BOTH THE SERBS AND THE ETHNIC ALBANIANS FOR THE
SITUATION IN KOSOVO
NATO accused the Serb security forces and the ethnic Albanian
separatists in Kosovo of putting in danger the truce which is in
effect in the Serb province.
The ambassadors of the North Atlantic Alliance, who met in
Brussels, stated that a dangerous vicious circle has been created
with attacks and counterattacks between armed groups from both
sides.
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