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Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 98-12-29

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, December 29, 1998

SECTIONS

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

  • NEWS HEADLINES

    [A] NATIONAL NEWS

  • [01] GREEK PREMIER, CYPRIOT PRESIDENT TO MEET IN ATHENS TODAY
  • [02] FREEZING TEMPERATURES IN N . GREECE, MERCURY FALLS BELOW ZERO
  • [03] "REVOLUTIONARY NUCLEI" CLAIM RESPONSIBILITY FOR BOMBS IN PIRAEUS
  • [04] FOG IMPEDES LANDING AND TAKE OFF AT MACEDONIA AIRPORT
  • [05] A BRIDAL DOWRY FROM HONAZ UNITES TURKS AND GREEKS
  • [06] THE CLERIDES - SIMITIS MEETING HAS ENDED
  • [07] THE CYPRIOT GOVERNMENT WILL DECIDE ON THE S-300 MISSILES
  • [08] THE BITTER COLD IN NORTHERN GREECE CONTINUES
  • [09] TWO RADIO STATIONS IN THESSALONIKI AND MELBOURNE WILL UNITE THE GREEKS LIVING ABROAD
  • [10] 14 IRAQI ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS WERE ARRESTED IN THE ISLAND OF KOS
  • [11] DIALOGUE ON THE ADOPTION OF THE CREMATION PRACTICE IN GREECE
  • [12] EXTREMELY CAUTIOUS EVALUATIONS BY MOODY'S ON THE STATE OF THE GREEK ECONOMY
  • [B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

  • [13] THE UNITED STATES WILL DEAL WITH ANY IRAQI PROVOCATION
  • [14] THOUSANDS OF ROMANIANS HOSPITALIZED AFTER HOLIDAY OVEREATING
  • [15] TWO GREEK SAILORS MISSING IN PORT OF TEXAS AFTER SHIP FIRE
  • [16] GEORGIAN MINISTER: MURDER OF EMBASSY WORKER WAS WORK OF HITMEN
  • [17] ALBANIAN PM THANKS GREECE FOR ASSISTING IN HIS BABY'S BIRTH
  • [18] THE SERBS IN KOSOVO CALL FOR PROTECTION
  • [19] GREEK RELIGIOUS PAINTINGS ARE EXHIBITED IN VIENNA

  • NEWS IN DETAIL

    [A] NATIONAL NEWS

    [01] GREEK PREMIER, CYPRIOT PRESIDENT TO MEET IN ATHENS TODAY

    Greece's Prime Minister Kostas Simitis is to receive Cypriot President Glafkos Clerides in Athens today with whom he will discuss the S-300 anti-aircraft missiles which Cyprus has purchased from Russia.

    The leaderships of the Ministries of Defense and Foreign Affairs will also be attending the meeting.

    In turn, Mr. Clerides will return to Cyprus where the National Council will convene this evening in order to draw its final decisions on the missiles matter.

    In case a consensus is not reached, President Clerides will have the final say.

    [02] FREEZING TEMPERATURES IN N . GREECE, MERCURY FALLS BELOW ZERO

    Northern Greece is undergoing one of the coldest winters in recent years, as the temperatures have fallen to as low as -15 Celsius in some areas.

    The frosted roads, combined with early morning fog, are forcing drivers to be extra cautious and anti-skid chains are required in many provincial roads due to the snow.

    The temperature in the city of Florina has fallen to -10, in Grevena -8 and to -5 in Kastoria. Thessaloniki warmed up to -3 this morning.

    [03] "REVOLUTIONARY NUCLEI" CLAIM RESPONSIBILITY FOR BOMBS IN PIRAEUS

    An organization, which has dubbed itself as the "Revolutionary Nuclei", has claimed responsibility for two bombs that exploded at the center of Piraeus shortly after midnight today.

    The self-made explosive devices were targeted at the "American Express" and "Barclays Bank" buildings, causing material damages.

    The same organization had claimed responsibility for previous attacks against the offices of a deputy and a Supreme Justice.

    [04] FOG IMPEDES LANDING AND TAKE OFF AT MACEDONIA AIRPORT

    Persistent fog continued to impede flight landing and take off at Thessaloniki's "Macedonia" airport this monring, delaying for approximately one hour the Thessaloniki-Athens route this.

    Yesterday one flight from Athens to Belgrade via Thessaloniki was cancelled and three others from Athens to Stuttgart, Munich and London went ahead without making the scheduled stopover.

    It is hoped that a modern electronic system, the ILS 2, which enables "blind" landings will solve the problem when it is installed some time in 1999. The new system will safely guide aircraft from the ground in conditions of zero visibility to within 30 meters above the runway. The pilot will then be able to safely land the aircraft.

    The present ILS system is an older version which is ineffective in conditions of thick fog.

    [05] A BRIDAL DOWRY FROM HONAZ UNITES TURKS AND GREEKS

    For seventy-eight whole years the trousseaux of Eleni and Sofia Minoglou were safely kept in Ummuhan Yalcin's cedar chest at Honaz, a village in Turkey. A bridal dowry consisting of dainty lace, silk shirts and embroidered fabric yellowed from the passage of time, a passage too feeble to conquer the lavender scent and the memory of a generation lost. Until the day came when the chest was opened and a stream of memories overflowed. Memories from an era past, when Turks and Greeks lived harmoniously in Asia Minor, until the tragedy of war and catastrophe drenched the soil in blood and uprooted millions of persons from both shores of the Aegean.

    In a corner of their souls Kemal Gacaroglou and his wife Ayse shielded the memory of their neighbours, the Minoglous, along with the trousseaux they entrusted upon them before bidding farewell for another land. These memories, along with the trousseau, they handed over to their son, Ramazan, who in turn bestowed them upon his son Kemal, with his last wish. "Find the Minoglous and give them the trousseaux." And so, Kemal embarked on a journey to find his grandfather's neighbours amidst ten million Greeks. While the Minoglou neighbour never made it to Greece, his wife and daughters did, but they had passed away by the time Kemal discovered them. Thus, the trousseaux remained in his hands and his father passed away without having his wish realised. Nevertheless, Kemal's journey for his own "Ithaca", filled with adventure and enlightenment, did not betray him.

    He met the last survivors of the generation that came to Greece during the population exchange. He then travelled back home and found the refugees who had set up their lives there.

    Kemal Yalcin, the grandson of Kemal Gacaroglou, came to Greece recently and brought the cousins of Minoglou the trousseaux. Their grandfather's neighbors had died long ago during the years of exile and uprooting, before they had a chance at coming to Greece. The only ones who managed to come over where the sister-in-law of Mama Minoglou, Anthoula, with her son, Nikos, but they both had died long ago.

    Kemal discovered Yiannis Minoglou, the son of Nikos, in a village near the city of Volos.

    Last Sunday morning, the two men, teary-eyed, held each other in embrace as Kemal laid the contents of the trousseaux on the table. They spoke for hours on end and Kemal, just as he was about to leave, said, "I'm leaving you half of my heart."

    "Yes, but you've taken all of mine," Yiannis responded.

    The Honaz village was called Colossai during ancient times and was named Honai during the Byzantine era. Up until 1920 there were about 1,000 Greeks living in Honaz.

    Kemal described to the Macedonian Press Agency the day the Minoglous were uprooted, as it was tearfully narrated to him by his father when he was still a child. Papa Minoglou was deported along with all of the village's Greek men, while his wife and daughters were confined for three months in a stable along with the other Greek women. "My grandmother would send my father to bring bread to Mama Minoglou and her daughters. When the order for their deportation was issued, a piercing scream stirred the village. My father, scared, abandoned his game and ran home. In a short while, Mama Minoglou, arrived at my grandmother Ayse's home carrying a silk bedspread, accompanied by her two daughters who were each carrying a sack. "My sister Asa," said Mama Minoglou, "these are the trousseaux of my daughters. I'm leaving them with you for safekeeping. We're leaving and we may never come back, we may return and never see each other again! If we do come back, you'll give us the trousseaux. If we don't, give them to the poor."

    "What overwhelmed me during my search for the Minoglous were the stories told by the refugees," Kemal said. "I will never forget what Vasilis Vasiliadis described to me when, as a young child persecuted along with the other Greeks, he eyewitnessed horrifying scenes. They gathered all the Greeks from his village and, having stripped them of their clothing, they placed them in the church and torched them alive. He and his family were rescued by a Turkish friend of theirs. The Greeks would hide in caves. But their babies would cry and that's how the Turkish irregulars would discover them and killed them. There were babies in Vasilis' group. He was a young boy. The leader of the group, Aga Giorgi, told them that if they wanted to be saved they had to kill their babies. He strangled his own baby first and others followed with theirs. There were some who could not bring themselves to killing their children. But the heinous act was performed by those who were more composed. Twenty children, not older than the age of two, were killed on that day. Mr. Vasilis was unable to talk for a long time after that morbid day. Even when I met him, an 87-year- old man, he still saw that nightmare."

    After his first trip to Greece, Kemal decided to travel home and become better acquainted with the refugees who had arrived during the population exchange.

    "What they described to me was almost identical with what I heard and saw in Greece. They all missed their home, had a silent yearning for their land. I was ashamed, became angry with myself for not having been able to recognise all these years the sadness in the faces of my refugee neighbours. I felt ashamed for not having ever asked them why, when and how they came. I was ashamed that I never heard the bitterness and longing of the Greeks, the Armenians, the Assyrians and the Jewish who were my brothers and compatriots during the thirteen years I lived in Istanbul," he said.

    Kemal decided to utilise the testimony he recorded onto dozens of tapes into writing a book. So he wrote "A Trousseau in Safekeeping", a book published in Turkey and currently being translated into Greek by the "Livani: publishing house.

    [06] THE CLERIDES - SIMITIS MEETING HAS ENDED

    The meeting of Greek prime minister Kostas Simitis with Cypriot president Glafkos Clerides, that was held in Athens for the discussion of the Russian S-300 anti-aircraft missiles issue, was completed at noon today without any statements by the two leaders.

    Mr. Simitis and Mr. Clerides met for an hour and a half in the presence of the leadership of the Greek ministries of foreign affairs and defense. The Cypriot president has already left for Nicosia where the Cypriot National Council will meet this afternoon to reach a final decision on the issue of the installation of the S-300 missiles.

    The Athens meeting was held in the presence of the leadership of the foreign affairs ministry, while also present were minister of defense Akis Tsochatzopoulos and Cypriot minister to the president's office Pantelis Kouros.

    [07] THE CYPRIOT GOVERNMENT WILL DECIDE ON THE S-300 MISSILES

    The final decision on the place where the Russian S-300 anti- aircraft missiles will be installed will be announced this afternoon after the meeting of the National Council in Cyprus, while based on the existing indications they are most likely to end up in the southern Aegean island of Crete.

    According to press information, this was agreed in the one hour and a half meeting of Greek prime minister Kostas Simitis and Cypriot president Glafkos Clerides that was held in Athens this morning. No official statements on the content of the consultations in Athens were made after the meeting. However, based on the same information the responsibility for the announcement of the decision not to install the missiles in Cyprus will be undertaken by the Cypriot government.

    After the meeting of the Cypriot National Council in which it is certain that no consensus will be reached, Cypriot president Glafkos Clerides will make an announcement on the final destination of the missiles and immediately afterwards will follow the Greek government announcement which will express the full backing of Athens to the Cypriot government decisions.

    [08] THE BITTER COLD IN NORTHERN GREECE CONTINUES

    The bitter cold is again today the main weather characteristic in northern Greece. Transportation in the biggest part of the region's provincial and national road network is possible only with the help of non-skid chains due to the icy conditions on the roads.

    In many cities temperature has dropped several degrees below zero. In the north-western Greek city of Florina the temperature is -10, while the same conditions dominate in other cities of the region such as Grevena with -8, Kozani -6 and Kastoria with -5 degrees. In Thesaloniki temperature dropped to -3 degrees Celsius in the early morning hours.

    [09] TWO RADIO STATIONS IN THESSALONIKI AND MELBOURNE WILL UNITE THE GREEKS LIVING ABROAD

    The radio station "Foni tis Toumbas" (Voice of Toumba) in Thessaloniki in cooperation with "Radio Hellas" in Melbourne, Australia will unite the Greeks living abroad with Greece on New Year's Eve.

    During the live radio show the Greeks living abroad will be able to send their wishes and communicate with their relatives living in Greece.

    The audience can call the telephone numbers (031) 243-560, (031) 243-561 and (031) 243-562 while the program will be broadcast through Internet at the address www.spar.net.gr/

    [10] 14 IRAQI ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS WERE ARRESTED IN THE ISLAND OF KOS

    Fourteen Iraqi illegal immigrants, among them two women, were located and arrested by the Greek Coast Guard in the region Psalidi of the south-eastern Aegean island of Kos.

    The illegal immigrants, who are of Kurdish origin, stated that they came from the Turkish coasts and that they arrived in Kos on board a speed-boat after paying a large sum of money to its captain.

    [11] DIALOGUE ON THE ADOPTION OF THE CREMATION PRACTICE IN GREECE

    The Greek government is ready to propose even a change in legislation allowing cremation for the Orthodox Christians as well under the pre-condition that this is the wish of the citizens and for this purpose there will be a dialogue, stated undersecretary of interior Giorgos Floridis.

    According to Mr. Florodis, no negative reaction is expected in the regulations that have already been prepared, stating that this was a mature development that appears to enjoy a wide social consensus. He said that the regulations completed so far concern those who are not Orthodox Christians.

    Mr. Floridis said that in the following days it will be discussed whether this regulation should be extended to the Orthodox Christians as well, adding that this way each one will have the option to request with a written statement to be cremated after death.

    [12] EXTREMELY CAUTIOUS EVALUATIONS BY MOODY'S ON THE STATE OF THE GREEK ECONOMY

    A report prepared by Moody's, which is published today by the Athens financial newspaper "Imerisia", includes extremely cautious to negative evaluations regarding the Greek economy and its prospects.

    Moody's mentions that Greece will enter the EMU but this development will be followed by a more hard period of adjustment for the people. Also, it is mentioned that an apathy is observed in the government over the necessary EMU reforms because it expects an inflow of EU funds.

    Based on the report, the slow pace with which the structural changes move in Greece is due to the misconceptions caused by the inflow of foreign capital after the drachma devaluation. The report also refers to the risks from foreign loans both in the public and the private sector.

    [B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

    [13] THE UNITED STATES WILL DEAL WITH ANY IRAQI PROVOCATION

    The State Department has emphasized that the US and British aircraft patrolling the no-fly zone over Iraq are to react decisively to any renewed Iraqi threat.

    Washington issued the said announcement after Iraqi forces fired missiles yesterday at U.S. jets which fired back at the missile launch site. An Iraqi government communique said four Iraqis were killed during the action.

    President Bill Clinton said that the United States would continue to enforce no-fly zones in the north and south of Iraq.

    [14] THOUSANDS OF ROMANIANS HOSPITALIZED AFTER HOLIDAY OVEREATING

    Thousands of Romanians crammed hospital emergency rooms after packing themselves with pork, pickled cabbage and prune alcohol over the winter holidays, local media reported yesterday.

    About 3,500 Romanians called ambulances since Christmas Eve in Bucharest alone and thousands more were treated elsewhere for ulcers and gastritis over the weekend, according to the Bucharest newspaper Libertatea.

    Hospitals nationwide are prepared for more patients as Romanians continue the traditional indulgence of food and drink through NewYear's Day.

    National television showed images of emergency rooms crowded with patients holding their stomachs, many unable to speak and others too embarrassed to say how much they ate.

    [15] TWO GREEK SAILORS MISSING IN PORT OF TEXAS AFTER SHIP FIRE

    Two sailors of the Greek-flag ship "Violeta" remain missing since yesterday afternoon after the ship, waiting to dock at the port of Texas, caught on fire.

    They are Manolis Gavalas and Nikitas Labrinos, while the 21 Filipino sailors and the ship's captain Grigoris Alexiou are safe.

    [16] GEORGIAN MINISTER: MURDER OF EMBASSY WORKER WAS WORK OF HITMEN

    The murder of a Greek embassy security officer in Georgia appears to be the work of professional hitmen, according to Georgia's Minister of the Interior Kahi Targamange.

    Anastasios Myzithras, 37, the head of security at the Embassy, was shot dead by unidentified gunmen at the entrance to his home on Thursday. His funeral was held yesterday in Greece.

    Mr. Targamange stated that there has been progress in the investigation surrounding the murder but the police are still not close to solving the crime.

    [17] ALBANIAN PM THANKS GREECE FOR ASSISTING IN HIS BABY'S BIRTH

    Albanian Prime Minister Pandeli Majko has expressed a heartfelt "thanks" to the Greek government and the medical community for the assistance they granted to his wife in the premature birth of their baby girl. His message of gratitude was published widely in the Albanian media.

    The baby and the mother remain hospitalized at the "Elena" maternity clinic in Athens. Neither has presented any complications. Mrs. Majko was airlifted into Athens by a Greek Air Force C-130 transport plane on Saturday when she went into premature labor.

    [18] THE SERBS IN KOSOVO CALL FOR PROTECTION

    Serb officials in Kosovo sent an open letter to Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevic demanding protection for the Serb population living in the province. Hundreds of Serbs have abandoned their homes as a result of the recent armed clashes.

    Meanwhile, the Kosovo Serbs will hold a rally on January 11 at the center of the regional capital Pristina protesting against the renewed clashes.

    [19] GREEK RELIGIOUS PAINTINGS ARE EXHIBITED IN VIENNA

    The Austrian press continues to promote the exhibition of paper religious paintings in the Museum of Applied Arts in Vienna, organized at the initiative of the Greek embassy within the framework of the EU Austrian presidency, characterizing it as a cultural event.

    Under the headline "Greek icons from Vienna" the newspaper "Neue Kronen Zeitung" offers an extensive report which refers to the history of their printing which began in Vienna in the 18th century.

    The newspaper mentions that the Greeks of Vienna started printing paper religious paintings in 1701 such as those of Hristofor Zefar and Thomas Mesmer which were sent to the Greeks living under the Turkish yoke.


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