Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 98-01-07
MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Thessaloniki, January 7, 1999
SECTIONS
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
NEWS HEADLINES
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] GREEK PREMIER TO MEET WITH ARCHBISHOP CHRISTODOULOS TODAY
[02] EDUCATION MINISTER TO MEET WITH TEACHERS' FEDERATION REPS
[03] GREECE ANSWERS TO TURKEY OVER AEGEAN FLIGHTS STATEMENTS
[04] GREEK TRAWLER OWNERS TO CONTINUE STRIKE
[05] CANADIAN MP DECLARED HONORARY PROFESSOR AT ARISTOTELIAN U.
[06] CANCELLED FLIGHTS, CLEAR SKIES AND IRATE PASSENGERS
[07] NEW RECORD HIGH IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE
[08] THE SIMITIS-CHRISTODOULOS MEETING HAS ENDED
[09] KOSTAS KARAMANLIS WILL BE IN SARANTE TOMORROW
[10] THE TWO NEW BORDER STATIONS IN THRACE, NORTH-EASTERN GREECE
ARE READY
[11] THE EU WILL INTERVENE ON THE TARIFFS IMPOSED ON COTTON BY
TURKEY
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[12] CLINTON'S IMPEACHMENT TRIAL BEGINS TODAY
[13] ARTHUR C. CLARKE: LABELING 2000 AS "MILLENNIUM YEAR" IS WRONG
[14] BULGARIA FREES TRADE WITH CEFTA, TURKEY
[15] OTE SHARE ON AN UPWARD COURSE AT WALL STREET
[16] SURMOUNTING EVIDENCE: CYPRUS' OCCUPIED REGION LOADED WITH US-
MADE ARMS
[17] TWO GREEK EUROMPS WANT KOZLODUI'S 1- UNITS CLOSED FOR GOOD
[18] ALBANIA: MAJKO-BERISHA MEETING IS "EVENT OF THE YEAR"
[19] ECEVIT RECEIVED THE MANDATE TO FORM A GOVERNMENT
[20] THE JOINT BULGARIAN-GREEK COMMITTEE MEETING WILL BE HELD IN
SOFIA ON MODAY
[21] VAN DEN BROEK ON THE RESPECT OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN TURKEY
NEWS IN DETAIL
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] GREEK PREMIER TO MEET WITH ARCHBISHOP CHRISTODOULOS TODAY
The relationship between church and state is to be discussed
today between the Prime Minister Kostas Simitis and the Archbishop
of Athens and All of Greece Christodoulos.
The meeting, the first between the two men, is taking place
at Mr. Christodoulos's request. According to reports, the two
sides might discuss issues such as the construction of a new
metropolitan church and cremation of the deceased.
[02] EDUCATION MINISTER TO MEET WITH TEACHERS' FEDERATION REPS
For the first time after a twenty-month period, the Minster
of National Education Gerasimos Arsenis is to meet today with
representatives of the state's teachers' federation (OLME).
The teachers have reportedly accepted the Minister's proposal to
discuss institutional and economic matters, albeit they set as a
precondition for the talks a discussion on the educational
reforms.
Meanwhile, the Undersecretary of Education Yiannis
Anthopoulos stressed that the reforms are not to be amended and
are presently in the application phase.
While schools are set to re-open tomorrow, students
throughout the country are to decide on the fate of their
mobilizations.
[03] GREECE ANSWERS TO TURKEY OVER AEGEAN FLIGHTS STATEMENTS
The director of Greece's Civil Aviation Agency Dionysis
Kalofonos has responded to the Turkish Foreign Ministry's
announcement wherein it questions Greece's technical ability to
provide flight accommodations over the Aegean Sea's air space.
Mr. Kalofonos stated that Greece's updated and fully
automatic flight information system is to be ready by February 15.
Moreover, Greece's Undersecretary of Defense Dimitris
Apostolakis stated that the Turkish Foreign Ministry's statement
is another manifestation of Ankara's audacity and exaggeration in
the region.
Commenting on the Turkish allegations, he said "supposedly,
it can provide information quicker at a time that it is well known
that in every air or naval accident in this region, even a Turkish
one, Greece has arrived first and has offered its help to save
victims."
"Ankara already knows that its demand shall not be fulfilled,"
Mr. Apostolakis stressed.
[04] GREEK TRAWLER OWNERS TO CONTINUE STRIKE
Greek owners of trawler boats have decided to continue their
strike in protest to a European Union directive, following a
meeting held near Thessaloniki on Tuesday.
The fishermen are protesting EU Directive 1626 which reduces
the distance from the coast in which fishing is permitted and
increases the mesh size of nets.
Members of the Panhellenic Union of Trawler Owners have
decided to moor
their boats in protest along the Thessaloniki seafront today, as
they did on Monday.
Also tomorrow, officials from the Agriculture Ministry are to
meet with union representatives.
Trawler owners claim the provision of the directive
stipulating a larger mesh for nets will result in a 50 per cent
reduction in catches, since smaller fish will slip through, while
Turkish trawlers will continue to catch those fish and channel
them to the Greek market.
[05] CANADIAN MP DECLARED HONORARY PROFESSOR AT ARISTOTELIAN U.
Canadian member of parliament Edward Mc Whinney is to be
declared professor emeritus at Thessalonikis' Aristotleian
University, School of Law, on January 18.
The ceremony will begin with a salutation given by the dean
of he university and the law school's rector and, in turn, law
professor Ms. Kalliope Koufa will bestow upon Mr. Mc Whinney the
honors.
[06] CANCELLED FLIGHTS, CLEAR SKIES AND IRATE PASSENGERS
Skies were clear this morning at the Athens airport, perhaps
too clear, as three scheduled flights were canceled due to a
shortage in Olympic Airways staff.
As a result of the cancellations, which came after lengthy
delays, passengers waiting to fly with the national air carrier
became irate and, before too long, minor episodes erupted at the
international airport. O.A. provided them with boarding at a
nearby hotel until their flights, to Thessaloniki and the island
of Kos, actually took place.
The president of O.A. Theodoros Tsakirides stated that the
air carrier can no longer meet the salary demands posed by the
pilots since it is presently at a revitalization phase. He also
blamed the delays in hiring 45 new pilots to state bureaucracy. He
said that while there are trained pilots who can be hired, the air
carrier's administration is obligated to uphold the ministerial
order and declare new examinations.
Furthermore, he stressed that from now on all flights will be
conducted, they amount to 120 on a daily basis, with the exception
of one or two.
He also issued an appeal for cooperation to the pilots and
the crews and warned that they otherwise risk losing their jobs.
[07] NEW RECORD HIGH IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE
The general price index in the Athens Stock Exchange broke
every previous record and closed at 3.000,75 showing an increase
of 3.22%, while the transactions held were over 104 billion
drachmas. In Europe, the indexes in the main financial markets
present a mixed picture.
Meanwhile, the Japanese prime minister's tour of Europe aimed
at promoting his country's currency appeared to be fruitful as the
yen appears stronger today both compared to the US dollar and the
EURO.
[08] THE SIMITIS-CHRISTODOULOS MEETING HAS ENDED
The undertaking of joint initiatives to deal with the social
problems was decided by prime minister Kostas Simitis and
Archbishop Christodoulos of Athens and All of Greece in the
meeting they had in Athens at noon today.
The meeting was held in a positive atmosphere and lasted
about an hour during which were discussed issues concerning the
Church, social issues such as crime, racism, xenophobia, the abuse
of children as well as European issues.
Archbishop Christodoulos has stated that the Church of Greece
will undertake a nation-wide effort against the phenomena of
racism and xenophobia and for the protection of the abused
children.
From his part, Mr. Simitis pointed out that it was also
discussed the Church's presence in the Balkans, while he stressed
that the connections the Greek Church has with other Churches in
the region can be exploited in state issues. On the European
issues, the prime minister said that there are risks that should
be faced and opportunities that need to be exploited.
[09] KOSTAS KARAMANLIS WILL BE IN SARANTE TOMORROW
Right-wing main opposition party of New Democracy leader
Kostas Karamanlis will visit the region of Sarante in Albania
tomorrow to lay the foundations of the water reservoir that will
be built with the financial support of the young party members
organization, while he will also meet with a representative of the
Albanian government.
Mr. Karamanlis, who will be accompanied by party spokesman
Aris Spiliotopoulos and the leadership of the young party members
organization, will visit the villages of Livadia, Aliko and
Dermisi where he will lay the foundations for the water reservoir
in a ceremony that will be held in the presence of Archbishop
Anastasios of Albania.
[10] THE TWO NEW BORDER STATIONS IN THRACE, NORTH-EASTERN GREECE
ARE READY
The opening of the two new customs offices at the borders of
Thrace, north-eastern Greece with Bulgaria depends on whether the
Bulgarian side is ready as on behalf of the Greek side everything
is ready, according to general secretary of Eastern Macedonia and
Thrace Region Stavros Kambelis.
Mr. Kambelis, who visited the customs office of Kipi on the
occasion of the Christmas holidays, stated that he and the
Bulgarian consul general will soon visit the Kirtzali and Ehinos
points where one of the new border crossings will be located.
[11] THE EU WILL INTERVENE ON THE TARIFFS IMPOSED ON COTTON BY
TURKEY
The European Union will intervene to Turkey and will call for
the abolition of the tariffs imposed by the neighboring country on
the imports of cotton because this measure is contrary to Turkey's
obligations that stem from the customs' association agreement
reached between Turkey and the European Union.
The issue was raised in a question by Coalition of the Left
Euro-deputy Alekos Alavanos who pointed out that the tariffs
imposed hurt mainly the Greek exports of cotton to Turkey and in
his response EU Commissioner Mr. Van Den Broek adopts the
positions of Mr. Alavanos pointing out that the European
Commission will raise the issue to the Turkish authorities through
the appropriate channels.
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[12] CLINTON'S IMPEACHMENT TRIAL BEGINS TODAY
In an event unseen since 130 years ago, United States
President Bill Clinton is to appear before the Senate today where
his impeachment trial begins before a jury of 100 senators.
President Clinton stands accused of two articles of
impeachment alleging
perjury and obstruction of justice. Both stem from his effort to
conceal his relationship with a White House intern Monica Lewinsky
in the sex-and-cover-up scandal that has transfixed the world for
nearly a year.
Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, R-Miss., expressed
optimism that agreement was near on a procedure for a "full trial
... and votes on articles of impeachment at the end of the
process." Votes are expected to be taken on the President's fate
by February, at the earliest.
[13] ARTHUR C. CLARKE: LABELING 2000 AS "MILLENNIUM YEAR" IS WRONG
Arthur C. Clarke, author of "2001: A Space Odyssey," feels so
strongly
about people erroneously calling next year the start of a new
millennium that he issued a public statement this week to correct
them.
"Because the Western calendar starts with Year 1, and not
Year 0, the 21st Century and the Third Millennium do not begin
until January 1, 2001," Mr. Clarke said in a statement received by
Reuters today.
"Though some people have great difficulty in grasping this,
there's a very simple analogy which should appeal to everyone. If
the scale on your grocer's weighing machine began at 1 instead of
0, would you be happy when he claimed he'd sold you 10 kg of tea?"
Mr. Clarke questioned.
"And it's exactly the same with time. We'll have had only 99
years of this century by January 1, 2000: we'll have to wait until
December 31 for the full hundred."
Mr. Clarke's view has long been held by people who doubt that
anyone else can count.
Australian Prime Minister John Howard, for example, made the
same point in 1997 -- only to be called the "party pooper of the
century" in newspapers.
Clarke said the psychological effect of the three zeros and
the Y2K bug that will affect computers was much too powerful to be
ignored.
"So everyone will start celebrating at midnight December 31,
1999," Mr. Clarke said, adding that 2000 should be called the
Centennial Year and 2001 the Millennial Year.
[14] BULGARIA FREES TRADE WITH CEFTA, TURKEY
Bulgaria hopes to boost trade, facilitate investment,
expedite economic reforms and also ease its entry to the European
Union under two trade agreements that come into effect this month,
according to the chairman of Bulgarian's Chamber of Commerce
Bozidar Danev.
Bulgaria lifted customs duties on 80 percent of its
industrial goods on January 1 under its new membership of the
Central European Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA), which groups the
Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia and Romania.
A free trade zone agreement with neighboring Turkey also
comes into effect this month, which is expected to boost trade
turnover between the two Balkan states that amounted to $350
million for January-October 1998.
[15] OTE SHARE ON AN UPWARD COURSE AT WALL STREET
The Hellenic Telecommunications Organization's share climbed
nine points on the New York Stock Exchange, with 650,000 shares
floating, thereby confirming investors' interest abroad.
Thirty-four million shares OTE shares were sold during the
initial offering at the NYSE on November 1, 1998. Before the end
of the year, on December 31, 1998, they closed at $13.00.
[16] SURMOUNTING EVIDENCE: CYPRUS' OCCUPIED REGION LOADED WITH US-
MADE ARMS
There is surmounting evidence that the Turkish occupation
forces in Cyprus are equipped with US-made arms, in clear
violation to US legislation, featuring four times more combat arms
and five times more heavy artillery than the Cypriot Republic.
The substantiating data is published in today's edition of
the Athens daily "Ta Nea" which also notes that that weapons list
has been forwarded to Washington from Nicosia and Athens so that
it may proceed to the removal of the US-made arms.
Specifically, the occupation forces on the island have 231
M48 tanks, whereas the Republic of Cyprus has 61. They also have
38 transportable heavy 115mm cannons, as opposed to the Greek-
Cypriot side's 12, 62 mobile staff transport vehicles as opposed
to the Republic's six, - which 62 are in addition to 255 armored
vehicles, 208 armed staff transportation vehicles of US-Turkish
construction, 36 TOW antitank missiles and four radar.
The aforementioned list does not contain a number of US-made
arms transported on the island's occupied region after 1980 and it
is not known whether or not they fall under the congressional ban.
[17] TWO GREEK EUROMPS WANT KOZLODUI'S 1- UNITS CLOSED FOR GOOD
Two Greek eurodeputies have tabled a resolution to the
European Parliament wherein they request the immediate and
permanent closing of four units at the Bulgaria's nuclear plant,
Kozlodui.
The resolution, to be discussed at the House's plenary
session on January 14, has been tabled by parliamentarians
Antonis Trakatellis and George Dimitrakopoulos, both members of
Greece's main opposition party New Democracy.
They call on the Bulgarian government to proceed to the
immediate closing of the nuclear reactors 1-4 (which are of
outdated technology and are deemed dangerous) and also ask the
European Parliament to express its chagrin at Bulgaria's delay in
applying the commitments it has undertaken internationally.
Moreover, the eurodeputies urge the Parliament to ask the
Commission not to fund the update of units 5-6 if the remaining
units are not permanently dismantled.
[18] ALBANIA: MAJKO-BERISHA MEETING IS "EVENT OF THE YEAR"
The meeting held between Albania's opposition party leader
and former president Sali Berisha with the Prime Minister Padeli
Majko has raised everyone's hopes for a smoother course into 1999,
while the country's political leaders are opposed to early
elections and grant the newly-formed government the due time
necessary for executing its undertaken tasks.
Commenting on rumors of a reshuffle in the Majko-led
government, Parliament President and leader of the Social-
Democratic Party Skender Ginoushi told the Macedonian Press Agency
that the "Time for change has not come. The government has (been)
only three months (in office) and hasn't had the time to prove
what it is capable of doing."
Regarding a potential reinstatement of the Democratic Party
to Parliament, Mr. Ginoushi stated "this does not mean that there
need to be changes in the government.
Also speaking to the MPA, the leader of the Human Rights
Association Party Vasil Melo stated that "before we speak of
changes and early elections, we need to talk about a series of
serious problems faced by the country."
Mr. Melo's priority is the dialogue between the Socialist
and Democratic parties which was paved through the meeting between
Mgrs. Majko and Berisha.
On a somewhat different note, since he characterized the
country's government as "failed", the leader of Albania's
Republican Party Fatmir Mediu said that the holding of elections
is impossible until order is restored.
"The need to hold elections did not arise today but rather
earlier, and this is because the government has failed in all
sectors," Mr. Mediu told the MPA, albeit stressing that "what is
urgent is to (discover) a new formula for governing the country."
[19] ECEVIT RECEIVED THE MANDATE TO FORM A GOVERNMENT
Turkish president Suleiman Demirel gave the mandate to
Democratic Left party leader Bulent Ecevit to form a government in
which the Islamists are not expected to be included.
It should be reminded that Ecevit had received again the
mandate to form a government on December 2 but he abandoned the
efforts 19 days later when he failed to form a government.
[20] THE JOINT BULGARIAN-GREEK COMMITTEE MEETING WILL BE HELD IN
SOFIA ON MODAY
The construction of the new border crossings at the Bulgarian-
Greek borders as well as the building of purification stations at
the Bulgarian cities of Stara Zagora and Haskovo will be discussed
by the joint Bulgarian-Greek committee meeting that will be held
in Sofia on January 11 and 12 within the framework of the European
Union "PHARE" program on cross-border cooperation. The
announcement on the meeting was made by the Bulgarian ministry of
Regional Development.
According to a report on the Sofia newspaper "Standart", it
will also be discussed the modernization of border crossings at
Koulata and Novo Selo as well as the restoration of the
environment at the region of the Elesnica village.
Based on a European Commission proposal, the cross-border
cooperation program can continue for an additional 5 years and its
goal will be to fund employment projects and the vocational
training of the population living at border regions.
[21] VAN DEN BROEK ON THE RESPECT OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN TURKEY
The European Union in all the contacts it had with the
Turkish authorities and in spite of Ankara's decision to cancel
the political dialogue with the European Union has made clear its
decision to continue to express its concern over human rights
issues and the democratic freedoms in Turkey. This was the
response of EU Commissioner responsible for EU foreign relations,
Mr. Hans Van Den Broek to the question by Greek governing
socialist party of PASOK Euro-deputy Anna Karamanou on the
measures the European Commission intends to take to secure human
rights in Turkey.
In his response Mr. Van Den Broek also referred to the first
regular report drawn up by the European Commission and approved on
November 4, 1998 on the progress made by Turkey in order to become
a candidate for EU accession where the relevant problems are being
mentioned as well as the need for the improvement of the existing
situation.
The European Commission also mentions the conclusions reached
by the European Council in Luxembourg according to which, the
strengthening of relations between Turkey and the European Union
also depends on whether the political and economic reforms will
continue in Turkey including its harmonization in the sector of
human rights with the practices followed by the European Union.
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