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Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 99-03-06Macedonian Press Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Macedonian Press Agency at http://www.mpa.gr and http://www.hri.org/MPA.Last Update: 23:27 GMT+2SECTIONS
NEWS HEADLINES[A] GREECE[B] BALKANS[C] EUROPENEWS IN DETAIL[A] GREECE[01] INFLATION WAS AT 3.7% IN FEBRUARYWeb Posted: 16:27 GMT+2Athens, 06.03.1999 (MPA) Inflation closed at 3.7% in February. The fact that inflation remained at the same levels during the past two months is attributed to the increases in the prices of cigarettes, newspapers, dairy products and municipal fees.According to the National Statistics Agency, inflation will drop sharply after the month of April. [02] SIMITIS: SOME HAVE TRIED TO OVERTHROW THE GOVERNMENT USING THE OCALAN CASEWeb Posted: 16:27 GMT+2Athens, 06.03.1999 (MPA) The country moves forward without political negotiations, and follows a clean and steady course toward the EMU, stated prime minister Kostas Simitis in an interview with an Athens newspaper, adding that the governing socialist party of PASOK must say "No" to the obsessions of the past.On the Ocalan case, the prime minister stressed categorically that many have tried to take advantage of this affair to overturn the policy of the government and possibly to overthrow the government itself, being indifferent toward the effect of the climate they have created in the course of the country as well as in the course of the economy which is very crucial at the moment. Mr. Simitis stated that once again they have proved that they subordinate everything to political party interests. [03] THE SECOND PHASE OF THE REINFORCEMENT OF THE NATO FORCES IN SKOPJE VIA THESSALONIKI IS UNDERWAYWeb Posted: 15:57 GMT+2Thessaloniki, 06.03.1999 (MPA) The second phase of the reinforcement of the NATO forces in Skopje via Thessaloniki is underway today.An aircraft with 200 German military officers is expected to land at Thessaloniki's Macedonia Airport. They will stay in Thessaloniki for two days and then they will leave for Tetovo in FYROM to reinforce the peace- keeping force deployed there. Tomorrow, are expected to sail into the port of Thessaloniki two transport ships with German and Russian flags carrying armored tanks, trucks, ammunition and foodstuffs. [04] US RESEARCH COMPANY REPORT ON THE POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS IN GREECEWeb Posted: 15:57 GMT+2Athens, 06.03.1999 (MPA) A report drawn up on behalf of the US government by the US research company Political Risk Services referred to the political developments in Greece.According to the research, the likelihood for early elections in Greece has become distant and it is underlined that Mr. Simitis will be able to win the elections if he will meet the target of the EMU. Less likely is for right-wing main opposition party of New Democracy to win the elections as its leader Kostas Karamanlis will be faced with the difficult task to unite the conservatives. At this point the stance of Athens mayor Dimitris Avramopoulos, who belongs to the right and is expected to form his own political party, will be crucial. [05] REPPAS: THE OCALAN AFFAIR EVENTS ARE PRESENTED IN A FRAGMENTARY FASHIONWeb Posted: 15:57 GMT+2Athens, 06.03.1999 (MPA) Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas stated after the Greek ambassador to Nairobi report was made public that the events related to the Ocalan affair are being presented in a fragmentary and misleading fashion.Mr. Reppas stated that after the investigation is completed the picture will be clear and added that the government wants the Ocalan affair to be clarified completely. [06] THE GREEK AMBASSADOR TO KENYA REPORT ON THE OCALAN AFFAIR INCLUDES REVEALING EVIDENCEWeb Posted: 15:57 GMT+2Athens, 06.03.1999 (MPA) The ten-page report on the Ocalan affair that was submitted by Greek ambassador to Nairobi Giorgos Kostoulas and was published by the Athens newspaper "TA NEA" includes very revealing evidence on the affair and the conditions under which the Kurdish leader was arrested. According to Mr. Kostoulas, the embassy in Nairobi was not informed in advance on the arrival of Ocalan and had no help from Athens in the handling of the issue.It should be noted that when Ocalan started to fear about his fate and refused to go outside the embassy building, former National Intelligence Service chief wing commander Stavrakakis ordered major Savvas Kalenteridis to throw Ocalan outside but Kalenteridis refused saying that he could not materialize the order by himself. After this, Athens ordered the ambassador to hire four individuals from Kenya and decided to send to Nairobi a four- member group of secret agents to undertake the forceful removal of Ocalan and his associates from the embassy building. Mr. Kostoulas also stated that Mr. Stavrakakis had telephoned him on the issue in the presence of three ministers. In the report of ambassador Kostoulas is mentioned that the US interest in the case was obvious three days after Ocalan's arrival in Nairobi, while the Kenyan government exerted pressures for the clarification of the conditions under which Ocalan arrived in the country. [B] BALKANS[07] SIX SERBS WERE INJURED IN A HAND GRENADE ATTACK IN KOSOVOWeb Posted: 16:27 GMT+2Pristina, 06.03.1999 (MPA) Six Serbs were injured in a hand grenade attack targeting a restaurant in the city of Pec in Kosovo last night, according to the Serb information center in Pristina.Washington has issued a travel advisory for the US citizens to avoid Kosovo because of the tension in the region. [C] EUROPE[08] ΣΕΒΑΡΝΤΝΑΝΤΖΕ: ΚΟΙΝΗ ΑΠΟΦΑΣΗ Η ΑΝΑΔΙΟΡΓΑΝΩΣΗ ΤΗΣ ΚΟΙΝΟΠΟΛΙΤΕΙΑΣWeb Posted: 10:57 GMT+2Τόκιο, 06/03/1999 (MΠΕ) Οι ηγέτες των 12 δημοκρατιών, που συγκροτούν την Κοινοπολιτεία Ανεξαρτήτων κρατών, συμφωνούν στην ανάγκη δρομολόγησης αλλαγών στο γενικό προσανατολισμό της, σύμφωνα με δηλώσεις του προέδρου της Γεωργίας, Εντβαρντ Σεβαρνταντζε.Ο Γεωργιανός πρόεδρος, πραγματοποιεί επίσημη επίσκεψη στο Τόκιο, όπου και θα έχει συναντήσεις με εκπροσώπους της κυβέρνησης, αλλά και επιχειρηματίες, ενώ για τις εξελίξεις στην κεντροασιατική περιοχή τόνισε: " Οι ουσιαστικές αλλαγές κρίνονται αποφασιστικής σημασίας και σε αυτό συμφωνούν όλοι οι ηγέτες της κοινοπολιτείας. Ο προσανατολισμός της πρέπει ν' αλλάξει. Δεν είμαστε οι μόνοι που απαιτούμε μια τέτοια εξέλιξη". Ο Σεβαρντναντζε ανέφερε ότι για το θέμα αυτό, έχει συσταθεί ειδική επιτροπή, χωρίς ωστόσο, να δώσει περισσότερες λεπτομέρειες. Σημειώνεται ότι οι δηλώσεις αυτές γίνονται στον απόηχο της αποπομπής του Μπορις Μπερεζοφσκι, από τη θέση του Εκτελεστικού Γραμματέα της Κοινοπολιτείας, με την επίσημη αιτιολογία της αδυναμίας υλοποίησης των προτεινόμενων μεταρρυθμίσεων. Complete archives of the Macedonian Press Agency bulletins are available on the MPA Home Page at http://www.mpa.gr/ and on the U.S. mirror at http://www.hri.org/MPA/Macedonian Press Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |