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Thursday, 18 April 2024
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Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 99-03-27Macedonian 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] EUROPE[D] WORLDNEWS IN DETAIL[A] GREECE[01] ARCHBISHOP CHRISTODOULOS SPOKE OF INTERNATIONAL INJUSTICE AGAINST THE SERBSWeb Posted: 15:57 GMT+2Thessaloniki, 27/03/1999 (MPA) Archbishop Christodoulos of Athens and All of Greece, who is on a visit to Thessaloniki, used tough language referring to the developments in Yugoslavia and at the same time, he stressed that the Greek people are outraged with the international injustice committed against their Orthodox Christian Serb brothers.Archbishop Christodoulos underlined that the threat of war is at our door step and that the danger approaches, pointing out that Greece has the protection of God and the Virgin Mary. He also said that when people leave the road of God become wild beasts and added that humanity in the Balkans now pays the price of the defection of those who are Christians only by name and commit crimes in the name of democracy and humanity. He also underlined that people are disappointed with the international organizations that were founded in order to safeguard peace after the World War II. He said that the Greek people feel deep anger for the injustice that is being committed against the Serbs and sending out a message of love, unity, cohesion and solidarity the Archbishop stressed that the people who reject their roots and their moral values are condemned to a low life which is incompatible with their mission as human beings. [02] PAPARIGA: CLINTON BLACKMAIL FOR THE PARTITION OF THE AEGEANWeb Posted: 15:57 GMT+2Thessaloniki, 27/03/1999 (MPA) Greek Communist Party general secretary Ms. Aleka Papariga, who is on a visit to Thessaloniki, stated that the recent statements made by US president Bill Clinton over the likelihood of a military engagement between Greece and Turkey on the occasion of the crisis in Kossovo, were aimed at forcing the Greek government to countersign the partition of the Aegean.Ms. Papariga did not rule out the likelihood of a US instigated provocation in Thrace stressing that it could be used as a diversion in order to promote developments in other issues such as the Cyprus issue and the Aegean. Ms. Papariga stated that the government should stop facilitating the NATO forces and close the Aktion Air Base. She reiterated the fears for the spread of the war in the Balkans, while she also referred to the Berlin EU summit meeting saying that Germany finally was able to limit its economic contribution and secure its commercial domination. [03] BURNS MET WITH PAPANDREOU AND KRANIDIOTISWeb Posted: 14:27 GMT+2Athens, 27/03/1999 (MPA) Greek minister of defense Akis Tsochatzopoulos reiterated yesterday that there can be only a political solution in Kossovo and not a military one.Meanwhile, US ambassador to Athens Nicholas Burns met yesterday with foreign minister Giorgos Papandreou and with deputy foreign minister Yiannos Kranidiotis. Mr. Kranidiotis called for the end of the air strikes in Yugoslavia and the start of a dialogue. Mr. Burns reiterated that the attacks will continue if Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevic does not change his stance. Mr. Papandreou contacted his counterparts in the Balkan states and they agreed in principle to activate the inter-Balkan working group to deal with the expected wave of refugees and look for peace initiatives in the region. [04] THE GREEK OPPOSITION CONDEMNS THE NATO BOMBINGSWeb Posted: 14:27 GMT+2Athens, 27/03/1999 (MPA) The Greek opposition parties react strongly to the NATO air strikes in Yugoslavia. Right-wing main opposition party of New Democracy stated that it is in favor of the resumption of the Rambouillet peace talks with the immediate and simultaneous end of the bombings in Yugoslavia.Communist Party secretary Ms. Aleka Papariga reiterated that the Greek people demand is for the government to withdraw its signature from the text of the NATO decision on the air strikes against Yugoslavia. Coalition of the Left party leader Nikos Konstantopoulos characterized the bombings as a cold blooded crime against humanity. Democratic Social Movement leader Dimitris Tsovolas expressed the total support of his party to the Serb people. Meanwhile, large protest rallies against the NATO bombings were held in Thessaloniki and Athens yesterday. Five protesters and a police officer were injured in the clashes that erupted between the protesters and police in Athens. [05] GREECE IS WILLING TO MEDIATE FOR A POLITICAL SOLUTION IN KOSOVOWeb Posted: 14:27 GMT+2Athens, 27/03/1999 (MPA) Greece is willing to mediate for a political solution in Kossovo, stated foreign minister Giorgos Papandreou, who had a meeting yesterday with US ambassador to Athens Nicholas Burns.Minister of defense Akis Tsochatzopoulos had meetings with the ambassadors of Russia and Yugoslavia. [06] SIMITIS INVITED CLINTON TO VISIT GREECE IN NOVEMBERWeb Posted: 14:27 GMT+2Athens, 27/03/1999 (MPA) Prime minister Kostas Simitis issued a formal invitation to US president Bill Clinton to visit Athens in November, according to a report published today by the Athens newspaper "Kathimerini".Based on the information the newspaper has, the US president considers the likelihood seriously. [07] THERE IS NO PROBLEM IN THE GREEK-US RELATIONSWeb Posted: 14:27 GMT+2Athens, 27/03/1999 (MPA) The US government will issue a formal statement in the following days with the assurance that there is no problem anymore in the relations between Athens and Washington regarding the issue that had come up over the alleged leak of NATO secrets from Greece to Russia.The promise was given by the US Congress Foreign Affairs Committee chairman to Greek foreign affairs undersecretary Grigoris Niotis, the Greek ambassador to Washington and distinguished members of the Greek-American community. [08] GREECE SENDS HUMANITARIAN AID TO ALBANIAWeb Posted: 13:57 GMT+2Athens, 27/03/1999 (MPA) Greece will send humanitarian aid to Albania in order to help this country deal with the refugee problem that will be the result of the crisis in Kossovo.The above was announced by deputy foreign minister Yiannos Kranidiotis after the meeting he had in Athens yesterday with Albanian foreign minister Paskal Milo. The two discussed the latest developments in Kossovo as well as issues of mutual interest. [B] BALKANS[09] YUGOSLAVIA HAD A NIGHT OF TERROR AND DISASTERWeb Posted: 14:27 GMT+2Belgrade, 27/03/1999 (MPA) Yugoslavia lived a night of terror and disaster yesterday as the NATO air strikes hit not only military targets but populated areas as well, even suburbs of Belgrade and Pristina.The allied fighter jets destroyed military installations, a chemical plant and a pharmaceutical plan. The bombing created a cloud of toxic fumes and the Yugoslav television issued appeals to the people to use gas masks. The new round of bombings hit the Havana suburb where the country's telecommunications tower is located, while the airport of Pristina was once again the target of the NATO forces. The officials of the north Atlantic alliance stated that they are satisfied and they stressed that they have almost destroyed the Serb air defense and now they will turn against the land security forces in Kossovo. [C] EUROPE[10] THE RUSSIAN DUMA WILL HOLD AN EXTRAORDINARY MEETING TODAYWeb Posted: 14:27 GMT+2Moscow, 27/03/1999 (MPA) The Russian Upper House of parliament, known as Duma, will hold a special meeting today to examine the developments regarding the air strikes in Yugoslavia and decide on its further stance.Russia has asked all the members of the NATO delegation in the country to leave and stressed that any kind of relation with the alliance is interrupted while it also announced that it will send humanitarian aid to Yugoslavia. The reaction of Russia causes alarm, stated NATO secretary-general Javier Solana. [11] THE NATO AIR STRIKES HURT THE COHESION OF THE ALLIANCEWeb Posted: 13:57 GMT+2Brussels, 27/03/1999 (MPA) The NATO air strikes against Yugoslavia have hurt the alliance's cohesion and caused nervousness in the European stock markets.Meanwhile, the French press expresses reservations over the effectiveness of the NATO strikes and calls on the French government to follow the example of Italy demanding the immediate end of the bombings. Also, based on a BBC opinion poll, 73% of the British are against the air strikes in spite of the fact that the British prime minister has stated that "the air strikes were the best we could do". [D] WORLD[12] PROTEST LETTER TO THE US PRESIDENT BY THE PRESIDENT OF SAE-AMERICAWeb Posted: 15:57 GMT+2Chicago, 27/03/1999 (MPA) World Council of Hellenes Abroad, SAE, of America president Christos Tomaras sent a protest letter to US president Bill Clinton against the NATO air strikes in Yugoslavia.In the letter is expressed the strong reaction of the Greek-American community against the NATO air strikes in Yugoslavia. It is mentioned that the hostilities in Kossovo, which is a Serb province and not an independent state, are condemned but at the same time it should be acknowledged that the situation in the region is a domestic problem for Yugoslavia which is an independent country. It is also underlined that the SAE-America backs the stance of Greece which supports strongly a political solution to the problem and not a military intervention recognizing the risk for a spill- over of the conflict to the rest of the Balkans. In conclusion, it is mentioned that the NATO war operations in Yugoslavia must stop immediately and that the cost of the continuing military attack will soon be higher than the western alliance can handle. [13] THOUSANDS OF AMERICANS IN CHICAGO PROTESTED AGAINST THE NATO AIR STRIKES IN YUGOSLAVIAWeb Posted: 14:27 GMT+2Chicago, 27/03/1999 (MPA) Thousands of Americans participated in a protest rally held in Chicago against the NATO air strikes in Yugoslavia.They called on the US president to stop the attacks and to start negotiations for peace in the region. 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 |
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