Visit the Hellenic Ministry of National Defence (MOD) Mirror on HR-Net Read the Convention Relating to the Regime of the Straits (24 July 1923) Read the Convention Relating to the Regime of the Straits (24 July 1923)
HR-Net - Hellenic Resources Network Compact version
Today's Suggestion
Read The "Macedonian Question" (by Maria Nystazopoulou-Pelekidou)
HomeAbout HR-NetNewsWeb SitesDocumentsOnline HelpUsage InformationContact us
Tuesday, 23 April 2024
 
News
  Latest News (All)
     From Greece
     From Cyprus
     From Europe
     From Balkans
     From Turkey
     From USA
  Announcements
  World Press
  News Archives
Web Sites
  Hosted
  Mirrored
  Interesting Nodes
Documents
  Special Topics
  Treaties, Conventions
  Constitutions
  U.S. Agencies
  Cyprus Problem
  Other
Services
  Personal NewsPaper
  Greek Fonts
  Tools
  F.A.Q.
 

Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 99-04-28

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, April 28, 1999

SECTIONS

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

  • NEWS HEADLINES

    [A] NATIONAL NEWS

  • [01] WOMAN KILLED DURING TERRORIST ATTACK IN ATHENS LAST NIGHT
  • [02] STUDENT BODY ELECTIONS HELD AT GREEK UNIVERSITIES TODAY
  • [03] MPA PARTICIPATES IN HERMES TRADE EXPO NEXT WEEK IN NEW YORK
  • [04] YUGOSLAV DELEGATION TO MEET WITH N. GREECE BUSINESSMEN
  • [05] ECONOMIC CONFERENCE HELD ON "DAY AFTER" KOSOVO CONLFICT
  • [06] SECI TO BE SIGNED TODAY IN ATHENS BY ELEVEN MEMBER-STATES
  • [07] BALKAN FRIENDSHIP CENTERTO BE FOUNDED IN EVROS
  • [08] MR. REPPAS COMMENTED ON THE DEMIREL STATEMENTS
  • [09] MR. REPPAS' COMMENTS ON THE TERRORIST ATTACK ON AN ATHENS HOTEL
  • [10] REPPAS: LOCAL AUTHORITIES DO NOT HAVE THE COMPETENCE TO EXERCISE FOREIGN POLICY
  • [11] SIMITIS: GREECE INSISTS IN A POLITICAL SOLUTION FOR KOSOVO
  • [12] LACK OF INTEREST IN THE UNIVERSITY STUDENT ELECTIONS
  • [13] MR. PAPANDREOU'S STATEMENTS MADE ON HIS WAY TO MOSCOW
  • [14] ANTI-WAR RALLY AND A BLOCKADE OF THESSALONIKI'S PORT ARE SCHEDULED FOR FRIDAY
  • [B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

  • [15] MORE CIVILIANS KILLED FROM NATO RAIDS IN YUGOSLAVIA
  • [16] GREEK FM IN MOSCOW TO MEET WITH RUSSIAN COUNTERPART
  • [17] NATO MIGHT STOP THE RAIDS IF SERB TROOPS LEAVE FROM KOSOVO
  • [18] SECURITY COUNCIL TROUBLED OVER HUMANITARIAN SITUATION
  • [19] SERB PARTY OF RENEWAL SAYS: NO NATO TROOPS IN YUGOSLAVIA
  • [20] TWENTY BODIES EXTRICATED SO FAR FROM RUBBLE IN SURDULICA
  • [21] 400 KILLED, 4,000 INJURED SO FAR BY NATO'S RAIDS IN YUGOSLAVIA
  • [22] RUSSIAN FM OPTIMISTIC: KOSOVO WAR WILL END BEFORE SUMMER
  • [23] A MEMBER OF THE YUGOSLAV GOVERNMENT REFERRED TO THE LIKELIHOOD TO PUT AN END TO THE CRISIS
  • [24] THE BOSNIAN SERBS ASK THAT THE BOSNIAN AIRSPACE SHOULD NOT BE USED BY NATO
  • [25] BALKAN ECOLOGICAL ORGANIZATIONS CALL FOR THE END OF THE WAR
  • [26] NATO WANTS TO DESTROY THE WORK OF 50 YEARS, STRESSED A YUGOSLAV OFFICIAL TO MPA

  • NEWS IN DETAIL

    [A] NATIONAL NEWS

    [01] WOMAN KILLED DURING TERRORIST ATTACK IN ATHENS LAST NIGHT

    The terrorist organization "Revolutionary Nuclei" has claimed responsibility for last night's explosion at the lobby of the "Intercontinental Hotel" in Athens, occurring shortly before midnight, which killed a 39-year-old woman and injured a 28-year- old man.

    Both victims were employed by a computer company, installing facilities in light of today's "Economist" conference to be held at that hotel.

    The terrorists issued a declaration wherein they claim that the deadly attack is aimed against the United States, NATO and the new order of things.

    The same organization also claimed responsibility for an additional eight explosions, starting from October 1996.

    Government spokesperson Dimitris Reppas has condemned the attack.

    [02] STUDENT BODY ELECTIONS HELD AT GREEK UNIVERSITIES TODAY

    Student body elections are being held at the Greek university campuses today, including the technical education colleges. The ballots will close at sundown and the primary results are expected to be announced shortly after 10 p.m. tonight.

    The National Council of Youth has announced that the elections should constitute the starting point for the reorganization of the student body movement throughout the country.

    [03] MPA PARTICIPATES IN HERMES TRADE EXPO NEXT WEEK IN NEW YORK

    The Macedonian Press Agency is to participate at the 7th Annual Business Development Trade Show and Exhibition in the United States (Hermes Expo International 1999) , to be held on May 7-8 at the New York Hilton.

    The event is expected to give the opportunity to Greeks living on both sides of the Atlantic to consolidate their communication channels.

    This marks the first the MPA has the opportunity to take part in such an organized show, which will illustrate the agency's multifaceted activities in the media sector, and especially its singular commitment to the Greek community abroad.

    This year's event will also feature the participation of ventures from Albania, Romania and other Balkan countries.

    Greece's Undersecretary of Sports Andreas Fouras will inaugurate the event and has expressed the hope that the participation of the General Secretariat of Sports and representatives of the Greek business sector will contribute to the further advancement of Greek products and services in the U.S., as well as to the promotion of Greece's sports infrastructure, especially in light of the Athens-held Olympic Games of 2004.

    The Archbishop of America Spyridon will also attend the inauguration ceremony.

    Greek businesses interested in serving the needs of the Greek American community and establishing an initial strong foothold in the massive American market, the exhibition is certainly worth attending as a number of joint-venture seminars will be held, which can provide fertile ground for such investments.

    [04] YUGOSLAV DELEGATION TO MEET WITH N. GREECE BUSINESSMEN

    A delegation from the Economic Chamber of Yugoslavia is to be in Thessaloniki next Wednesday for a meeting with businessmen from northern Greece, in order to review the damages suffered by the sector from the conflict in Kosovo.

    Among the subjects to be discussed will be the difficulties faced by Greek manufacturers and businessmen who are active in Yugoslavia.

    The participants will brief one another on the consequences of the war, not only borne on the Greek businesses active in the neighboring country, but in Northern Greece's tourism industry and exporting - transporting ventures.

    [05] ECONOMIC CONFERENCE HELD ON "DAY AFTER" KOSOVO CONLFICT

    The consequences borne on the Greek economy by the war in Kosovo, are to be addressed in an economic conference next week, hosted by the National Economy and Finance Minister Yiannos Papantoniou and which will feature the participation of forty- nine representatives from the country's banking and business sectors.

    The participants will discuss the impact of the military operations in Yugoslavia and the plans for economic restructuring of the region after the crisis.

    Among those invited to the meeting are National Bank of Greece, Commercial Bank of Greece, Alpha Credit Bank, EFG Eurobank, Hellenic Telecommunications Organization, Bank of Piraeus, Thrace Paperworks, Delta Dairy, Asprofos, Medical Center, Intracom, the Federation of Greek Industries and chambers of commerce and industry.

    [06] SECI TO BE SIGNED TODAY IN ATHENS BY ELEVEN MEMBER-STATES

    The South-East European Cooperative Initiative (SECI), aiming to facilitate trade and transport in the region, is to be signed in Athens today by the Transportation Ministers of the 11 member- states.

    The SECI members are Greece, Turkey, Albania, Bulgaria, FYROM, Romania, Hungary, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Slovenia and Moldavia.

    SECI's primary goal is to lay the groundwork for expanded economic cooperation among the S.E. European states, while the Greek government will aim to take a leading role as a factor of peace, stability and development in the Balkans.

    [07] BALKAN FRIENDSHIP CENTERTO BE FOUNDED IN EVROS

    A Cultural Center of Balkan Peoples Friendship is to be founded at the city of Petrota, in Evros, following a meeting held yesterday in Bulgaria's city of Lioubimets between the Greek and Bulgarian task groups.

    The mayor of Trigono Ioannis Grammenides led the Greek delegation, whose talks with the Bulgarians concerned the course of parallel action and the organization of joint events in August.

    [08] MR. REPPAS COMMENTED ON THE DEMIREL STATEMENTS

    Turkey does not respect the UN decisions and moves on the line set by "Attilas" when a people that had lived together in Cyprus was divided by force, stressed Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas, commenting on the statements made by Turkish president Suleiman Demirel.

    Mr. Reppas said that Cyprus' interest as well as the interest of the people living in the island is a solution within the framework of the UN decisions adding, however, that Mr. Demirel does not want the solution of the Cyprus problem.

    [09] MR. REPPAS' COMMENTS ON THE TERRORIST ATTACK ON AN ATHENS HOTEL

    The police authorities were not aware of the presence of the woman, who was killed and the man, who was injured by the bomb blast in the Intercontinental Hotel in Athens last night, stated Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas, responding to a question by the reporters on why the hotel was not completely evacuated by the police.

    Mr. Reppas condemned the terrorist attack, expressed regret for the victims and accused the perpetrators of targeting the existing institutions and the social development. He also condemned the action of unidentified bombers, who placed an explosive device in the car of journalist Giorgos Tragas, publisher of the Athens newspaper "Vradini".

    [10] REPPAS: LOCAL AUTHORITIES DO NOT HAVE THE COMPETENCE TO EXERCISE FOREIGN POLICY

    Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas condemned the action of the local authorities in the city of Chania in the southern Aegean island of Crete to characterize US ambassador Nicholas Burns as a "persona non grata".

    He stated that the local authorities do not have the competence to exercise foreign policy and added that the diplomats must have all the guarantees for their safe movement and the unhindered exercise of their duties. He said that the Greek people have nothing against the American people.

    [11] SIMITIS: GREECE INSISTS IN A POLITICAL SOLUTION FOR KOSOVO

    Prime minister Kostas Simitis speaking in the parliamentary group of the socialist governing party of PASOK expressed Greece's firm position for a political solution in Kosovo. He reiterated that Greece will not take part in military operations in Yugoslavia and pointed out that until now the bombings did not avert the ethnic cleansing in Kosovo but in addition they created big waves of refugees.

    Mr. Simitis stated that Greece's participation in NATO is a necessity and accused the right-wing main opposition party of New Democracy of populism and hypocricy while he suggested to the Greek people to continue the effort for economic achievements. He appeared optimistic that PASOK will be the first party in the Euro- elections and will be the winner in the parliamentary elections of the year 2000, while he condemned the terrorist attack on the Intercontinental Hotel in Athens last night.

    [12] LACK OF INTEREST IN THE UNIVERSITY STUDENT ELECTIONS

    The lack of interest among the voters and the small participation in the procedure observed until noon today are the main characteristics of this year's student elections.

    The polls opened at 8 am today and will close at sundown. The first results will be out around 10pm tonight. The final results will be made public tomorrow.

    Efforts are being made for the results to be out with the approval of all the student parties and avoid the practice observed in the previous years when each student party was giving its own results.

    [13] MR. PAPANDREOU'S STATEMENTS MADE ON HIS WAY TO MOSCOW

    Greek foreign minister Giorgos Papandreou, in statements he made to the BBC radio service just before his departure for Moscow, stressed the initiatives that can be undertaken to help in the efforts made in order to persuade Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevic accept the terms that have been set aimed at a solution to the crisis and the implementation of the peace agreement.

    The Greek minister, responding to a relevant question, stated that NATO is not preparing to send ground forces to Kosovo, while he pointed out that there are certain significant points that allow for optimistic predictions regarding the solution of the crisis. He said that the NATO summit in Washington made it clear that the solution that will be accepted will not provide for a change of borders. He said that Belgrade should not think that the NATO operation is targeting the country's territorial integrity, adding that now there is serious talk over the likelihood of the deployment of an international force under the auspices of the United Nations.

    [14] ANTI-WAR RALLY AND A BLOCKADE OF THESSALONIKI'S PORT ARE SCHEDULED FOR FRIDAY

    The port of Thessaloniki will be blockaded on Friday and Saturday by the people in a mobilization that is organized by the Initiative Against the War Committee, while an anti-war rally will be held tomorrow afternoon organized by teachers' unions.

    The main demand that will be presented during the blockade of Thessaloniki's port is to be allowed, in cooperation with the Coast Guard authorities, the search of the humanitarian aid containers transported to refugee camps via the port which, according to the committee, also bring toxic military material.

    Meanwhile, it was made known that teachers from Thessaloniki will go to Yugoslavia in early next month to participate in a human chain formed around institutes of education in order to protect them from the NATO bombings.

    [B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

    [15] MORE CIVILIANS KILLED FROM NATO RAIDS IN YUGOSLAVIA

    More civilians were killed last night during NATO aircraft raids in a densely-inhabited region of the city Surdulica.

    According to reports, dozens were killed and a great number of others, mostly women and children, were injured during the strike. Belgrade was also subject to bombardment during the early morning hours.

    Gen. Wesley Clark, the supreme NATO commander in Europe, has announced that the air raids against Yugoslavia will intensify. Meanwhile, Greece's Foreign Minster George Papandreou and the United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan are traveling to Moscow today.

    [16] GREEK FM IN MOSCOW TO MEET WITH RUSSIAN COUNTERPART

    Greece's Foreign Minister George Papandreou departed for Moscow today where he will conduct a working visit at the invitation of his Russian counterpart Igor Ivanov.

    Mr. Papandreou will discuss the latest developments in Kosovo with Mr. Ivanov, vice-premier Valentina Matvienko and the Russian president's special envoy on a Yugoslavia settlement Viktor Chernomyrdin.

    Tomorrow, Mr. Papandreou will have talks on the Kosovo situation with the U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan who will be in the Russian capital at that time. Mr. Papandreou will depart for Tbilisi on Friday where he will participate in a meeting of foreign ministers of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation where Greece will hold the rotating presidency as of May 1, 1999.

    Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas noted on Tuesday that the Greek government maintains an open communications channel with Moscow "to concert efforts, aimed at a search for a political settlement of the Yugoslav crisis".

    Mr. Papandreou's visit to Moscow at a time when Mr. Annan will be there, is "a lucky coincidence" which will enable the Greek and Russian governments to make efforts together with the United Nations to settle the Kosovo crisis politically, the spokesman emphasized.

    [17] NATO MIGHT STOP THE RAIDS IF SERB TROOPS LEAVE FROM KOSOVO

    NATO might consider suspending its bombing of Yugoslavia while Belgrade is withdrawing its troops from Kosovo, the US State Department spokesperson James Rubin said Tuesday.

    "When authentic information about the withdrawal of the Serb forces arrives than a pause in conducting bombardments might be considered," the US spokesman said.

    Mr. Rubin underlined that the NATO alliance reserves the right to resume air strikes in full scale if the suspension of bombardments do not result in full withdrawal of troops from Kosovo.

    [18] SECURITY COUNCIL TROUBLED OVER HUMANITARIAN SITUATION

    The U.N. Security Council has expressed its deep concern in view of the worsening humanitarian situation in Yugoslavia, Alain Dejammet, this month's Council President, stated yesterday after the close of the Council's closed-door consultations.

    At the same time, the Council members came out in support of the activities of humanitarian organizations in Kosovo and adjacent areas, and welcomed, in particular, the latest efforts and initiatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross, Mr. Dejammet pointed out.

    [19] SERB PARTY OF RENEWAL SAYS: NO NATO TROOPS IN YUGOSLAVIA

    The Serb party of renewal agrees to a political settlement of the Kosovo problem, but not to the deployment of NATO forces in Yugoslavia's territory as a result of such a settlement, Milan Bozic, one of the leaders of the Serb Party of Renewal, member of parliament, stated.

    According to the Russian news agency Itar-Tass, Mr. Bozic stated that "there will certainly be a need for foreign presence in some form as the final stage of settlement, but we cannot put up with the deployment of NATO troops in Yugoslav territory. "

    He expressed consent to Russian servicemen participating in foreign troops that may be deployed in Yugoslavia and believes that such forces must be under the United Nations aegis.

    Mr. Bozic, representing the party led by Vuk Draskovic, said that there is now complete unity regarding the Kosovo crisis among Yugoslav political parties and movements.

    [20] TWENTY BODIES EXTRICATED SO FAR FROM RUBBLE IN SURDULICA

    Twenty bodies of civilians were extricated from under the debris of dwelling houses, blasted by 11 bombs dropped by NATO aircraft on the city of Surdulica yesterday.

    According to the Russian news agency Itar-Tass, there were women and children among the dead, while another 20 people were placed at the city hospital with severe injuries.

    [21] 400 KILLED, 4,000 INJURED SO FAR BY NATO'S RAIDS IN YUGOSLAVIA

    Over 400 civilians have been killed and another 4,000 were injured since the start of NATO's raids against Yugoslavia and as of yesterday, according to the Serb Minister of Health Leposava Milicevic.

    Ms. Milicevic pointed out that the number of civilian casualties cannot be exact as, in many cases, body identification is nearly impossible.

    The NATO raids, according to the Minister, have also borne their toll on the general public's health and psychological state of being, as, in Belgrade alone, cardiac arrests have increased by seven percent.

    Yugoslav hospitals have underwent extensive damages from the bombings, in addition to medical supplies, water and electricity shortages.

    [22] RUSSIAN FM OPTIMISTIC: KOSOVO WAR WILL END BEFORE SUMMER

    Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov predicted that a UN- monitored peace pact between NATO and Yugoslavia would soon put an end to NATO's air raids, a Spanish newspaper reported Wednesday.

    "I am sure that there will be a process of pacification before the summer," Mr. Ivanov told the Spanish daily El Mundo.

    He further stated that he doesn't believe NATO will attack Russian ships transporting oil to Yugoslavia, as such act would bar severe consequences, the Russian news agency Itar-Tass reported.

    Mr. Ivanov stated that Russia was opposed to an embargo on oil deliveries to Yugoslavia, saying this would be "illegal, since sanctions against a sovereign country can only be imposed with the approval of the UN Security Council."

    [23] A MEMBER OF THE YUGOSLAV GOVERNMENT REFERRED TO THE LIKELIHOOD TO PUT AN END TO THE CRISIS

    Another member of the Yugoslav government referred to the likelihood to put an end to the crisis in Yugoslavia, according to The New York Times.

    Yugoslav government official Goran Matic stated that in the following days there could be a formula for an agreement. He also clarified that no one can sign an agreement for the occupation of the Serb territory.

    Meanwhile, Yugoslav army barracks in three Belgrade suburbs were bombed in the early morning hours of today by NATO aircraft, according to the radio station "Studio B".

    [24] THE BOSNIAN SERBS ASK THAT THE BOSNIAN AIRSPACE SHOULD NOT BE USED BY NATO

    The implementation of measures to avert the use of the Bosnian airspace by NATO aircraft was requested by the parliament of the Serb Republic of Bosnia, pointing out that it is imperative that peace in the region is safeguarded. The request was made to international community representative Carlos Westentorp and to the SFOR commander.

    According to a decision by the parliament of the Serb Republic of Bosnia, officials of the General Army Staff will be deployed in different parts of Bosnia to act as observers and in cooperation with the SFOR will collect information over the possible use of the Bosnian airspace by NATO aircraft for offensive activities against Yugoslavia.

    [25] BALKAN ECOLOGICAL ORGANIZATIONS CALL FOR THE END OF THE WAR

    Twenty three ecological organizations from Greece, Bulgaria, Albania, Yugoslavia and FYROM with a joint declaration call for the immediate end of the war and warn of the huge humanitarian and ecological disaster taking place in the Balkans and its long-term effects on the whole of Europe.

    In the declaration, part of which was heard on the state radio station in Skopje, it is stressed that as citizens and residents of the countries in the region the members of those organizations are against the ethnic cleansing operations and the bombings and want the immediate end of the war in the Balkans, adding that there are other ways to solve the problems in the Balkans instead of the use of force.

    [26] NATO WANTS TO DESTROY THE WORK OF 50 YEARS, STRESSED A YUGOSLAV OFFICIAL TO MPA

    The NATO bombings are aimed at destroying everything that was built and achieved by the Yugoslav society and economy in the past 50 years, stated Federal Republic of Yugoslavia foreign relations committee chairman Ljubisa Ristic, responding to a question made by MPA.

    Behind the NATO bombing, said Mr. Ristic, is hidden the opposition to the development of the country, as well as disputes with Russia over issues concerning raw material and energy. x-------------------


    Macedonian Press Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article
    Back to Top
    Copyright © 1995-2023 HR-Net (Hellenic Resources Network). An HRI Project.
    All Rights Reserved.

    HTML by the HR-Net Group / Hellenic Resources Institute, Inc.
    mpegr2html v1.01a run on Wednesday, 28 April 1999 - 20:08:11 UTC