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Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 99-07-29

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, July 29, 1999

SECTIONS

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

  • NEWS HEADLINES

    [A] NATIONAL NEWS

  • [01] GREEK-TURKISH TALKS RESUME
  • [02] THE FOUNDATION OF A CRISIS CENTRE IN SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE WAS DISCUSSED
  • [03] GREECE RECOGNIZES ONLY THE EXISTENCE OF A MUSLIM MINORITY
  • [04] PAPANDREOU: THE GREEK-TURKISH DIALOGUE HAS ANNOYED CERTAIN PEOPLE
  • [05] THE INTER-BALKAN MEETING OF PRESS CORRESPONDENTS WILL OPEN IN THESSALONIKI TOMORROW
  • [06] PRIME MINISTER SIMITIS WILL BE IN SARAJEVO TOMORROW
  • [07] VENIZELOS: THE GREEK PRODUCTS ARE SYNONYMOUS WITH SAFETY AND QUALITY
  • [08] THE RUSSIAN TANK LANDING SHIP "AZOV" HAD MANY VISITORS
  • [09] THE MINORITIES SHOULD NOT BE USED AS A VEHICLE LEADING TO THE CHANGE OF THE BALKAN BORDERS
  • [B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

  • [10] TOMORROW THE SUMMIT IN SARAJEVO
  • [11] KOSOVO: 1.500 TOWNS HAVE BEEN DESTROYED BY THE BOMBINGS

  • NEWS IN DETAIL

    [A] NATIONAL NEWS

    [01] GREEK-TURKISH TALKS RESUME

    Greek and Turkish specialists' talks began today in Athens on cooperation matters. The two sides will discuss the subject of fighting crime, illegal immigration and narcotics. The turkish side will raise matters of bilateral agreement on battling terrorism.

    Tomorrow, Foreign Ministers of the two countries, Giorgos Papandreou and Ismael Cem are expected to assess the results of their talks during their meeting in the sidelines of the Balkan Stability Pact summit, in Sarajevo. Premier of Turkey, Bulent Ecevit said the the greek-turkish dialogue is a positive development.

    [02] THE FOUNDATION OF A CRISIS CENTRE IN SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE WAS DISCUSSED

    Subjects that concern the foundation of a centre for handling crises and the creation of an engineers unit, which will be included in the multinational brigade of southeastern Europe, were discussed yesterday in Athens at a military specialists' level. In the conference that was chaired by deputy chief of staff, vice admiral, Hristos Kazasis, deputy chiefs of staff of Albania, Bulgaria, FYROM and Slovenia took part, as well as representatives of USA, Italy, Romania and Turkey.

    [03] GREECE RECOGNIZES ONLY THE EXISTENCE OF A MUSLIM MINORITY

    Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas stated today that the position of the Greek government remains firm and that Greece recognizes only the existence of a Muslim minority.

    Mr. Reppas also stated that the members of this minority enjoy the same rights with every Greek citizen.

    [04] PAPANDREOU: THE GREEK-TURKISH DIALOGUE HAS ANNOYED CERTAIN PEOPLE

    Greek foreign minister Giorgos Papandreou suggested sobriety, seriousness, cleverness and patience on the occasion of the opening of the second phase of the Greek- Turkish dialogue at a specialists' level in Athens today. Mr. Papandreou spoke of those who are annoyed by the Greek- Turkish dialogue and confirmed that the Greek interest is being promoted through this process.

    The two sides will discuss ways in which organized crime, illegal immigration and drug-trafficking can be tackled, while the Turks is possible to raise the issue of a bilateral agreement to counter terrorism.

    The Greek foreign minister will meet in Sarajevo tomorrow with his Turkish counterpart Ismail Cem, on the sidelines of the Balkan Stability Pact summit meeting.

    Turkish prime minister Bulent Ecevit characterized the opening of the Greek-Turkish dialogue as a pleasant development.

    [05] THE INTER-BALKAN MEETING OF PRESS CORRESPONDENTS WILL OPEN IN THESSALONIKI TOMORROW

    The Inter-Balkan meeting of the Association of Greek Press Correspondents opens in Thessaloniki tomorrow. Its goal is to develop and strengthen the relations between owners and directors of Greek-speaking mass media abroad and contribute to the exchange of views and experience on the mass media in the wider Balkan region.

    Messages to be read to the participants will be sent by minister of press Dimitris Reppas and representatives of political parties, while among the main speakers will be undersecretaries of foreign affairs Grigoris Niotis and national economy Christos Pachtas as well as general secretary of Hellenism Abroad Stavros Labrinidis.

    [06] PRIME MINISTER SIMITIS WILL BE IN SARAJEVO TOMORROW

    The state leaders, who will attend tomorrow's summit meeting on the Balkan Stability Pact, have already started to arrive in Sarajevo. In the summit will participate 28 countries, including the United States, as well as international banks and organizations.

    The goals of the summit will be the reconstruction of the region and the removal of Yugoslav president Milosevic from power. In the summit, that was characterized by prime minister Simitis as the summit of donor-countries for Kosovo and former Yugoslavia, will participate the leaders of the 15 European Union member-states, Japan, Canada, Russia, Albania, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Croatia, Slovenia, Hungary, Romania, FYROM and Turkey as well as, representatives of the UN, OSCE, NATO, WEU, IMF, the World Bank, the European Bank, Royaumont and the president of the United States.

    Greece will be represented by prime minister Kostas Simitis, who will be accompanied by foreign minister Giorgos Papandreou and deputy foreign minister Yiannos Kranidiotis.

    Belgrade will not be represented in the meeting as the western leaders have decided to isolate Yugoslavia for as long as president Slobodan Milosevic is in power.

    [07] VENIZELOS: THE GREEK PRODUCTS ARE SYNONYMOUS WITH SAFETY AND QUALITY

    The Greek production is absolutely safe, stated minister of development Evangelos Venizelos in a press conference in which he presented the first results of the tests conducted on animal products to spot any traces of dioxin contamination.

    The test results showed that 60% of the samples tested for the detection of a substance called PCB, which is an indication of dioxin presence, were negative. In the rest 40% of the samples this substance was in levels much lower than the safety limits set by the European Union.

    The tests were made on dairy products, chickens, eggs, fresh meet and meet products as well as, on products such as, mayonnaise which is made of egg-products. The Greek minister of development stated that the tests will continue on a regular basis.

    [08] THE RUSSIAN TANK LANDING SHIP "AZOV" HAD MANY VISITORS

    The Russian transport tank landing ship "Azov" of the Black Sea fleet which has sailed into the port of Thessaloniki was visited by many people today on the occasion of the Russian Navy Day.

    This evening, Russian consul general in Thessaloniki Mr. Viktor Bojko will host a formal dinner in honor of the local authorities. The four Russian Navy ships which are currently in Thessaloniki are scheduled to leave tomorrow afternoon and return to their bases in the Black Sea.

    [09] THE MINORITIES SHOULD NOT BE USED AS A VEHICLE LEADING TO THE CHANGE OF THE BALKAN BORDERS

    Greek foreign minister Giorgos Papandreou stated in an interview he gave today to the Athens radio station FLASH that the minorities should not become the vehicle that will lead to the change of the borders in the Balkans.

    Mr. Papandreou stated that there are certain people who are annoyed and react because the Greek-Turkish dialogue is underway, predicting that it will be a long and laborious process. He also commented on the attacks launched against him by a part of the Greek press because he is praised by the Turkish newspaper "Hurriyet" on its front-page for his statements on the existence of Turkish origin Muslims in Greece, by saying that we should look for the essence of things. He stressed that the issue is not how the members of every minority in the Balkans will be called but the fact that the minorities should not become the vehicle that will lead to the change of the borders in the region.

    Mr. Papandreou spoke of the issue of the identity of the minorities in relation with the international treaties and predicted that because there are international accords in effect most probably Greece will be forced to accept that the minorities can define their own identity.

    It should be noted that Mr. Papandreou had disagreed publicly with the way the Greek political leadership in its entirety handled the issue of the statement that was signed by the three Muslim deputies in the Greek parliament and spoke of reactions indicating fear and panic, while he reminded that there are ethnic differences even within the Muslim minority.

    [B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

    [10] TOMORROW THE SUMMIT IN SARAJEVO

    The Balkan Stability Pact summit begins tomorrow in Sarajevo. Thirty world leaders will take part in the summit, while Greece will be represented by prime minister, Kostas Simitis, who will be accompanied by Foreign Minister and deputy Foreign Minister, Giorgos Papandreou and Giannos Kranidiotis. All the leaders of the balkan countries will take part in the summit except from Yugoslav President, Slobodan Milocevic.

    [11] KOSOVO: 1.500 TOWNS HAVE BEEN DESTROYED BY THE BOMBINGS

    At least 1.500 towns have been destroyed in Kosovo by the NATO bombings, according to data given to publicity by the United Nations.

    According to UN specialists, at least 40% of the buildings in Kosovo have been completely destroyed, while 15% of the houses are characterized as badly destroyed.

    The NATO missiles have hit many school buildings as 32% of them have been either levelled or are in such a bad state that it is impossible to be used in the new school year.


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