Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 99-08-17
MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Thessaloniki, August 17, 1999
SECTIONS
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
NEWS HEADLINES
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] GREEK FM SPEAKS WITH TURKISH COUNTERPART IN REGARDS TO
AID
[02] ANOTHER ROUND OF INCREASES IN FUEL PRICES
[03] PREMIER RETURNS FROM VACATION IN SIFNOS TODAY
[04] GREEK GOVERNMENT IS READY TO OFFER SUPPORT TO TURKEY
[05] GREEK ALTERNATE FM: WE ARE READY TO HELP TURKEY
[06] EARTHQUAKE IN TURKEY MEASURED OVER 7 ON THE RICHTER
SCALE
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[07] POWERFUL EARTHQUAKE ROCKS TURKEY, HUNDREDS KILLED
NEWS IN DETAIL
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] GREEK FM SPEAKS WITH TURKISH COUNTERPART IN REGARDS TO
AID
Greece's Foreign Minister George Papandreou had a
telephone conversation with his Turkish counterpart Ismael
Cem this morning expressing the country's support towards
the Turkish people.
Mr. Papandreou assured Mr. Cem that the Greek
government will provide any assistance requested. Greece
will send two mobile, fully-equipped medical emergency units
as well as a C-130 aircraft which will transport a 15-
member Greek Special Assistance Unit to Turkey in order to
assist in the rescue operations.
The Interior Ministry's general secretary of civic
protection Dimitris Katrivanos will coordinate Greece's aid
mission to Turkey.
Germany and Russia are also forwarding humanitarian aid
and rescue units.
[02] ANOTHER ROUND OF INCREASES IN FUEL PRICES
Another round of fuel price increases is expected as of
midnight Wednesday, since the price per barrel of crude oil
reached $21.00.
This development is causing a great degree of concern
among government circles since the state is trying to
contain inflation.
As a result, the government could impose a ceiling on
oil prices or further decrease the special consumption tax.
The matter is to be discussed in a meeting to be
chaired by Development Minister Evangelos Venizelos tomorrow
who will attempt to reach a gentlemen's agreement with the
sector's representatives.
[03] PREMIER RETURNS FROM VACATION IN SIFNOS TODAY
Prime Minister Kostas Simitis is returning to Athens
after a brief holiday on the island of Sifnos where he
observed the Dormition of the Virgin Mary on Sunday.
Mr. Simitis is expected to meet with the cabinet's
economy staff in order to draw a series of tax reliefs which
will be announced during the opening of the International
Trade Fair in Thessaloniki during the first week of
September.
The President of the main opposition party New
Democracy's Costas Karamanlis is continuing his visit to
Crete will return to Athens next Monday.
[04] GREEK GOVERNMENT IS READY TO OFFER SUPPORT TO TURKEY
The Greek government is awaiting an official request
for aid from Turkey so that it may provide assistance to the
neighboring country that has been devastated by this
morning's earthquake.
Greece's Air Force is ready to provide a C-130 aircraft
which will transport Greek Special Assistance Units to
Turkey in order to assist in the rescue operations.
[05] GREEK ALTERNATE FM: WE ARE READY TO HELP TURKEY
Greece's alternate Foreign Minister Yiannos Kranidiotis
stated today that he country is ready to provide assistance
to Turkey for the catastrophe it suffered from this
morning's earthquake.
More than 200 persons have been killed and thousands
are injured.
Mr. Kranidiotis had already spoken to the Turkish
Ambassador in Athens, while the Minister of Health Labros
Papademas stated that Greece is ready to provide medical
and pharmaceutical assistance to Turkey.
[06] EARTHQUAKE IN TURKEY MEASURED OVER 7 ON THE RICHTER
SCALE
The earthquake that struck Turkey at 3 am today
measured more than seven on the Richter scale, according to
a seismologist at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
Geophysics Laboratory, George Karakaises.
According to the earthquake expert, the University's
earthquake measuring devices recorded earthquakes of 7.2-7.3
Richter, although Turkish reports stated that the quake
measured 6.7 on the scale.
The Richter scale, which gauges the total energy
released by a quake, is logarithmic, which means that a
quake of 7-Richter is ten times the power of a 6-Richter
quake.
According to the Greek seismologist, the specific
region has had strong earthquakes in the past, measuring
over 6-Richter. Mr. Karakaises also stated that this morning
earthquake is the main one, to be followed by a long period
of aftershocks.
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[07] POWERFUL EARTHQUAKE ROCKS TURKEY, HUNDREDS KILLED
Hundreds of persons have been killed from the
powerful earthquake that shook northwestern Turkey during
the early morning hours today.
The earthquake measured 6.7 on the Richter scale,
although there are reports that the actual size reached 7.1
on the logarithmic scale.
According to early reports, homes and buildings
have collapsed in Istanbul, Nikomedea, Prussa and Eski
Sehir. The number of victims is expected to increase as many
of the survivors who have been discovered by rescuers are in
a critical condition.
|
