Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 99-09-02
MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Thessaloniki, September 2, 1999
SECTIONS
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
NEWS HEADLINES
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] PASOK EXECUTIVE BUREAU: YES TO FUNDS, BUT ONLY FOR AID
[02] INNER CABINET CONVENES TODAY TO REVIEW ECONOMIC POLICY
[03] STATE TO PROVIDE EXTENSIVE SUPPORT TO AGRICULTURE
SECTOR
[04] TURKISH SOCCER TEAM TO PLAY IN FRIENDLY MATCH WITH
GREECE
[05] MAIN OPPOSITION LEADER UNVEILS ECONOMIC POLICY AHEAD OF
PM
[06] CIVILIAN TRAIN CARRYING MILITARY ARMS DERAILS IN N.
GREECE
[07] TOURISM VOUCHERS GIVEN TO GREEKS FROM FORMER SOVIET
UNION
[08] HOLY SYNOD OF GREEK CHURCH DISCUSSES POPE'S VISIT TO
GREECE
[09] TRUNK DATING BACK 25 MILLION YEARS FOUND IN FOSSILIZED
FOREST
[10] ASE BREAKS NEW RECORD, GENERAL INDEX ENDS AT 5,440.93
POINTS
[11] PRIME MINISTER SIMITIS WILL BE IN THESSALONIKI TOMORROW
[12] PAPANDREOU-KARAMANLIS MEETING
[13] NEWS BULLETIN IN THE RUSSIAN LANGUAGE BY MPA
[14] THE GALATASARAY PLAYERS VISITED THE HOUSE OF KEMAL
ATATURK IN THESSALONIKI
[15] ISRAELI AND PALESTINIAN DELEGATIONS MEET IN ATHENS
[16] NEW ECONOMIC MEASURES WERE ANNOUNCED BY THE PRIME
MINISTER
[17] PAPANDREOU-PERES MEETING
[18] THE US BUSINESSES SHOW AN INCREASED INTEREST IN THE
MARKET OF NORTHERN GREECE
[19] COALITION OF THE LEFT BACKS LEONIDAS KIRKOS FOR
PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[20] PKK PLEDGES TO LAY DOWN ITS ARMS ONCE AND FOR ALL
[21] TURKEY WARNS EU: "WE MAY NOT ASK FOR OUR CANDIDACY
AGAIN"
[22] CYPRUS WILL PROTEST TO THE UN THE KILLING OF ELDERLY
MAN
[23] BIRAD:A SHIFT IN GREECE'S POLICY ON TURKEY WOULD
SURPRISE ME
[24] SERB ORTHODOX CHURCH: 256 SERBS WERE KILLED AFTER THE
WAR
NEWS IN DETAIL
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] PASOK EXECUTIVE BUREAU: YES TO FUNDS, BUT ONLY FOR AID
During a session held yesterday evening and on the
recommendation of Foreign Minister George Papandreou, the
ruling PASOK party's Executive Bureau approved the granting
of EU funds to Turkey, on the provision that the said monies
will be allocated solely for humanitarian reasons.
However, the EB did clarify that the aid cannot be
associated with Greece's objection to Turkey's funding from
an EU protocol and other national issues.
Today, Mr. Papandreou will meet with the leader of the
main opposition party, New Democracy's Kostas Karamanlis,
the secretary-general of the Communist Party of Greece Aleka
Paparega and the leader of the Coalition of Left and
Progress Nikos Konstantopoulos.
[02] INNER CABINET CONVENES TODAY TO REVIEW ECONOMIC POLICY
An inner cabinet meeting will be held today in order to
review its economic policy for the upcoming fiscal year.
Moreover, the participants will draw the final touches on
the Prime Minister's new tax plan, which will be unveiled
during this weekend's inauguration of the 64th International
Trade Fair of Thessaloniki.
The modifications that are to be announced in the tax
system are said to include the abolishment of objective
criteria for the self-employed, raising the tax-exempt
limit for wage earners and to two million drachmas from the
current 1.355 million drachmas, and formulating new tax
scales.
[03] STATE TO PROVIDE EXTENSIVE SUPPORT TO AGRICULTURE
SECTOR
Á member of the Pan-Thessaly Farmers Committee, one of
the largest farmers organizations in the country, dismissed
the government's announcement of extensive support for the
sector as mere campaign talk.
Prime Minister Costas Simitis announced the
government's plans to restructure rural Greece and provide
extensive support to farmers.
Speaking after chairing a cabinet meeting yesterday,
The Premier said the government was earmarking 9.5 trillion
drachmas for the 2000-2006 period to guarantee farmers'
incomes and ensure agricultural development.
[04] TURKISH SOCCER TEAM TO PLAY IN FRIENDLY MATCH WITH
GREECE
The Turkish soccer team of Galatasaray will
play a friendly match this evening against the Thessaloniki
team of PAOK where all game proceeds will be sent to the
earthquake-stricken population in Turkey.
The Galatasaray players praised the
initiative undertaken by the Greek team and thanked the
people of Greece for the assistance they are offering to the
suffering people of Turkey.
The Turkish team's players will visit the house of
Kemal Ataturk in Thessaloniki this afternoon.
[05] MAIN OPPOSITION LEADER UNVEILS ECONOMIC POLICY AHEAD OF
PM
As the Minister of National Economy and Finance Yiannos
Papantoniou presented a document codifying the Greek stock
market's rules and regulations, the leader of the main
opposition party, New Democracy's Costas Karamanlis, held
another press conference unveiling his party's economic
policy and thus preempting the Premier's address to be given
tomorrow evening.
While conceding that the country's accession to the
Economic and Monetary Union in the year 2001 is certain, Mr.
Karamanlis asked "then what?"
Outlining his party's economic policy, Mr. Karamanlis
stated that the primary focuses are the tremendous fiscal
problems, the heavy burden imposed on the taxpayers, the
unyielding inflation rate, the public sector, the country's
competitiveness, the explosion in the unemployment rate and
the widening social and regional inequalities.
Shortly afterwards, the leader of the minor opposition
party Democratic and Social Movement Dimitris Tsovolas
accused both Messrs. Simitis and Karamanlis of competing
with one another by resorting to senseless promises and by
underestimating the intelligence of the Greek people.
[06] CIVILIAN TRAIN CARRYING MILITARY ARMS DERAILS IN N.
GREECE
A Greek civilian train transporting KFOR military
vehicles and arms derailed this morning in Northern Greece,
on the Thessaloniki-Eidomeni route, and, while no one was
injured, the line remains closed.
As the Greek Railway Organization (OSE) announced,
three of the 16 coaches derailed, under as-of-yet unknown
circumstances, outside the city of Edessa.
Another train bound for Kossovo derailed yesterday
north of Thessaloniki, leaving two of the 120 KFOR soldiers-
passengers slightly injured.
OSE officials said that today's accident is a
coincidence.
[07] TOURISM VOUCHERS GIVEN TO GREEKS FROM FORMER SOVIET
UNION
Five hundred repatriate Greeks from the former Soviet
Union are to be given the opportunity to holiday in Greece,
thanks to the social tourism vouchers given by the Macedonia-
Thrace Ministry's General Secretariat of Repatriate Greeks
in cooperation with the Greek Tourism Organization.
Those eligible can holiday in Greece for seven
days, from September 6-10, in hotels, rooms to let, or
apartments in the Municipality of Pieria.
Further information can be obtained at 239-786 or 285-
628.
[08] HOLY SYNOD OF GREEK CHURCH DISCUSSES POPE'S VISIT TO
GREECE
The New Holy Synod of the Greek Church is convening
today in order to discuss the visit of John Paul II to
Greece.
The Pope has expressed his desire to visit Greece in
order to follow the footsteps of Apostle Paul's journey.
According to reports, the Archbishop of Athens and all
of Greece is expected to recommend that the Pope be allowed
to visit as long as he will do so a worshipper.
[09] TRUNK DATING BACK 25 MILLION YEARS FOUND IN FOSSILIZED
FOREST
A tree trunk dating back 25 million years, the oldest
such discovery in Greece, was discovered in the fossilized
forest of Fylactos in the Prefecture of Evros.
The finding, discovered by the Athens University
professor of Historical Geology and Paleontology Evangelos
Velitzelos and his research team, will constitute a record
for the Ancient Botany science worldwide.
The trunk is over 20 meters high, with a width of 1.5
meters and belongs to an ancestral form of an oak.
The Prefecture of Evros has been funding a program that
registers all findings in the region.
[10] ASE BREAKS NEW RECORD, GENERAL INDEX ENDS AT 5,440.93
POINTS
Another record was broken today at the Athens Stock
Exchange, where the general price index closed at 5,440.93
points, marking an increase of 1.29% and with trade volume
closing at GRD360 billion.
In the banks sector, the National Bank of Greece ended
at GRD24,500, Ionic at GRD17,200, Commercial at GRD32,170,
Labor at GRD28,990 and Credit at GRD24,200.
[11] PRIME MINISTER SIMITIS WILL BE IN THESSALONIKI TOMORROW
Prime minister Kostas Simitis will arrive at
Thessaloniki's Macedonia Airport tomorrow afternoon
accompanied by government ministers.
At the airport he will be welcomed by ministers,
parliament deputies, PASOK leading party members and
representatives of local authorities. Mr. Simitis will
inaugurate the 64th International Trade Fair later in the
evening at 8pm with a speech at the "I.Vellidis" Conference
Center and at 10pm he will attend a formal reception at the
Government House.
On Saturday at 11am he will meet with representatives
of Thessaloniki's local authorities and at 2pm he will have
lunch with PASOK party officials at Macedonia Palace Hotel.
Later, at 11:45am on Sunday morning, he will visit the
International Trade Fair grounds, at 1pm he will give a
press conference at "I. Vellidis" Conference Center and at
6pm he will visit the archeological site of Dion in Pieria.
[12] PAPANDREOU-KARAMANLIS MEETING
Foreign minister Giorgos Papandreou met with New
Democracy leader Kostas Karamanlis. Mr. Papandreou, after
his meeting with the leader of the main opposition party,
stated that he sees a wide consensus regarding the EU
economic aid to Turkey.
He said that it is not linked with Turkey's EU funding
which after all is not included in the agenda of the
informal EU Council meeting that will be held in the
weekend. New Democracy accused the government of conducting
occasional foreign policy.
[13] NEWS BULLETIN IN THE RUSSIAN LANGUAGE BY MPA
Macedonian Press Agency is broadcasting a news bulletin
in the Russian language through its site on the Internet
(www.mpa.gr). This special news bulletin starting on
September 10 will be recorded and radio stations will be
able to use it through the cyberspace.
MPA general director Spiros Kouzinopoulos stated that
MPA through its new service aims at bringing Greece's voice
to the Russian-speaking countries of the former Soviet
Union, to the Greeks living in those republics and to all
those in the world who speak the Russian language.
It should be noted that the English language news
bulletin is broadcast since the opening of MPA and by the
end of the year there will be news bulletins in Bulgarian,
Albanian, Serb, Romanian and Turkish.
Macedonian Press Agency is the first Greek mass media
and among the first in Europe which is active on the
Internet since 1993 and today is one of the most visited
sites with over 1 million calls per week to its home-pages
with news reports, archives, special presentations, audio
and video taped news bulletins and photographic archives.
[14] THE GALATASARAY PLAYERS VISITED THE HOUSE OF KEMAL
ATATURK IN THESSALONIKI
The players of the Turkish football team Galatasaray
visited in Thessaloniki the house of Kemal Ataturk, founder
of modern Turkey, a few hours before the match against the
local team of PAOK this evening.
The players of the Turkish football team stated that
they had many invitations for matches abroad but they
selected Thessaloniki's PAOK because of the solidarity shown
by the Greek people to the Turkish population hit by the
recent devastating earthquake.
The president of Galatasaray stated that the only thing
dividing the two peoples is the fact that they speak a
different language. Meanwhile, fans of the Greek football
team donated blood for the Turkish people who were injured
by the earthquake.
[15] ISRAELI AND PALESTINIAN DELEGATIONS MEET IN ATHENS
The fourth dialogue meeting between Israeli and
Palestinian delegations opened in Athens at noon today. The
dialogue started at the initiative of Greece two years ago
in a very difficult period for the peace efforts in the
Middle East.
Greek deputy foreign minister Yiannos Kranidiotis
stated that in spite of the difficulties there is renewed
hope for a permanent settlement in the Middle East because
Israel has a new government and because this is a decisive
period for peace in the region.
Mr. Kranidiotis stressed that both sides have displayed
political will for the peace process to move ahead and for
this reason he is more optimistic than ever. He also added
that Greece's role in this initiative is significant and is
recognized by all sides.
Discussion in today's meeting will focus on the
political situation in the Middle East and the talks will be
coordinated by a representative of the Greek foreign
ministry.
[16] NEW ECONOMIC MEASURES WERE ANNOUNCED BY THE PRIME
MINISTER
Prime minister Kostas Simitis referred today to the
positive achievements of the economic policy implemented so
far by the government and underlined that the measures were
decided to limit social injustices and safeguard the
continuation of the governmental work. The prime minister
will make an overall presentation of the government's
economic policy and the future developments within the
framework of Thessaloniki's International Trade fair he will
inaugurate tomorrow.
Mr. Simitis announced cuts in the prices of goods and
services, tax reductions and special measures for the
financially weaker groups of the population such as the
pensioners, the farmers and the unemployed. The total cost
of the measures announced is 470 billion drachmas.
Specifically, the special sales tax on heating oil is
being cut from 20.000 drachmas to 6.100 drachmas per ton,
while the special sales tax on private cars will also be cut
resulting to a price reduction of 10% on the average. This
measure will be in effect immediately.
The tax allowance will be increased to 1.900.000
drachmas for the wage earners and pensioners and to
1.600.000 drachmas for the rest of the tax payers. Also, the
tax relief for those who have children is increased and the
objective taxation criteria are being abolished. Among the
rest of the measures announced are included the increase of
the farmers' pension by 10.000 drachmas a month, the
increase of the unemployment benefit by 10% and the increase
of the social solidarity benefit by 3.000 drachmas a month.
The prime minister also announced that the stock exchange
transactions tax will be doubled.
[17] PAPANDREOU-PERES MEETING
Foreign minister Giorgos Papandreou met with former
Israeli prime minister Simon Peres on the sidelines of the
fourth dialogue meeting between Israeli and Palestinian
delegations that is being held in Athens at the initiative
of Greece.
Mr. Papandreou praised the contribution of Mr. Peres to
the peace process in the Middle East and characterized him
as a man of peace. Both Mr. Papandreou and Mr. Peres stated
that the Greek-Israeli relations are very good, while Mr.
Peres stated that Greece's assistance to the earthquake
stricken population in Turkey helps toward the improvement
of the Greek-Turkish relations.
Also, the former prime minister of Israel expressed the
belief that positive steps will be made soon in the Middle
East peace process.
[18] THE US BUSINESSES SHOW AN INCREASED INTEREST IN THE
MARKET OF NORTHERN GREECE
The US businesses show an renewed interest in the
market of northern Greece, as the developments in the
Balkans have created the preconditions for the
transformation of Thessaloniki into a Balkan center.
US embassy to Athens commercial adviser Patrick Santilo
stated in a press conference on the occasion of
Thessaloniki's International Trade Fair that during the year
and in the year 2000 there will be a notable increase in the
US investment presence in Greece.
The US official stated that the sectors that are more
appealing to the US businessmen are defense and medical
equipment, constructions, franchising and tourist
infrastructures, while he reminded that the trade
transactions between Greece and the United States were 1.5
billion dollars last year, increased by 3-5%.
[19] COALITION OF THE LEFT BACKS LEONIDAS KIRKOS FOR
PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC
The political secretariat of opposition Coalition of
the Left party decided to back former Communist Party
general secretary Leonidas Kirkos for the Greek presidency.
Coalition of the Left party president Nikos
Konstantopoulos had expressed the position that his party
will not back president Kostis Stephanopoulos to be re-
elected to the post, speaking to the Athens radio station
"Flash" yesterday. He had pointed out that the decision of
his party to back its own candidate does not constitute a
rejection of the current president but it is made in protest
to the false dilemmas set by the government.
Commenting on the foreign policy followed by the
government, Coalition of the Left president stated that it
is characterized by a lack of strategy, adding that it is
the right time to raise the issue of armaments cuts.
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[20] PKK PLEDGES TO LAY DOWN ITS ARMS ONCE AND FOR ALL
The Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) has pledged to lay
down its arms once and for all, according to a statement
made by its commander Osman Ocalan, the brother of Abdullah
Ocalan.
"We are laying down our weapons, never to take them up
again," PKK
commander said in a statement broadcast live by the pro-
Kurdish satellite channel Medya-TV.
"The PKK will never fight again."
The PKK last week announced it had begun withdrawing
its forces from Turkey following a call by Abdullah Ocalan
to end the armed struggle.
Osman Ocalan said the pull-out had run into problems
due to continuing
Turkish army operations in the area, but would be completed
by the end of the
year.
[21] TURKEY WARNS EU: "WE MAY NOT ASK FOR OUR CANDIDACY
AGAIN"
Turkey warned today that it might give up trying to
join the European Union if its latest application is
rejected at the EU summit to be held at Helsinki in
December.
Turkish Foreign Minister Ismail Cem told the London
daily "Financial Times" in an interview that Ankara was
"tired" of the rejections that have rebuffed Turkey's
attempts at membership.
"It has damaged Turkey's image and become humiliating,"
he said. "If it turns wrong at Helsinki, we may not ask for
our candidacy again."
[22] CYPRUS WILL PROTEST TO THE UN THE KILLING OF ELDERLY
MAN
Cyprus will protest to the United Nations the killing
of an elderly Greek-Cypriot in the Turkish-occupied north of
the island, according to the island's Foreign Minister
Yiannakis Kassoulides.
Stelios Harpas, 68, one of the few elderly Greek-
Cypriots remaining in the occupied north, was found dead on
Tuesday near his village of Rizokarpaso.
"We have been deeply shocked by this murder and we want
the international community to know that we consider the
occupying power responsible," Mr. Kassoulides told
reporters, adding that he will also demand a full
investigation of the killing by the United Nations Peace
Force on the Mediterranean island.
[23] BIRAD:A SHIFT IN GREECE'S POLICY ON TURKEY WOULD
SURPRISE ME
One of Turkey's most well-known political analysts, Ali
Birad, believes that Greece will not shift its strategy and
withdraw its objections over the European Union's funding
protocol for Turkey, while, as he stated in a recent
interview, any such change would literally surprise him.
Speaking to the BBC's Turkish broadcast, Mr. Birad said
that "I don't think that lifting the Greek veto is possible.
"Greece has associated the veto with the principle of
(seeking) recourse (concerning the Imia islets) with the
International Court of Justice at The Hague. That was a
significant strategic move," he added.
According to the Turkish analyst, Greece will not lift
the veto, but will allow for financial assistance,
especially for the earthquake victims.
[24] SERB ORTHODOX CHURCH: 256 SERBS WERE KILLED AFTER THE
WAR
The Serb Orthodox Church in Kosovo has publicized a
list containing the names of 256 Serbs killed between June 2-
August 22.
According to the report issued by the Church's
information service, most of the victims were will in Pec,
where the strife between Albanians and Serbs is especially
felt given that the Orthodox Patriarchate is also located in
that city.
Forty-five Serb residents of Prishtina were killed
after the end of NATO's bombings.
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