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Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 99-09-09
MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Thessaloniki, September 9, 1999
SECTIONS
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
NEWS HEADLINES
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] THE RESCUE EFFORTS CONTINUE IN ATHENS
[02] STRONG EARTHQUAKES IN NORTHERN AEGEAN
[03] TELEPHONE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN PAPANDREOU AND ALBRIGHT
[04] THE EARTHQUAKE WILL NOT AFFECT THE COURSE OF THE
ECONOMY
[05] THE SECOND ROUND OF THE GREEK-TURKISH DIALOGUE IS
UNDERWAY
[06] THE DISASTER CAUSED BY THE EARTHQUAKE IS BIGGER THAN
EXPECTED
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[07] THE SUBSOIL OF GREECE AND TURKEY LOOKS LIKE A CRACK IN
THE GLASS
NEWS IN DETAIL
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] THE RESCUE EFFORTS CONTINUE IN ATHENS
The successful rescue operation at the collapsed
factory plant of "Ricomex" that resulted to pulling alive
out of the rubble 31yearold Evi Sofilou, who remained buried
for 46 hours, gave new courage and hope to the rescue teams.
The rescue efforts continue in 9 places. The death toll is
74, while 45 people are still missing. The injured, who
remain hospitalized are 375 and 17 of them are in a critical
condition. The fire-fighters have saved 86 people.
The main rescue operation is at the "Ricomex" factory
plant where 22 people remain buried under tons of concrete.
Other 8 people are believed trapped under an apartment
building that collapsed in Metamorphosi.
The earthquake of 5.9 on the Richter scale that hit
Athens on September 7 left thousands of homeless behind and
until yesterday about 6.500 tents had been distributed to
the people in need, while the army will build a camp in the
region of Ano Liosia. Meanwhile, the inspections of
buildings to determine if they are safe for the people to
live in continue and the initial impression is very
disappointing.
Over 1.000 aftershocks were recorded in the region of
Athens until dawn today and 12 of them were stronger than 4
on the Richter scale.
Minister of interior Ms. Vaso Papandreou stated in
parliament that the distribution of the 200.000-drachmas
benefit will start today and stated that all the housing and
food distribution problems will be solved by this evening.
Meanwhile, two businessmen, Periklis Panagopoulos from
the shipping sector and Christos Lanaras from the textiles
sector met with prime minister Kostas Simitis today and each
of them delivered to him a 100million drachmas cheque. After
the meeting they had with the prime minister, they issued an
appeal to all those who can, to come forward and offer
financial support to the earthquake stricken population and
the regions mostly hit by the catastrophe.
The countries that have offered assistance to Greece
are Cyprus, Turkey, Germany, France, the Czech Republic, the
United States, Russia, Israel, Switzerland, Japan, Canada,
Bulgaria, Albania, FYROM, Slovakia, Georgia, Ukraine,
Slovenia, Moldavia, Mexico and Saudi Arabia.
[02] STRONG EARTHQUAKES IN NORTHERN AEGEAN
Five tremors, two of them measuring 4.8 and 5.2 on the
Richter scale, were recorded at 11:13am and 11:16am this
morning and their epicenter was located at the sea region
between the islands of Imvros and Samothraki, 320 kilometers
south-east of Thessaloniki. The tremors were felt in Thrace,
Samothraki, Thasos and Mitilini.
The two strong earthquakes do not seem to have caught
off-guard the seismologists as after the devastating
earthquake that hit Turkey they were expecting an increased
seismic activity in the region of Eastern Mediterranean due
to the Anatolia Fault.
[03] TELEPHONE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN PAPANDREOU AND ALBRIGHT
Greek foreign minister Giorgos Papandreou had a
telephone communication with US secretary of state Madeleine
Albright last night.
Ms. Albright, who is on a formal visit to New Zealand,
conveyed to Mr. Papandreou the solidarity of the American
people to the people of Athens and stated that the United
States are ready to help.
Mr. Papandreou also had a telephone communication with
US ambassador to Athens Nicholas Burns, who stated that the
US is ready to send a rescue team to assist in the efforts
made for the location of survivors still buried under the
rubble of the collapsed buildings.
[04] THE EARTHQUAKE WILL NOT AFFECT THE COURSE OF THE
ECONOMY
The earthquake will not affect the course of the
economy and the Athens Stock Exchange stated minister of
national economy and finance Yiannos Papantoniou.
Greece's economy is in a very strong position,
inflation has a good course and there are also the surpluses
from the stock exchange, stated Mr. Papantoniou, speaking in
the Athens radio station "Flash", while he said that the
state will meet its obligations to the fullest concerning
the assistance to the earthquake stricken population.
[05] THE SECOND ROUND OF THE GREEK-TURKISH DIALOGUE IS
UNDERWAY
The second round of the Greek-Turkish dialogue got
underway in Athens at 10:30am this morning and will be
completed tomorrow. In the second round of the talks
participate the same delegations that took part in the first
round in Ankara last July.
The issues under discussion will be tourism,
environment and the economic and trade cooperation.
According to foreign ministry circles, it is likely to have
coincidence of views and the two delegations could even
proceed with a draft agreement.
The last round of talks will be held in Ankara on
September 16 on issues concerning the political regional
cooperation, the safety of the citizens, drug-trafficking,
organized crime and illegal immigration.
It should be noted that Greek foreign minister Giorgos
Papandreou will have a working lunch with his Turkish
counterpart Ismail Cem in New York within the framework of
the UN General Assembly meeting that will be held on
September 23. In their meeting they will assess the results
of the talks.
Mr. Papandreou, within the framework of the UN General
Assembly meeting, will also meet with US secretary of state
Madeleine Albright.
[06] THE DISASTER CAUSED BY THE EARTHQUAKE IS BIGGER THAN
EXPECTED
The latest toll of the devastating earthquake that hit
Athens last Tuesday is 82 people dead and the number of
those who have lost their lives under the collapsed
buildings is expected to rise.
Minister of interior Ms. Vaso Papandreou stated that
the disaster caused by the earthquake is bigger than
expected. Ms. Papandreou stated that 20% of the buildings in
the regions that were mostly hit by the earthquake are
characterized as not safe for the people to live in and must
be demolished, while in certain areas the percentage is even
bigger reaching 80%.
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[07] THE SUBSOIL OF GREECE AND TURKEY LOOKS LIKE A CRACK IN
THE GLASS
The subsoil of Turkey and Greece opens up like a crack
in a glass increasing the likelihood of new earthquakes,
stated Cambridge University professor of seismology James
Jackson speaking to the Reuters news agency.
The condition of the subsoil in the region looks like a
crack in a glass and when this moves most of the pressure is
exerted to the point where it ends.
It is impossible to specify the exact time when the
glass will break completely as this could happen at any
time, tomorrow, in ten or even in 100 years.
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