Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 99-09-21
MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Thessaloniki, September 21, 1999
SECTIONS
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
NEWS HEADLINES
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] MACEDONIA-THRACE MINISTER RECEIVES SAE-EUROPE MEMBERS
[02] SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE MEETS WITH CYPRIOT DEFENSE
MINISTER
[03] TWO COMMITTEES TO REVIEW MEASURES FOR QUAKE SURVIVORS
[04] NEW ALTERNATE FM ROKOFYLLOS TO BE SWORN IN TODAY
[05] ATHENS PROSECUTOR APPOINTS EXPERT ON FALCON
INVESTIGATION
[06] MOODY'S UPGRADES CREDIT RATING OF THREE GREEK BANKS
[07] JAPANESE BUSINESS DELEGATION TO VISIT THRACE NEXT MONTH
[08] TURKEY'S QUAKE VICTIMS RECEIVE GREEK HUMANITARIAN AID
[09] TURKEY'S NEW QUAKE IS RESULT OF ACTIVITY IN ANATOLIA
FAULT
[10] EXPERT OPINION: ASIAN QUAKES ARE NOT RELATED TO
EUROPE'S
[11] THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE PLUNGED TODAY
[12] ROKOFILLOS WAS SWORN-IN TODAY
[13] A 40YEAROLD MURDERED THREE OF HIS FOUR CHILDREN
[14] THE GREEK EXPORTS TO YUGOSLAVIA DROPPED BY 50% IN THE
FIRST HALF OF 1999
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[15] UCK TRANSFORMS INTO "KOSOVO DEFENSE CORPS"
[16] HUNDREDS KILLED DURING EARTHQUAKE IN TAIWAN
[17] GREEK, BULGARIAN, FYROM PREMIERS TO HOLD TELECONFERENCE
[18] MONTENEGRO PRESSES CHARGES AGAINST YUGOSLAV PREMIER
[19] SIX DEAD IN ISTANBUL PRISON GUN BATTLE
[20] NEWS AGENCIES OF BULGARIA, FYROM SIGN COOPERATION
ACCORD
[21] QUAKE VICTIMS AND YIANNOS KRANIDIOTIS HONORED BY C OF E
[22] YESTERDAY'S EARTHQUAKE IN TAIWAN CAUSED EXTENSIVE
DAMAGES
[23] EUROPEAN UNION: INFLATION INCREASED IN AUGUST
[24] THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE HONORED THE EARTHQUAKE VICTIMS
[25] MOTOROLA SIGNED AN AGREEMENT ON THE MOBILE PHONE
NETWORK IN ALBANIA
[26] PAPANDREOU: A NEW HISTORIC OPENING IN THE GREEK-TURKISH
RELATIONS
NEWS IN DETAIL
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] MACEDONIA-THRACE MINISTER RECEIVES SAE-EUROPE MEMBERS
The Minister of Macedonia and Thrace Yiannis Magriotis
met with representatives of the European Region of the
Council of Greeks Abroad (SAE) and the expatriate youth of
Europe yesterday, to whom he expressed his ministry's
support for their initiatives and efforts.
The president of SAE's European youth, Dimitris
Pechlivanidis, presented the Minister with the Council's
activities program concerning the provision of hospitality
for 6,000 young expatriate people from Europe at Skotina,
Pieria prefecture.
Referring to the program, which has already gotten
underway, he said that it can be expanded as of next year
and reach 50,000 guests from abroad.
[02] SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE MEETS WITH CYPRIOT DEFENSE
MINISTER
The President of the Hellenic Parliament Apostolos
Kaklamanis received Cypriot Defense Minister Socrates
Hasikos for talks in Athens yesterday, where the two
officials described defense cooperation between the two
countries as "harmonious".
Speaking to the press after the talks, Mr. Kaklamanis
said that "Cyprus' defense is a factor that can contribute
to and promote a political settlement of the Cyprus
problem."
[03] TWO COMMITTEES TO REVIEW MEASURES FOR QUAKE SURVIVORS
An inter-ministerial committee on handling the problems
that have arisen from the September 7 devastating earthquake
in Athens has recommended the established of two committees
that will review the course and application of relief
measures for the earthquake survivors.
The first committee, supervised by the Minister of the
Interior Vaso Papandreou, will handle issues that concern
those who have sought shelter in tents, while the second
committee will concern the reconstruction of the collapsed
buildings and will be supervised by the Minister of
Environment, Planning and Public Works Costas Laliotis.
[04] NEW ALTERNATE FM ROKOFYLLOS TO BE SWORN IN TODAY
Christos Rokofyllos, PASOK MP for Aetoloakarnania,
will be sworn in this afternoon as Greece's new alternate
foreign minister, replacing Yiannos Kranidiotis who was
killed last week in an air accident.
Mr. Rokofyllos was first appointed to government in
1994, when he took over as alternate industry minister, a
post he held until 1995. In 1997, he was appointed head of
the Greek parliamentary representation at NATO and, in April
1999, secretary of the party's foreign affairs and defense
department.
[05] ATHENS PROSECUTOR APPOINTS EXPERT ON FALCON
INVESTIGATION
An expert who will represent the justice department in
the investigation of the ill-fated Falcon jet, where seven
people were killed when it encountered severe air
turbulence, has been appointed by the Athens prosecutor
Isidore Doyakos.
Within 20 days, the former air force officer Alexandros
Fisher will provide to the prosecutor his findings which,
along with the data to be derived from the jet's flight
recorders, will determine whether charges will be filed or
not.
The country's main opposition party New Democracy has
requested that a review committee be established to examine
if there are political responsibilities over the air
tragedy.
[06] MOODY'S UPGRADES CREDIT RATING OF THREE GREEK BANKS
Moody's has upgraded the credit rating of Greece's
National Bank, Eurobank and Labor Bank.
The move concerns the long-term deposits and the banks'
fiscal operation.
[07] JAPANESE BUSINESS DELEGATION TO VISIT THRACE NEXT MONTH
A delegation of Japanese businessmen is to visit
Thrace, in Northern Greece, next month, in order to look
into the opportunities for economic and trade liaisons with
local ventures.
The Japanese guests, comprising officials from the
embassy of Japan and their country's Foreign Trade
Organization, are to visit Thrace on October 4-5 upon the
invitation of the Rodopi-Evros local administration, the
Bureaus of Industrial Change and the European Information
Center.
During their two-day stay, the visitors will become
acquainted with the region's economic profile and the
investment opportunities.
The event will also feature the participation of
officials from the Northern Greece Industries Association
and the "Hermes" European program for strengthening ties
between the European Union and Japan.
[08] TURKEY'S QUAKE VICTIMS RECEIVE GREEK HUMANITARIAN AID
Upon receiving the Greek humanitarian aid, the Prefect
of Izmit -the Turkish city that was flattened by the
devastating earthquake of August 17- stated that "we live
under the same sky, on two sides of the same sea, and, as
such, it is imperative that we co-exist peacefully."
The Prefect of Xanthi, George Pavlides escorted a
motorcade transporting humanitarian aid provided by Greeks
to the Turks who survived the earthquake, which includes
tents, beds and bedcovers purchased with the proceeds of the
joint Greek-Turkish concert given on August 30.
Mr. Pavlides and a delegation of local officials were
warmly greeted by the Mayor of Ipsala and, after the
distribution of the aid, traveled to Istanbul where they
were received by the Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos.
Welcoming the delegation, Mr. Vartholomeos
congratulated the event's organizers for their initiative
and noted that there has been a shift in relations between
the two peoples.
"This shift," he added, "is reflected in the relations
of the city's Greek Orthodox minority with the Turkish
state."
[09] TURKEY'S NEW QUAKE IS RESULT OF ACTIVITY IN ANATOLIA
FAULT
The quake that occurred shortly after midnight on
Monday in the Sea of Marmara, measuring 5.2 on the Richter
scale, is a result of the activity noted in the Anatolia
fault, according to the seismologists of the Aristotle
University's geophysics laboratory.
Speaking to the Macedonian Press Agency, the
University seismologist Manolis Skordilis stated that this
morning's tremor is not an aftershock since its epicenter is
quite distanced from the earthquake-stricken region of
Izmir.
[10] EXPERT OPINION: ASIAN QUAKES ARE NOT RELATED TO
EUROPE'S
The aftershocks noted in the Arttica region after the
devastating earthquake of September 7 are a normal, expected
phenomenon, according to the director of the Geodynamic
Institute George Stavrakakis, who also added that slight,
abated tremors measuring up to 4 on the Richter scale will
be felt throughout the following weeks.
Mr. Stavrakakis stressed that the Asian seismic
activity is in no way related to Europe's.
The deadly earthquake that devasted Taiwan last night
was also recorded at 9 p.m. local time by a seismologic
telemetric network in the geophysics laboratory of the
Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.
[11] THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE PLUNGED TODAY
A strong downward trend prevailed in today's session of
the Athens Stock Exchange. The massive liquidation at the
opening of the transactions led the general index to a
downward course. A few minutes before the conclusion of the
session the losses had reached -6.75% at 5.945. A limited
recovery was later recorded and finally the general index
closed at 6.020,87 with a decline of 4.91%.
The value of transactions reached 400 billion drachmas
and it should be noted that the strongest pressure was
exerted on constructions and the parallel market.
Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas suggested
calm and cool-headedness to investors stressing that the
government wants to shield the stock exchange and for this
reason takes measures constantly in order to safeguard its
healthy operation and protect the small investors.
Stockbrokers' chairman Lambros Papakonstantinou
characterized the stock exchange plunge as unexpected.
[12] ROKOFILLOS WAS SWORN-IN TODAY
New deputy foreign minister Christos Rokofillos was
sworn-in today in the presence of president Kostis
Stephanopoulos and prime minister Kostas Simitis. The prime
minister wished him success and had a short meeting with the
president of the republic.
Mr. Rokofillos had served as deputy industry minister
in the period 1994-1995 and is elected in parliament with
the governing socialist party of PASOK since 1989, as well
as in the period 1977-1981.
[13] A 40YEAROLD MURDERED THREE OF HIS FOUR CHILDREN
A 40yearold from Iraklion in Crete murdered three of
his four children. Giorgos Metaxakis, who was separated with
his wife, decided to kill his children in revenge for the
fact that she did not want him back.
Metaxakis took his children, a 12yearod girl and three
boys aged 2, 3 and 10 years old, for a ride and this morning
his daughter was found bound in his car. The girl told the
police that her father was going to poison her three
brothers. The police searched the area and later found the
three boys dead in a nearby river. The police have launched
a manhunt for his arrest.
[14] THE GREEK EXPORTS TO YUGOSLAVIA DROPPED BY 50% IN THE
FIRST HALF OF 1999
The Greek exports to Yugoslavia decreased by 50% in the
first half of 1999 following the overall downward trend due
to the armed conflict in the region and reached 76.6 million
dollars.
Greece exported to Yugoslavia mainly petroleum and its
by-products, textile, fruits and vegetables, electricity,
tobacco and tobacco by-products. The Yugoslav exports to
Greece reached 55 million dollars and were made up of
metals, rubber products, plastics, leather products and
timber.
The above figures were made public by Federal Republic
of Yugoslavia economic and trade affairs adviser Christos
Farmakis, who met with Greek businessmen today within the
framework of a business forum in Thessaloniki's Trade and
Industry Chamber.
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[15] UCK TRANSFORMS INTO "KOSOVO DEFENSE CORPS"
The Kosovo Liberation Army (UCK) signed an agreement to
transform themselves into a Kosovo Defense Corps, in
Prishtina last night.
The political part of the agreement was signed by
United Nations special representative Bernard Kouchner while
the military part by KFOR commander Lieutenant General Mike
Jackson.
The deadline for the signing of an agreement expired on
Sunday midnight but was postponed by 48 hours to find accord
as the parties differed on the corps' strength, armament and
objectives.
Intense negotiations were led by NATO Supreme Commander
General Wesley Clark.
[16] HUNDREDS KILLED DURING EARTHQUAKE IN TAIWAN
Over 1,000 people were killed and thousands more were
injured when Taiwan's strongest quake since 1916 jolted the
island late last night. The earthquake measured 7.6 on the
Richter scale and its epicenter was located 90 miles
southwest of Taipei.
More than 1,200 persons remain trapped inside collapsed
buildings and the number of victims is expected to increase
as most residents were at home when the earthquake occurred.
[17] GREEK, BULGARIAN, FYROM PREMIERS TO HOLD TELECONFERENCE
The Prime Ministers of Greece, Costas Simitis,
Bulgaria, Ivan Kostov and FYROM Liuptco Georgievski will
hold a teleconference on October 1, when they will
inaugurate the optical fiber link from Sofia to Petrici and
the Greek-Bulgarian borders.
The project has been placed in part by Greece's
Intracom which is also the undertaker.
According to Sofia daily "Sega", the three premiers
will hold a brief conversation.
[18] MONTENEGRO PRESSES CHARGES AGAINST YUGOSLAV PREMIER
Yugoslav premier Momir Bulatovic was charged yesterday
with plotting to take over the media in Montenegro in April
as part of a crackdown on the Yugoslav republic, the French
news agency AFP reported, quoting a local radio.
State Prosecutor Bozidar Vukcevic accused Mr. Bulatovic
of planning a "forced occupation of the state media in
April" based on a claim brought forward by Serbian
opposition leader Vuk Draskovic, radio Antenna M said.
Mr. Draskovic said Belgrade planned to pass a decree
providing for the
"military occupation of the Montenegrin media" during NATO's
campaign in
Yugoslavia, Mr. Vukcevic told the radio station.
If confirmed, the attempt would amount to "a criminal
act" against the
"constitutional structure and the country's security," Mr.
Vukcevic said, adding that he had passed on the charges to
the Belgrade district prosecutor.
[19] SIX DEAD IN ISTANBUL PRISON GUN BATTLE
At least six people were killed when a gun battle
erupted between convicts from two rival gangs at the
Bayrampasa prison in Istanbul yesterday, the French news
agency AFP reported.
Large numbers of paramilitary units were sent in as
reinforcements to the
prison located on the European side of Istanbul, while six
bodies were removed from the scene of the rioting.
According to Turkey's Anatolia news agency, the
fighting began when a convict linked to underworld boss
Alaettin Cakici, currently in jail in France and
seeking extradition to Turkey, was shot by a member of a
rival gang.
[20] NEWS AGENCIES OF BULGARIA, FYROM SIGN COOPERATION
ACCORD
A cooperation and information exchange accord has been
signed between Bulgaria's and FYROM's news agencies.
The news agency of FYROM already receives all of BTA's
news reports, including the English-language bulletins.
The director of FYROM's news agency Zivko Georgievski
told the Bulgarian state radio that "we find especially
valuable the reports that concern the wider Balkan region.".
[21] QUAKE VICTIMS AND YIANNOS KRANIDIOTIS HONORED BY C OF E
The Council of Europe observed a minute of silence, to
honor the memory of Greece's and Turkey's earthquake victims
and the loss of the Greek Alternate Foreign Minister Yiannos
Kranidiotis.
The British president of the parliamentary assembly,
Lord Russell Johnston, saluted the Greek-Turkish
rapprochement which was prompted by the earthquakes and
stressed that "the solidarity displayed by the two peoples
under these tragic circumstances constitutes an
unprecedented opportunity for the further improvement of
ties."
Turkish deputy of the Democratic Left Party Uluc
Gurkan expressed his gratitude for the aid the Greek people
rushed to offer to their neighbors, while a deputy of
Greece's main opposition party, New Democracy's Byron
Polydoras, stated that "in a strange turn of history, the
two peoples were given the opportunity to express sentiments
of solidarity and respect before the human pain."
Mr. Polydoras added that Greece did everything in its
power to assist the ailing Turkish people and, in turn,
accepted its own offer of aid.
"In this example, all of the Council of Europe's
principles which pertain to the solidarity that should be
displayed by its members were applied," he said.
[22] YESTERDAY'S EARTHQUAKE IN TAIWAN CAUSED EXTENSIVE
DAMAGES
The rescue crews in Taiwan make superhuman efforts for
the location of survivors under the collapsed buildings that
were left behind by the devastating earthquake measuring 7.6
on the Richter scale that hit the region of Taipei last
night.
According to the latest information, over 1.450 people
have been killed, while 3.500 were injured and hundreds are
still buried under the rubble. The state authorities express
the fear that the number of the victims will increase as at
the time of the earthquake most of the people were in their
beds.
The Colorado Geology Center has already warned of tidal
waves in Taiwan, the Philippines and Japan.
[23] EUROPEAN UNION: INFLATION INCREASED IN AUGUST
Inflation reached 1.2% in the month of August with an
increase of 0.1% compared to July, according to the European
Union Statistics Agency Eurostat.
The inflation percentage in the Euro-zone countries
showed an increase for a second month in a row as in July
had increased by 0.2% reaching 1.1% compared to 0.9% in
June.
Inflation in all the 15 EU countries showed an overall
increase of 0.1% compared to July and was at 1.2% compared
to 1% in June.
The biggest inflation rates in August were recorded in
Holland with 2.5%, Denmark and Ireland 2.4% and in Spain
with 2.3%. The lowest inflation rates were recorded in
France and Austria with 0.5%, Germany 0.7% and Sweden 0.8%.
This development makes Greece's participation in the EMU
more likely.
[24] THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE HONORED THE EARTHQUAKE VICTIMS
The Council of Europe parliamentary assembly honored
the victims of the earthquakes in Greece and Turkey as well
as Yiannos Kranidiotis, who was killed in an air accident,
with a moment of silence at the proposal of its chairman
Lord Rassel Jonston.
The British parliamentary assembly chairman in his
speech praised the Greek-Turkish rapprochement as a result
of the recent earthquakes that hit the two countries and
stressed that the solidarity displayed by the two peoples in
those tragic circumstances constitute an unprecedented
opportunity for the further improvement of relations.
[25] MOTOROLA SIGNED AN AGREEMENT ON THE MOBILE PHONE
NETWORK IN ALBANIA
The American Motorola Inc signed an agreement with the
joint Albanian-American limited liability company that was
formed by the US New World Telecom and the Albanian
telephone company. The 50 million dollar deal provides for
the establishment of a mobile phone network in Albania.
The New World will invest at total of 325 million
dollars in Albania in the next 10 years and its activation
in the country will have as a result the lowering of the
Albanian telecommunications rates which are currently very
high.
[26] PAPANDREOU: A NEW HISTORIC OPENING IN THE GREEK-TURKISH
RELATIONS
A new historic opening has been created in the
relations between Greece and Turkey, stated foreign minister
Giorgos Papandreou underlining that the main future goals
are the solution of the Cyprus problem and Cyprus' accession
into the European Union.
Speaking in a reception that was given in his honor at
the Greek permanent mission in the United Nations, Mr.
Papandreou referred to the recent tragic loss of deputy
foreign minister Yiannos Kranidiotis, who was killed in an
air accident that happened at a very crucial moment leaving
behind a big void.
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