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Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 99-10-13

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, October 13, 1999

SECTIONS

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

  • NEWS HEADLINES

    [A] NATIONAL NEWS

  • [01] GREEK FM EMBARKS ON EUROPEAN TOUR TO PROMOTE POSITIONS
  • [02] PARLIAMENTARY DEBATE OVER TAX BILL, OPPOSITION BLASTS STATE
  • [03] QUAKE VICTIMS TO BE IN PREFABRICATED HOUSES BY MID-NOVEMBER
  • [04] BALKAN RECONSTRUCTION CONFERENCE HOSTED BY THESSALONIKI
  • [05] OLYMPIC AIRWAYS RECEIVES EUROPEAN AWARD FOR MAINTENANCE
  • [06] CYPRIOT FM IN ATHENS TODAY TO MEET WITH STATE OFFICIALS
  • [07] EUROPEAN COMMISSION TO HOLD CONFERENCE IN RHODES
  • [08] CULTURE MINISTRY DEDICATES YEAR 2000 TO GREEK POET SEFERIS
  • [09] EGNATIA ROUTE AND ISTANBUL TO BE LINKED BY ROAD JUNCTION
  • [10] EU SUMMIT TO REVIEW MATTERS OF VIABLE INTEREST TO GREECE
  • [11] CONSULTATIONS BETWEEN KASOULIDES AND THE GREEK GOVERNMENT
  • [12] SMALL RISE IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE
  • [13] IKA SENDS HUMANITARIAN AID TO THE EARTHQUAKE VICTIMS IN TURKEY
  • [14] AN ADVISER TO THE NEW DEMOCRACY LEADER RESIGNS OVER STATEMENTS HE MADE
  • [15] REPPAS: THE CLINTON VISIT WILL BE SUCCESSFUL
  • [16] UN MILITARY OBSERVERS HAVE BEEN ABDUCTED IN ABKHAZIA
  • [17] THE MEMBERS OF A RELIGIOUS SECT THREATEN TO COMMIT SUICIDE
  • [B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

  • [18] PRESIDENT OF HELLENIC REPUBLIC CONDUCTS OFFICIAL VISIT TO IRAN
  • [19] PRESIDENT STEPHANOPOULOS MEETS WITH IRANIAN COUNTERPART
  • [20] COMMISSION TO PROPOSE ACCESSION TALKS FOR SIX NEW COUNTRIES
  • [21] C OF E HOLDS HUMAN RIGHTS CONFERENCE IN CYPRUS ON SATURDAY
  • [22] TURKEY: THREE KILLED IN POST-QUAKE DEMOLITION WORK ACCIDENT
  • [23] PRESIDENT STEPHANOPOULOS MET WITH HIS IRANIAN COUNTERPART
  • [24] "INTRACOM" WILL ISSUE A BALKAN PHONE CARD IN BULGARIA
  • [25] BULGARIA REMOVES THE BARBED WIRE FENCES AT ITS BORDERS WITH GREECE AND FYROM
  • [26] THE GREEK MINORITY IN ALBANIA THREATENS WITH ROAD BLOCKADES
  • [27] TSOCHATZOPOULOS: THE COOPERATION OF THE BALKAN STATES IS NECESSARY FOR STABILITY IN THE REGION - - - - - - - - - - - - -

  • NEWS IN DETAIL

    [A] NATIONAL NEWS

    [01] GREEK FM EMBARKS ON EUROPEAN TOUR TO PROMOTE POSITIONS

    Foreign Minister George Papandreou will begin a tour of Europe next Monday in order to promote Greek positions in light of the upcoming European Union Helsinki summit and to discuss Turkey's candidacy for EU membership and Cyprus.

    Mr. Papandreou is expected to state that Turkey has to adhere to democratic norms adopted by other member states before joining the union, and Cyprus' eventual candidacy will have to be assured.

    After returning from the informal European Council in Tampere, Finland, (October 15-16), Mr. Papandreou will meet US President Bill Clinton's Cyprus envoy, Alfred Moses, and the US State Department's special coordinator for Cyprus, Tom Weston.

    The Foreign Minister will visit London on October 18, where he will meet with his British counterpart Robin Cook and possibly British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

    He will travel to Madrid on October 19 where he will meet his Spanish counterpart Abel Matutes and probably Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar. The next day, October 20, Mr. Papandreou will travel to Rome where he will meet with foreign minister Lamberto Dini, ministry spokesman Panagiotis Beglitis said.

    [02] PARLIAMENTARY DEBATE OVER TAX BILL, OPPOSITION BLASTS STATE

    A parliamentary debate erupted last night between the ruling PASOK party and the country's main opposition, New Democracy, over the proposed tax bill.

    N.D. leader Kostas Karamanlis stated that the state is conducting "alchemy" in the economy sector, which could lead to severe problems in the future. Furthermore, Mr. Karamanlis challenged the validity of the official data presented by PASOK, claiming that the state's deficit actually stands at 5% of the GNP and not the announced 2.5%.

    In response, the Minister of National Economy and Finance Yiannos Papantoniou stressed that the government has imposed taxes only on capital gains and profits, and characterized the tax bill as a pro-popular one.

    [03] QUAKE VICTIMS TO BE IN PREFABRICATED HOUSES BY MID-NOVEMBER

    The request filing process has gotten underway for the granting of rent and cohabitation subsidies to those rendered homeless by the earthquake that devastated Athens on September 7.

    Following a meeting held yesterday evening between Prime Minister Costas Simitis and the Ministers of Interior and Environment, Vaso Papandreou and Costas Laliotis respectively, the state announced that 4,000 prefabricated homes will be ready by November 15 in order to house those who can't find homes or apartments to rent.

    [04] BALKAN RECONSTRUCTION CONFERENCE HOSTED BY THESSALONIKI

    Thessaloniki will host a conference on Balkan reconstruction on November 2 and 3, which will be inaugurated by the special coordinator of the Stability Pact for SE Europe, Bondo Hombach and attended by prominent officials of several governments and organizations, with the president of the European Commission Romano Prodi also expected to be present .

    The conference will include discussion of inter-Balkan cooperation in business and banking, and of the financing of the planned reconstruction projects.

    National economy minister Yiannos Papantoniou will present Greece's Balkan reconstruction plan, to be followed by an exchange of views with his Balkan counterparts.

    The event is jointly organized by the Industries Association of Northern Greece (SVVE), the International Trade Fair of Thessaloniki and the Euromoney publications.

    The President of Montenegro Milo Juganovic has also been invited to attend as a speaker at the event, the only official from the former Yugoslavia.

    The chairman of SVEE Vasilis Takas stated that "the international community is not willing to conduct talks with officials from the Yugoslav government, hence, Mr. Juganovic was the only person who could represent the region at this present stage."

    [05] OLYMPIC AIRWAYS RECEIVES EUROPEAN AWARD FOR MAINTENANCE

    The national air carrier, Olympic Airways, is to be the recipient of a first-ever maintenance award, to be bestowed by the European Maintenance Academy, an organization which reviewes the upkeep records of various companies throughout the continent.

    Along with O.A., Unilever-Elais and Volvo car manufacturer will also receive the award for their maintenance record, in a ceremony to be held on October 15 in Athens on the sidelines of a European conference on maintenance.

    The conference, which will be attended by distinguished Greek and European scientists and sector professionals, will feature analysis of building and tool maintenance methods.

    [06] CYPRIOT FM IN ATHENS TODAY TO MEET WITH STATE OFFICIALS

    Cypriot Foreign Minister Yiannakis Kasoulides is arriving in Athens today where he will hold talks with Greek government leaders on the developments of the Cyprus issue and the island's accession course to the European Union, in light of the U.S. President's imminent visit to Greece and the EU Helsinki summit.

    In a verbal message forwarded to his Turkish counterpart yesterday, Greece's Premier Costas Simitis stated that Greece is willing to support's Turkey's European orientation, but expects Ankara to make decisions and gestures to prove that it seeks a real, not figurative, candidacy to the EU.

    [07] EUROPEAN COMMISSION TO HOLD CONFERENCE IN RHODES

    Access given to enterprises in support services provided by the European Union will be discussed during a conference to begin tomorrow at the island of Rhodes, organized by the General Directorate of the European Commission.

    The event, to take place October14-16, will feature the participation of 600 delegates from various European countries, who will attempt to secure a wide- yet focused- action plan from the Commission in supporting enterprises at a local level.

    [08] CULTURE MINISTRY DEDICATES YEAR 2000 TO GREEK POET SEFERIS

    The Culture Ministry will dedicate the year 2000 to Greece's renowned poet Giorgios Seferis, 1963 Nobel Laureate in Literature, marking the centennial anniversary since his birth in Smyrna.

    A series of events will be held throughout the year, starting with Cyprus which will host a seminar on Seferis.

    A vast selection of photographs, manuscripts and personal items will be on display in Athens in an exhibition that will travel throughout the cities associated with the life of the man who is regarded by many as the greatest Greek poet of the 20th century.

    [09] EGNATIA ROUTE AND ISTANBUL TO BE LINKED BY ROAD JUNCTION

    Greece's Minister of Transportation Tasos Mantelis and his Turkish counterpart Enis Oksuz signed an agreement that will allow for the a road junction between Egnatia Route and Istanbul.

    The junction will be created via a new road which will start at Kipi in Evros and will continue on to the existing motorway of Istanbul- Sofia.

    Other transportation plants include the upgrading of the present railway route of Thessaloniki-Istanbul, both in passenger and cargo transport.

    Messrs. Mantelis and Oksuz, who met yesterday during the former's visit to Istanbul, also agreed to cooperate on the SECI accord and its expansion to Black Sea countries.

    [10] EU SUMMIT TO REVIEW MATTERS OF VIABLE INTEREST TO GREECE

    A series of matters that are of viable interest to Greece are to be discussed during the European Union summit to be held at Tampere, Finland, on Friday and Saturday, as the agenda includes subjects concerning security and illegal immigration, while the "15" will also review matters concerning the EU's expansion and the timeline for the accession negotiations with new countries.

    Greece's Prime Minister Costas Simitis, following a meeting with German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder held earlier this month, stated that negotiations with the second wave of countries vying for accession (Bulgaria, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Romania and Slovakia) should get underway.

    Moreover, the Greek premier referred to Turkey and its candidacy by stating that Ankara has to proceed to specific moves and gestures.

    Concerning Turkey, Finland had announced during its statements before the European Parliament on July 22, 1999, that the said country's accession prospect will depend upon progress made on democratic reforms, development of democratic rights and respect of minorities.

    [11] CONSULTATIONS BETWEEN KASOULIDES AND THE GREEK GOVERNMENT

    Cypriot foreign minister Yiannakis Kasoulides is expected in Athens this afternoon for consultations with the Greek government.

    The talks he will have will focus on the developments in the Cyprus issue and his country's course toward the European Union accession in view of US president Clinton's visit to Athens and Ankara and the EU Summit meeting in Helsinki.

    In the following days, Greek foreign minister Giorgos Papandreou will launch a campaign for the briefing of the EU partners over the moves made by the Greek government aimed at the improvement of the Greek-Turkish relations. Mr. Papandreou will visit the European capitals for contacts in an effort to make sure that there will be no obstacles to Cyprus' EU accession course.

    [12] SMALL RISE IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE

    The general index in the Athens Stock Exchange closed at 6.155,21 with a small rise of 0.45% regaining the ground it had lost temporarily in the opening of today's session.

    The volume of transactions reached 486.5 billion drachmas, as after the fluctuations recorded earlier the session closed again above the 6.000 mark.

    [13] IKA SENDS HUMANITARIAN AID TO THE EARTHQUAKE VICTIMS IN TURKEY

    The Greek Social Security Institution, IKA, will send humanitarian aid of 30 million drachmas to the residents of the earthquake stricken region of Izmit which was devastated on August 17.

    The form of the aid was decided during yesterday's visit to Izmit by a delegation headed by deputy director of IKA Mr. Antonis Karras. Specifically, it was decided that 20 million drachmas from the INTERREG program will be used for vaccines and medicine and 10 million for the construction of a small health center that will treat cases of infectious diseases.

    [14] AN ADVISER TO THE NEW DEMOCRACY LEADER RESIGNS OVER STATEMENTS HE MADE

    Adviser to right-wing main opposition party of New Democracy leader Kostas Karamanlis and general director of "K. Karamanlis Institute of Democracy" Yiannis Loulis submitted his resignation to Institute chairman Ioannis Varvitsiotis.

    Mr. Loulis was led to this decision after the strong reaction by parliament deputies and other party officials over his statement to the Athens newspaper "Sunday Ethnos" according to which, the party of New Democracy is a "worn-out product".

    Party parliament deputies had called for this expulsion maintaining that New Democracy is not worn-out, while an intense confrontation has broken out inside the party as certain of its high ranking members launched direct attacks against the associates of Kostas Karamanlis.

    New Democracy spokesman Aris Spiliotopoulos stated that Mr. Loulis is a political analyst who expresses his own views.

    [15] REPPAS: THE CLINTON VISIT WILL BE SUCCESSFUL

    The visit of US president Bill Clinton is important, stated Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas expressing the belief that it will be successful.

    Responding to a question on the statements made by Turkish foreign minister Ismail Cem, Mr. Reppas commented that Greece and other countries are in favor of Turkey's European prospect but Turkey is the one that has to make the necessary moves to promote it.

    [16] UN MILITARY OBSERVERS HAVE BEEN ABDUCTED IN ABKHAZIA

    According to information, Greek army major, Giorgos Kopanos is among the military observers of the United Nations, who were abducted by gunmen in the break away republic of Abkhazia in the former soviet republic of Georgia.

    An official of the security service in Abkhazia stated that 7 UN observers are being held in the village of Andzhara, 75 kilometers from the regional capital of Sokhumi, and that they were captured by members of the "Svan" minority which is in conflict with the local authorities. However, Abkhazian minister of defense Vladimir Mikanba stated that the captured are 5 and not 7 as it was mentioned earlier.

    The rebels have asked for 200.000 dollars as ransom in order to free the captured. Based on information, negotiations conducted by Georgian officials and a Chinese diplomat of the UN are underway.

    The Russian news agencies have reported that the UN officials went to the region with a helicopter and they were abducted by gunmen as soon as they landed.

    [17] THE MEMBERS OF A RELIGIOUS SECT THREATEN TO COMMIT SUICIDE

    The authorities in the south-eastern Aegean island of Rhodes did not allow the 25 foreigners, who are on board a ship and threaten to commit a mass suicide in view of the arrival of the year 2000, to disembark as they are regarded as members of a religious sect.

    The 25 foreigners, who are on board the Cypriot flag "Island of Cyprus", have already left for the port of Piraeus where they are expected to arrive tomorrow at noon. Earlier, the 18 Irish, the 6 handicap children from Romania and their Colombian teacher, had maintained that they were Catholic and were not the members of a religious sect, while they denied that they intend to commit a mass suicide.

    Their spokesman stated that all started after the unacceptable, as they characterized it, stance of the Israelis who handled them as if they were terrorists and did not allow them to visit the Holy Land for unknown reasons.

    The Israeli authorities did not allow them to disembark maintaining that they are members of a religious sect, who believe that the end of the world will come in the year 2000 and plan to commit suicide. The ship left for Cyprus where they were also not allowed to disembark and yesterday at noon they set sail for Greece.

    [B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

    [18] PRESIDENT OF HELLENIC REPUBLIC CONDUCTS OFFICIAL VISIT TO IRAN

    The President of the Hellenic Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos continues his official visit to Iran today, where he will meet with religious leader Ali Khomeini.

    The president is accompanied by Foreign Minister George Papandreou, Agriculture Minister George Anomeritis, and a delegation of about 30 businessmen who will examine prospects of cooperation in the sectors of agricultural machinery, chemicals and containers.

    President Stephanopoulos will also meet with the President of Iran Mohamed Khatami and the country's former president Akbar Hosemi Rafsadjani.

    [19] PRESIDENT STEPHANOPOULOS MEETS WITH IRANIAN COUNTERPART

    The President of the Hellenic Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos, who began a three-day visit to Tehran yesterday, called for closer cooperation between Greece and Iran.

    Following a meeting with his Iranian counterpart Mohamed Khatami, President Stephanopoulos also said there should be stronger ties between Iran and the European Union through Greece.

    "My visit aims to promote closer cooperation than in the past, not only between our two countries but between the European Union and Iran through Greece," he stated, adding "we are following the development of Iran, and we hope that our relations will improve, because our countries have a lengthy past of cultural and historical affinity."

    However, he noted, exchanges are presently limited to sales of Iranian oil to Greece.

    "But there are many other fields to explore together to expand our economic and trade relations," the Greek president added. He further pointed out that Athens was among the first to back an appeal by President Khatami for a dialogue between the successors of the world's most ancient nations -- Egypt, Greece, Iran and Italy.

    In turn, President Khatami also referred to both the Persian and Greek civilizations, especially Plato.

    "Our respective positions, you in Europe and we in this part of the world, can be a very good basis for dialogue and cooperation," he stated.

    [20] COMMISSION TO PROPOSE ACCESSION TALKS FOR SIX NEW COUNTRIES

    The European Commission will propose that six new countries begin negotiations to join the European Union, the French news agency AFP reported.

    According to AFP, Commission President Romano Prodi will announce today the decision to invite Bulgaria, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Romania and Slovakia to negotiations, in a move that should be approved at the EU summit in Helsinki on December 10-11.

    As of next year, there will be 12 candidate nations for the EU. The six new candidates will join the six "first wave" candidates -- the Czech Republic, Cyprus, Estonia, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia.

    The "first wave" countries have been involved in membership talks with EU officials since November 1998.

    The Commission also will propose a new strategy for Turkey, which would help it to meet EU membership criteria, while still delaying the start of official negotiations with Ankara, the AFP reported.

    [21] C OF E HOLDS HUMAN RIGHTS CONFERENCE IN CYPRUS ON SATURDAY

    Distinguished personalities in the field of human rights will be in Cyprus on October 16 to attend a seminar marking the 50th anniversary since the establishment of the Council of Europe, which will focus on achievements and prospects in the field of human rights.

    Cypriot President Glafcos Clerides is scheduled to open the one-day meeting, which is organized by the International Association for the Protection of Human Rights of the Council of Europe and the Directorate of Human Rights of the Council.

    [22] TURKEY: THREE KILLED IN POST-QUAKE DEMOLITION WORK ACCIDENT

    Rescue teams retrieved a third body from the rubble of a building that collapsed during demolition work on Monday in Golcuk, trapping five people underneath, according to the Turkish news agency Anadolu.

    The incident occurred as the five men were tying cables to columns of the eight-story building, badly damaged in the earthquake that hit northwestern Turkey on August 17, killing at least 20,000 people.

    The three engineers and two technicians were employees of a private firm hired to demolish damaged buildings still standing in the town on the southeastern coast of the Marmara Sea.

    [23] PRESIDENT STEPHANOPOULOS MET WITH HIS IRANIAN COUNTERPART

    Greek president Kostis Stephanopoulos, who is on a formal visit to Iran, met today with his Iranian counterpart Mohamad Hatami in Teheran.

    Mr. Stephanopoulos stated characteristically that visits are being exchanged between friends, while he expressed the wish for the relations between Greece and Iran to be further developed.

    The Greek president is accompanied by ministers of foreign affairs and agriculture Giorgos Papandreou and Giorgos Anomeritis and by a delegation of 30 businessmen representing different sectors of the economy.

    Mr. Stephanopoulos will also have contacts with the country's religious leader Ali Hamenei and former president Hasemi Rafsatzani.

    [24] "INTRACOM" WILL ISSUE A BALKAN PHONE CARD IN BULGARIA

    The joint venture "Bulfon", the public phones operator in Bulgaria which is made up of the Greek "Intracom" and the Bulgarian Telecommunications Organization (BTK), will issue phone cards for telephone calls that will be made not only from Bulgaria but from Greece and Romania as well.

    The statement was made by "Bulfon's" executive director Alexander Georgiev, who clarified that the same will be in effect for the foreigners visiting Bulgaria as they will be able to use Greek and Romanian phone cards for calls from "Bulfon's" public phones. As it was made known, Cyprus will participate in this venture next year.

    [25] BULGARIA REMOVES THE BARBED WIRE FENCES AT ITS BORDERS WITH GREECE AND FYROM

    The Bulgarian border police began removing today the barbed wire fences at its borders with Greece and FYROM.

    As it had been expected, the removal of the fences started today from the region of the village of Gamprene in the prefecture of Petritsi.

    [26] THE GREEK MINORITY IN ALBANIA THREATENS WITH ROAD BLOCKADES

    The Greek minority living in the region of Ano Dropolis threatens that it will block the road linking Kakavia with Gjirokastra.

    The local residents demand the lawful compensation they deserve for their farms that were confiscated by the state in areas where the national road network was widened and improved.

    [27] TSOCHATZOPOULOS: THE COOPERATION OF THE BALKAN STATES IS NECESSARY FOR STABILITY IN THE REGION

    Greek minister of defense Akis Tsochatzopoulos, referring to the necessity of cooperation among the Balkan states for the promotion of common reforms, underlined that they have an obligation to cooperate with each other. In an interview with the Skopje weekly magazine "Start", Mr. Tsochatzopoulos stressed that the Stability Pact includes sectors concerning humanitarian activities, security, regional economy and social development and added that a close cooperation is necessary for its implementation.

    On Kosovo, Mr. Tsochatzopoulos stated that it can not become independent adding that it must remain multi-ethnic with guarantees for the rights of minorities in a decentralized governmental autonomy, in accordance with the United Nations document. He also stated that the Kosovo Liberation Army, KLA, leaders continue to state that they fight for their independence but this stance is not acceptable by the international community.

    On the expansion of cooperation between Greece and FYROM in the defense sector, Mr. Tsochatzopoulos stressed that there is good cooperation on issues of defense and security and this cooperation will be further expanded. Mr. Tsochatzopoulos stated that stability in Albania and FYROM is necessary for stability in the whole region and stressed that all the neighboring countries must support stability in Kosovo and assist in the stabilization of Yugoslavia. - - - - - - - - - - - - -

    - - - - - - - - - - - - -


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