Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 99-10-22
MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Thessaloniki, October 22, 1999
SECTIONS
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
NEWS HEADLINES
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] GREEK FM MEETS WITH SPANISH, BRITISH,
ITALIAN COUNTERPARTS
[02] STATE TO SUBMIT DRAFT BUDGET TO PARLIAMENT
ON NOVEMBER 3
[03] THESSALONIKI HOSTS CONFERENCE ON ELECTRONIC
COMMERCE
[04] FORMER PRESIDENT OF CYPRUS ARRIVES IN
ATHENS TODAY
[05] BALKAN ENVIRONMENTAL SEMINAR FOR KIDS HELD
IN THESSALONIKI
[06] THRACE, CYPRUS, BULGARIA COOPERATION ON
SMEs FURTHERED
[07] THESSALONIKI'S US CONSULATE HOSTS EVENT ON
GREECE'S JEWS
[08] GOVERNMENTAL COMMITTEE MEETING
[09] PAPANDREOU-CEM MEETING IN THESSALONIKI
[10] THE DECLINE IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE
CONTINUES
[11] THE ATHENS ASSOCIATION OF DAILY NEWSPAPERS
JOURNALISTS' ISSUED A MEETING INVITATION TO
JOURNALISTS' ASSOCIATIONS IN TURKEY
[12] THESSALONIKI'S GERMAN SCHOOL OFFERS HELP TO
THE EARTHQUAKE STRICKEN STUDENTS IN ISTANBUL
[13] A TURKISH SLAVE-TRADER WAS KILLED OFF THE
ISLAND OF CHIOS IN EASTERN AEGEAN
[14] MR. SIMITIS' COMMENTS AFTER THE
GOVERNMENTAL COMMITTEE MEETING
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[15] GREEK AND TURKISH EXPERTS HOLD THIRD ROUND
OF TALKS
[16] RUSSIAN TROOPS ARE A MERE 15 KILOMETERS
AWAY FROM GROZNY
[17] GREECE AND ALBANIA STRENGTHEN POLICE
COOPERATION ACCORD
[18] VARTHOLOMEOS VISITS BELGRADE TODAY, IN
TIRANA NEXT MONTH
[19] S.E. EUROPE'S ATTORNEYS GENERAL MEET IN
FYROM TODAY
[20] STRONG GREEK PRESENCE AT BELGRADE'S INT/NAL
BOOK FAIR
[21] THREE SOLDIERS ARRESTED FOR DEADLY ARSON
ATTACK IN IMVROS
[22] UNSOLVED MURDERS OF JOURNALISTS IN TURKEY
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NEWS IN DETAIL
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] GREEK FM MEETS WITH SPANISH, BRITISH,
ITALIAN COUNTERPARTS
Foreign Minister George Papandreou is
reportedly satisfied over the results of the
successive meetings he had with his counterparts
from the United Kingdom, Spain and Italy, as all
of the aforementioned ministers expressed their
understanding over Greece's position regarding
Turkey's European orientation.
Mr. Papandreou stated 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. As the EU is expected to grant Turkey
the candidate-country status, Greece is now
asking that Ankara seek refuge with the
International Court of The Hague in regards to
G/T matters.
[02] STATE TO SUBMIT DRAFT BUDGET TO PARLIAMENT
ON NOVEMBER 3
The next year's budget will be submitted to
Parliament on November 3, stated the Minster of
National Economy and Finance Yiannos Papantoniou
following his meeting with the Bank of Greece
governor Lucas Papademos yesterday.
Mr. Papantoniou stated that monetary policy
will remain tight until lower inflation is
secured. Mr. Papademos said that further cuts in
interest rates would depend on the course of
inflation and on the bank's estimates on price
stability and the inflation convergence
criterion to attain euro zone entry.
[03] THESSALONIKI HOSTS CONFERENCE ON ELECTRONIC
COMMERCE
A conference on electronic commerce,
business and digital economy begins in
Thessaloniki today, the first such event ever
held in southeast Europe.
The three-day event, to be inaugurated by
Development Minister Evangelos Venizelos, is
organized by the Commercial Association of
Thessaloniki with the European Commission's
information society's general directorate.
Delegates from the private and public
sectors throughout southeastern Europe and field
experts from European and US universities are
expected to attend the conference.
[04] FORMER PRESIDENT OF CYPRUS ARRIVES IN
ATHENS TODAY
The former President of the Republic of
Cyprus George Vasiliou is presently in Athens,
heading the delegation of officials who are
conducting negotiations for the island's
accession to the European Union.
Mr. Vasiliou will meet with Foreign Minster
George Papandreou and alternate FM Christos
Rokofyllos with whom he will discuss the
developments in the island's accession course.
[05] BALKAN ENVIRONMENTAL SEMINAR FOR KIDS HELD
IN THESSALONIKI
Children from throughout the Balkan region
will attend a Thessaloniki-held seminar on
environmental protection, organized by the
Environmental Conduct Center tomorrow and
Sunday.
Through simplified and brief presentations,
the children will become familiarized with
issues concerning the environment, natural
habitats, nuclear accidents as well as
pollution.
In addition to Greece, other countries to
be represented are Albania, Bulgaria, Cyprus,
FYROM, Romania, Turkey and Yugoslavia.
[06] THRACE, CYPRUS, BULGARIA COOPERATION ON
SMEs FURTHERED
A three-member delegation from Thrace
recently conducted visits to Cyprus and
Bulgaria, within the framework of the Interreg-
II program and the "Cross-border cooperation of
authorities supporting the small-to-medium-sized
enterprises" plan which is executed by the
Prefectural Local Administration of Rodopi-
Evros.
Speaking to the Macedonian Press Agency,
the president of the expanded prefectural
administration of Rodopi-Evros Mr. Nikolaides
stated that these visits aim at developing and
promoting cooperation between the local SMEs and
their counterparts from Cyprus and Bulgaria.
The Rodopi-Evros region, due to its
geographical location, constitutes a link
between two continents, which grants the area
with added advantages.
[07] THESSALONIKI'S US CONSULATE HOSTS EVENT ON
GREECE'S JEWS
The history of Thessaloniki's Jewish
community, one of the largest and most vibrant
in the world until it was obliterated by the
Nazi during WWII, was outlined in a seminar
hosted by the United States Consulate in
Thessaloniki yesterday.
The featured speaker, University of South
Florida associate professor Maria Esformes, a
known expert on the Jewish communities of Greece
and the overall Balkans, referred extensively to
the Sephardic Jews, their history and customs.
About 50,000 Thessaloniki Jews were killed
during the Nazi occupation of Greece.
[08] GOVERNMENTAL COMMITTEE MEETING
The governmental committee that met today
under the presidency of prime minister Kostas
Simitis discussed foreign policy issues.
Specifically, the discussion focused on
Greece's position in the European Union, its
participation in the EMU, the situation in the
Balkans, the stability pact in the region and
the Greek-Turkish relations. Also, they
discussed issues concerning the cultural
Olympiad and specifically, the infrastructure
projects necessary and the securing of funds
after the latest developments in the issue of
the video-lotto.
[09] PAPANDREOU-CEM MEETING IN THESSALONIKI
Greek foreign minister Giorgos Papandreou
will meet with his Turkish counterpart Ismail
Cem in Thessaloniki on the sidelines of the
Black Sea Economic Cooperation conference that
will be held in the city on October 27 and 28.
Meanwhile, the first phase of the third
round of the Greek-Turkish dialogue held with
the participation of specialists from both
foreign ministries, was completed in Ankara
today.
The Greek side has tabled 7 plans for the
signing of agreements aimed at avoiding double
taxation, protecting investments, improving the
economic and technical cooperation, while they
also concerned shipping issues and tourism,
cultural issues and the improvement of the
safety of the citizens.
The next meeting will take place in Athens
on October 25 and 26. The issues discussed
concerned regional cooperation, border security,
tourism, shipping and cultural issues. The
issues that will be examined in the Athens
meeting will concern the culture sector, multi-
lateral and regional cooperation and the safety
of the citizens.
[10] THE DECLINE IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE
CONTINUES
The decline in the Athens Stock Exchange
continued today. The general index dropped by
1.24% and closed at 5.600,15, while the
fluctuations recorded were intense and the
nervousness that was evident throughout the
session was due mainly to the cautious stance
adopted by the investors.
The investors again today rushed to
liquidate their shares in view of the weekend
aiming at quick gains. The purchase interest was
attracted mostly by the medium capitalization
shares. The bank shares were strongly pressured,
mainly that of the National Bank of Greece,
which dropped by 3.57% in the Wall Street
yesterday. Ninety four shares closed upward, 210
showed a decline and 16 remained stable.
[11] THE ATHENS ASSOCIATION OF DAILY NEWSPAPERS
JOURNALISTS' ISSUED A MEETING INVITATION TO
JOURNALISTS' ASSOCIATIONS IN TURKEY
The Athens Association of Daily Newspapers
Journalists' issued an invitation to the Union
of Turkish Journalists in Istanbul and the
Progressive Journalists' Union in Ankara within
the framework of the discussions it has launched
with delegations of all the professional
journalists organizations in the Balkans.
The Athens association suggested a meeting
to be held in the Greek capital in the first
half of November to discuss professional and
institutional issues of mutual interest.
Already, meetings have been held with the
Journalists Union in Serbia and the Union of
Independent Journalists in Serbia, while
meetings will follow with delegations from
Romania, Bulgaria, Albania and FYROM.
[12] THESSALONIKI'S GERMAN SCHOOL OFFERS HELP TO
THE EARTHQUAKE STRICKEN STUDENTS IN ISTANBUL
Fifty students and teachers of the German
and Greek department of Thessaloniki's German
School will visit schools in Istanbul on October
23-27 that had been damaged by the earthquakes.
The delegation that will visit Istanbul
will meet with students from Greek community
schools and Turkish high schools and will offer
them assistance in cash and in school items. The
money was collected in a fundraiser organized by
the German School for this specific purpose.
[13] A TURKISH SLAVE-TRADER WAS KILLED OFF THE
ISLAND OF CHIOS IN EASTERN AEGEAN
A Turkish slave-trader was killed just
after midnight at the sea region off the island
of Chios in eastern Aegean during a chase
involving a Greek Coast Guard patrol boat.
According to the ministry of merchant
marine, the incident occurred while the Turkish
speed-boat attempted to leave the region after
putting ashore an unknown number of illegal
immigrants.
When the Greek Coast Guard patrol boat
located the Turkish speed-boat his captain was
ordered to stop for inspection but he ignored
the calls and made dangerous manoeuvres ramming
the patrol boat and putting in danger the lives
of its crew.
The Coast Guard officers fired warning
shots in the air and later they aimed at the
boat's engine and fired killing the Turkish
slave-trader.
The Turkish speed-boat was towed to the
port of Chios, while another Turk who was on
board the boat was arrested and is being held.
[14] MR. SIMITIS' COMMENTS AFTER THE
GOVERNMENTAL COMMITTEE MEETING
Prime minister Kostas Simitis stated after
the end of the governmental committee meeting
today that Greece is in favor of the European
Union enlargement and Turkey's European prospect
but he regards Cyprus' accession into the
European Union, within the timetable set for the
rest EU candidate states, as a necessary
precondition.
Mr. Simitis also said that there should be
positive moves on behalf of Turkey in the
sectors of human rights, the improvement of its
relations with the neighboring states and the
respect of international accords.
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[15] GREEK AND TURKISH EXPERTS HOLD THIRD ROUND
OF TALKS
Greek and Turkish experts held a third
round of talks in Ankara yesterday, discussing
issues related to culture, environmental
protection, trade and tourism.
Heading the Greek delegation is Ambassador
Anastasios Skopelitis , while Turkey's
delegation is led by Mithat Balkan.
The next round of talks will be held in
Athens on October 25-26 and will focus on issues
related to regional cooperation, border security
and organized crime.
[16] RUSSIAN TROOPS ARE A MERE 15 KILOMETERS
AWAY FROM GROZNY
Russian troops are a mere 14 kilometers
away from Grozny, the capital city of Chechnya,
although Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has not
said when the forces will establish complete
control over the fourth Chechen district.
More than a dozen were killed from three
rocket explosions in the central market of
Grozny yesterday. According the reports from
Chechnya, 18 persons were killed and over 400
were injured.
[17] GREECE AND ALBANIA STRENGTHEN POLICE
COOPERATION ACCORD
Greece and Albania have agreed to
strengthen their already-existing police
cooperation accord, during a meeting held
yesterday in Sarande between the public order
ministers of both countries.
Greece's Michalis Chrysochoides and his
Albanian counterpart Spartak Poci agreed to
extend police cooperation to joint patrolling of
sea regions in order to counter smuggling and
illegal immigration, as well as the
strengthening of the Albanian police with
equipment and the training of Albanian police in
Greece in countering financial crimes.
"Greek support to Albania does not only
concern cooperation but also the establishment
of security and order generally and between the
members of the Greek minority," Mr.
Chrysochoides said.
In a ceremony held yesterday at the
Ministry of Public Order, the Albanian police
were given 110 bulletproof vests by the Greek
police.
[18] VARTHOLOMEOS VISITS BELGRADE TODAY, IN
TIRANA NEXT MONTH
Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos is to
conduct an official visit to the Belgrade today
where he will meet with the Patriarch of the
Serb orthodox Church Pavlos.
Mr. Vartholomeos will attend an ecological
conference to be held aboard a ship on the
Dunabe River.
The Ecumenical Patriarch will also visit
the Autocephalus Church of Albania on November 2-
9, where he will meet with the Archbishop of
Tirana and all of Albania Anastasios.
While in Tirana, Mr. Vartholomeos will also
meet with the President of Albania Reijep
Meidani, Premier Pandeli Majko and the Speaker
of the House.
[19] S.E. EUROPE'S ATTORNEYS GENERAL MEET IN
FYROM TODAY
The Attorneys-General from countries
comprised in the region of Southeastern Europe
are to meet in Ohrid, FYROM, today in order to
discuss the legal aspects of combating organized
crime and corruption.
The session will be inaugurated by the
President of FYROM Kiro Gligorov and will be
attended by the said country's ministers of
Justice and Interior.
The countries to be represented are Greece,
Albania, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, Romania and
Bosnia, while officials from the Council of
Europe will also be present.
[20] STRONG GREEK PRESENCE AT BELGRADE'S INT/NAL
BOOK FAIR
Greece has made a strong presence at the
44th International Book Fair, presently held in
Belgrade, since its pavilion is one of the few
foreign ones that escape the embargo imposed on
Yugoslavia.
The Greek ambassador in Belgrade gave a
reception at the pavilion yesterday, which was
attended by the Patriarch of Serbia Pavlos, Serb
author Milorad Pavic and a plethora of book
lovers.
[21] THREE SOLDIERS ARRESTED FOR DEADLY ARSON
ATTACK IN IMVROS
A Turkish court has arrested three soldiers
suspected of involvement in a deadly arson
attack against the home of a Greek family at the
village of Gliki on the island of Imvros.
A four-year-old boy, Alexander Sozde, was
burned in Sunday's blaze, while his two-year-
old sister Maria suffered burns before being
pulled out of the fire by her grandmother.
One of the three suspects had helped Maria
and her grandmother out of the burning house,
according to the Turkish news agency Anadolu,
which quotes an island official.
The other two soldiers had last month
threatened the children's mother, Maria Sozde,
30, when she refused to sleep with them,
according to Anadolu.
The Turkish foreign ministry has condemned
the incident and said all measures would be
taken to avoid the recurrence of "such hateful
attacks."
"I do not believe my house was burned down
because I am Greek," Maria Sozde said in an
interview with the Turkish daily Hurriyet.
[22] UNSOLVED MURDERS OF JOURNALISTS IN TURKEY
Yesterday's bomb attack targeting
"Cumhyriyet" columnist Ahmet Tamer Kislali added
one more name to the list with the names of
journalists who were murdered in Turkey in the
past 94 years raising their number to 58. Most
of the murders of scientists, authors and
journalists in Turkey remain unsolved, while
during the 80's the murder attempts organized by
Islamic extremist organizations targeting
journalists showed an increase.
Ahmet Tamer Kislali is the second reporter
of "Cumhurriyet" who was murdered in a period of
6 years. In 1993, the well-known journalist of
"Cumhurriyet" Ugur Mumzu was also killed in a
bomb attack and the case still remains unsolved
like the murder of "Milliyet" journalist Abdi
Ipekci which was committed 20 years ago and the
murder of "Hurriyet" editor-in-chief Cetin Emec
committed 9 years ago.
Turkey's Journalists Association president
Nail Gureli in his message condemned the Kislali
murder and accused the political leadership of
being unable to solve the murders of journalists
starting from the Ipekci murder 20 years ago.
Meanwhile, the Istanbul branch of the Human
Rights Union in a report on the human rights
violations committed in the last 3 months of
1999, that was drawn up before the Kislali
murder, points out that in this period of time 9
journalists were assaulted, 4 were injured, 4
were held in custody, 51 newspapers were
confiscated, while the publication of 11
newspapers and magazines was banned and after a
Supreme Radio-Television Council decision a
television station was forbidden to broadcast
for 7 days. Also, 3.907 people had been held in
custody (173 children and 1.500 women), 125 were
put in jail, 20 lost their lives in prison riots
and 105 people accused the police authorities of
submitting them to torture.
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