Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 2000-02-15
MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Thessaloniki, February 15, 2000
SECTIONS
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
NEWS HEADLINES
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] GREECE PIONEERS LIFT OF EU'S FLIGHT BAN ON SERBIA
[02] US, GREECE DISCUSS POLICE COOPERATION
[03] SAE'S NEW BOARD CONVENES IN THESSALONIKI
[04] GREECE, TURKEY TO COOPERATE IN TOURISM SECTOR
[05] BIOTOXINS TRACED IN LOCAL MUSSEL HARVEST
[06] COMPROMISE FOUND OVER OUZO, GRAPPA NAME ROW
[07] MOODY'S: EMU TO BOOST GREEK BANKS
[08] CONFERENCE REVIEWS INVESTMENTS IN GREECE
[09] O.A. HEEDS REACTIONS, REVIEWS MELBOURNE FLIGHT
[10] NEW RECORD HIGH IN OIL PRICES
[11] THE DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS HELP ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS
[12] MIRELA MANIANI-TZELILI HOLDS THE WORLD RECORD IN THE JAVELIN
[13] LOSSES OF 0.86% IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[14] EU TO LIFT SERBIA FLIGHT BAN FOR SIX MONTHS
[15] SERB OPPOSITION HAILS EU DECISION TO LIFT BAN
[16] GREEK-CYPRIOT AND TURKISH-CYPRIOT LEADERS MEET
[17] GREEK-AMERICAN QUESTIONNAIRE TO PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES
[18] MANY SANCTIONS STIL IN PLACE AGAINST YUGOSLAVIA
[19] THE OTE PRESIDENT IN BELGRADE
[20] TURKISH JOURNALISTS HAVE BEEN SENTENCED TO PRISON TERMS OF 96
YEARS
[21] THE GREEK LOBBY INFLUENCES THE US CONGRESS
[22] SUPER PROFITS FOR THE NATIONAL BANK OF GREECE
[23] A GREEK-AMERICAN FILM DOCUMENTARY ON THE ASIA MINOR DISASTER
NEWS IN DETAIL
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] GREECE PIONEERS LIFT OF EU'S FLIGHT BAN ON SERBIA
After the European Union decided yesterday to lift its ban
on commercial airline flights to and from Serbia for the next six
months, Foreign Minister George Papandreou stated that Greece was
the only country which stated that the time has come to lift the
embargo for humanitarian reasons, while also believing that a
systematic approach has to be made for Yugoslavia's
reconstruction.
"We were alone. Today, there are 13 countries which agree
with the Greek view and I believe that this greatly justifies the
Greek view," Mr. Papandreou said.
Although the EU Foreign Affairs Council decided to lift the
ban for six months, Greece and Italy held the view that it should
be lifted for a longer period of time.
Mr. Papandreou also stated that the EU policy should be
reviewed so as to send a strong message to the Serb people that
Europe is near them.
[02] US, GREECE DISCUSS POLICE COOPERATION
Greece and the United States are presently holding
discussions concerning police cooperation between the two
countries, as government spokesperson Dimitris Reppas stated
yesterday.
Mr. Reppas stated that these talks are expected to soon
materialize into a bilateral agreement which will be submitted to
the Hellenic Parliament for ratification.
Concerning the abolishment of the US visa requirement for
Greece, the government spokesman said that the issue is presently
being reviewed and discussed.
[03] SAE'S NEW BOARD CONVENES IN THESSALONIKI
The new -and expanded- board of directors of the
Council of Hellenes Abroad (SAE) is to hold its first session in
Thessaloniki between February 16-20.
The board, elected during SAE's Third International Assembly
which was also held in Thessaloniki in December, is featuring a
larger number of directors in order to meet its augmented
organizational responsibilities. The 11-member Board features two
additional members, a secretary, a treasurer, as well as a
representative of the Cypriots Living Abroad,
Among the changes in SAE's structure is the establishment of
six-member regional councils which will participate in the
administration of each of the dour region, as well as the founding
of four forums and one SAE Youth Council.
[04] GREECE, TURKEY TO COOPERATE IN TOURISM SECTOR
Leading figures from Greece and Turkey are to attend an
Athens-held conference organized by SKAL, concerning friendly
cooperation "SkAL Greece-Turkey".
The event, to be held on February 18, will feature the
participation of the chairman of Greece's Tourism Organization and
director of the Athens SKAL Yiannis Stefanides, as well as
representatives from hotelier and shipowner associations.
Thirty-five members from Turkey's SKAL are to meet with their
Greek counterparts within the framework of cooperation
opportunities.
The Turkish and Greek businessmen are to visit the island of
Syros on February 19.
[05] BIOTOXINS TRACED IN LOCAL MUSSEL HARVEST
A ban has been placed on the cultivation of the Pierias
mussel harvest after Italian import authorities impounded 3.5
tonnes of Pierias mussels with traces of biotoxins.
Prefecture authorities are reportedly surprised over the
findings of the Italian authorities, since, as they said, samples
have been repeatedly tested at Thessaloniki's Veterinary Institute
and showed no trace of contamination.
While local authorities continue to test, they have yet to
find any traces of biotoxins and have not ruled out the
possibility that the Italians may be mistaken. The impounded
mussels had been cultivated in early January.
[06] COMPROMISE FOUND OVER OUZO, GRAPPA NAME ROW
The European Commission is to put an end to a row over liquor
names, as South Africa is reportedly ready to accommodate both
Greece and Italy by gradually phasing out its production and trade
of "ouzo", an aniseed-flavored liquor made in Greece, and
"grappa", an Italian grape-based spirit.
Greece and Italy had threatened not to ratify an EU-South
Africa trade-enhancing deal unless they won more protection for
their trademark drinks.
As both Greece and Italy have now lifted their veto, South
Africa is to begin on the phasing out process immediately, with
all production of the aforementioned drinks to cease within five
years.
[07] MOODY'S: EMU TO BOOST GREEK BANKS
Greece's course of accession to the Economic and Monetary
Union (EMU) is enhancing profits at Greek banks, according to
Moody's latest annual report on the Greek Banking System.
According to Moody's, Greek banks have intensified their
efforts to grow market share, strengthen franchise, and enter new
markets while profits last year received a boost from enhanced
capital markets performance prompted by Greece's economic
transition ahead of joining the EMU.
"The transformation of the Greek banks has accelerated,"
according to the report's author Mardig Haladjian.
Privatization of Greece's public banks is also expected to
continue, according to Moody's, as "the driver behind all this
activity has been the realization that Greek banks will need to
have a critical mass, a defensible local niche and a lower cost
base in order to survive in the eurozone.
"Despite the expected increase in foreign competition over
the next few years, we see good prospects for Greek banks to
maintain a high level of performance and to develop their business
in the relatively under-banked retail and personal markets of
Greece," the report states.
In addition to the new competition, a growing involvement in
consumer lending - with its inherent higher credit risk - might
pose a threat to credit quality. Moody's says, however, that the
higher margins of the business more than justify this foray.
Moody's also says efforts to expand into other Balkan
countries are being handled prudently. In general, the Greek banks
show improving financials. Moody's reports that most Greek banks
have managed to raise loan loss provisions to comfortable levels,
but that further improvement needs to be made in productivity and
efficiency levels.
[08] CONFERENCE REVIEWS INVESTMENTS IN GREECE
Investments in the Greek market in light of the country's
imminent accession to the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) are
being discussed in a two-day conference presently underway in
Athens, organized by "The Economist" in cooperation with Laidlaw
Global Corporation of New York.
The topics reviewed include the Greek market's institutional
framework, the state' s tax and economic policies, the monetary
policy enforced by the Bank of Greece, the Greek banks' role in
attracting foreign capital, investments pertaining to the Olympic
Games of 2004, and investments in the Balkan region.
The conference, attended by noted foreign officials, will be
addressed by Greece's Minister of Defense Akis Tsochatzopoulos and
other leading figures of Greece's industrial and economic sectors.
[09] O.A. HEEDS REACTIONS, REVIEWS MELBOURNE FLIGHT
Olympic Airways chief executive Rod Lynch is to reportedly
reconsider a recent OA decision to stop flying to Melbourne -
which prompted an outcry from many Greek-Australians - and fly
only to Sydney.
Mr. Lynch will meet tomorrow with the presidium of the Civil
Aviation Associations Federation, as well as with pilots and
stewardesses, many of whom are also opposed to the Athens-
Melbourne route cancellation.
[10] NEW RECORD HIGH IN OIL PRICES
Oil prices reached a nine-year record high yesterday. In the
London market the crude oil price was at US$ 28.40 a barrel
increased by 58 cents compared to last Friday, while similar
tendencies were recorded in the New York market where the crude
oil prices reached US$ 29.75.
Meanwhile, Iraq reiterated the warning that it will cut its
oil production and exports if the United States do not consent to
the imports of the necessary equipment for the maintenance of the
oil drilling and refinery facilities in the country.
The Iraqi oil minister had stated a few days ago that his
country's exports is possible to be cut by 250.000 barrels a day.
Greek minister of national economy Yiannos Papantoniou had
stated yesterday that the oil price increases at an international
level will not affect Greece's efforts to meet the convergence
criterion of inflation as they will affect the overall European
inflation rate. He said that the increase of the oil prices
internationally is an unfavorable development for the world
economy that creates inflationary pressures and leads to the
redistribution of income in favor of the oil producing countries.
Minister of development Evangelos Venizelos expressed the
certainty that the oil price explosion is observed at an
international level and will not affect Greece's course toward the
EMU, stressing that the problem is faced by all the European
economies.
Also, Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas gave the
assurance that the Greek economy can face developments such as the
sudden increase in the oil prices.
[11] THE DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS HELP ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS
Over 1 million illegal immigrants are in Greece and need
medical care, according to the Doctors Without Borders who gave a
press conference in Thessaloniki. In their effort to help the
people who need them they drew up a program called the "Next Door
Program". The program is implemented in Thessaloniki since last
year with the participation of 70 volunteers and it is aimed at
helping those illegal immigrants with health problems.
The Doctors Without Borders gave to publicity data concerning
the help they had offered to illegal immigrants. Specifically,
from March 1999 to January 2000 the organization's social services
have examined 3.227 individuals from 34 countries. The most cases
came from Albania and the former soviet republic of Georgia, 36.6%
and 33.1% respectively.
The Doctors Without Borders in their press conference sent
the message that in spite of the fact that they have been expelled
from the World Organization they will continue their work under
the name Doctors Without Borders of Greece as their only wish is
to be near the people who need their help.
[12] MIRELA MANIANI-TZELILI HOLDS THE WORLD RECORD IN THE JAVELIN
Greek champion Mirela Maniani-Tzelili holds the world record
in the javelin after the World Track and Field Federation
recognized as a world record the 67.09 meters she threw in
Seville, Spain.
The World Federation recognized her performance after judging
as invalid the record made by Norwegian Hatestad (68.19 meters)
because she did not undergo anti-doping control after the throw.
[13] LOSSES OF 0.86% IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE
Losses of 0.85% were recorded in the general index of the
Athens Stock Exchange today.
The Athens Stock Exchange session closed under the 5.500
points mark at 5.413,73 points while the volume of transactions
was at 218.6 billion drachmas.
Stock market circles point out that fresh money is needed in
order for the Athens Stock Exchange to have a better performance.
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[14] EU TO LIFT SERBIA FLIGHT BAN FOR SIX MONTHS
The European Union will lift its ban on commercial airline
flights to and from Yugoslavia's republic of Serbia for the next
six months, according to a decision taken at a regular meeting of
EU foreign ministers in Brussels yesterday.
The general director of JAT, Yugoslav air carrier, Zika
Petrovic, stated last night that the airline was "completely
ready" to resume flights to EU countries, albeit adding that he
was waiting to see what conditions would be attached to suspension
of the sanction.
[15] SERB OPPOSITION HAILS EU DECISION TO LIFT BAN
Serbia's opposition has hailed the European Union's decision
to lift its ban on commercial airline flights to and from Serbia
for the next six months.
Zoran Djindjic, the leader of one of the main opposition
parties, the Democratic Party, told the independent Beta news
agency in Belgrade that the suspension was "a very important
signal that shows that the democratic opposition in Serbia has
obtained major international respect."
Vuk Draskovic, leader of the opposition Serbian Renewal
Movement, told the same agency he now expected an increase in
humanitarian aid to Serbia and the end of the oil embargo.
The opposition has repeatedly asked the European Union to end
the flight ban, arguing it hurt common Serbs more than it did the
Yugoslav president, who is seen by the United States and its
European allies as the main obstacle to Balkan peace.
[16] GREEK-CYPRIOT AND TURKISH-CYPRIOT LEADERS MEET
Leaders and representatives of Greek-Cypriot and Turkish-
Cypriot political parties met yesterday at the Ledra Palace Hotel
in the UN-controlled buffer zone in Nicosia, the first time in
such a meeting was held in three years.
Held on the initiative of the Slovak embassy in Nicosia, the
meeting was attended by representatives of all the major parties
from both sides of the divided island, except the Turkish Cypriot
National Unity Party.
The United Nations welcomed the rare contact at the Ledra
Palace in Nicosia.
"Some may have met in between, but this is the first contact
at an official organized party level between both sides since
December 3 1997 and we welcome that," UN spokesman Charles Gaulkin
told the French news agency AFP.
"All contacts are welcome and this is a useful development
which we hope will lead to more contact," he added.
The event comes less than a week after the second round of
proximity talks wound up in Geneva amid expectations that goodwill
gestures for greater bi-communal contact would follow.
[17] GREEK-AMERICAN QUESTIONNAIRE TO PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES
The American Hellenic Institute Public Affairs Committee
(AHIPAC) has sent a letter and questionnaire to the United States
Democrat and Republican presidential candidates, seeking the
candidates' response to the following six questions:
If elected President of the United States would your
Administration:
1. Form a special relationship with Greece in accordance with
Greece's status as the key regional nation for U.S. interests?
2. Publicly state that the maritime borders in the Aegean
between Greece and Turkey have been delimited by international
treaty and that, as far as international and U.S. law is
concerned, there are no unresolved territorial disputes in the
Aegean?
3. Publicly state that the Ecumenical Patriarchate in
Istanbul should enjoy full religious and other freedoms, including
the right to reopen the Halki School of Theology, and that any
failure to achieve these objectives will be deemed a human rights
violation?
4. Publicly acknowledge that it is a high priority for U.S.
foreign policy to achieve a long-term resolution of the Cyprus
problem consistent with fundamental American values, the rule of
law and United Nations resolutions?
5. Direct the relevant U.S. departments to conduct a critical
review of U.S. policy toward Turkey so that it is consistent with
U.S. democratic and human rights principles?
6. Publicly welcome the decision of the European Union at its
December 10-11, 1999 meeting in Helsinki to apply strict
conditionality to Turkey's candidacy for EU accession and direct
the relevant departments to provide regular public accounts of
Turkey's progress in meeting this conditionality?
AHIPAC Chairman Mr. Nicholas E. Chimicles stated that with
events moving fast in Southeast Europe and the Eastern
Mediterranean, the next Administration will face important
decisions about American relations with Greece, Cyprus and Turkey.
[18] MANY SANCTIONS STIL IN PLACE AGAINST YUGOSLAVIA
The ban on commercial airline flights to and from Serbia,
which the European Union lifted for six months yesterday, is one
of many measures taken by Western powers and the United Nations in
reprisal for Belgrade's policy towards Kosovo. According
to an outline provided by the French news agency AFP, the
following sanctions are still in place against Yugoslavia:
EUROPEAN UNION:
Economic sanctions:
Oil embargo -- The EU approved the ban on the sale of oil to
Yugoslavia, and all activities which directly or indirectly
encourage such sales, on April 23 1999.
Others -- The EU froze Belgrade's assets in all member countries,
and banned EU investments in Serbia in June 1998.
The assets freeze was extended on April 26, 1999 to include any
individuals associated with Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic
an any companies controlled by, or working for, Yugoslavia and
Serbia.
At the same time, a ban on export credits was extended to the
private sector, to European investments in Yugoslavia and to the
supply of all goods and services linked to internal repression.
Diplomatic sanctions:
Also on April 26, 1999, the EU banned the issue of visas to Mr.
Milosevic, his family and a list of Yugoslav officials. The EU
intends to extend the list.
Military sanctions:
The EU has had an arms embargo in place against Yugoslavia since
February 1996.
It decided to lif| measures in place against Kosovo and Montenegro
on September 6, 1999, despite their being part of the Federal
Republic of Yugoslavia, but a rule on how that suspension could be
applied must first be established.
UNITED NATIONS
Arms embargo:
An arms embargo against Belgrade, aimed at forcing Yugoslavia to
begin dialogue with the Kosovan Albanians, was imposed by the UN
Security Council under resolution 1160 on March 31, 1998.
It was the first measure taken by the UN since lifting previous
sanctions against Belgrade on October 1, 1996 following the
signing of the Dayton accord which ended three years of war in
Bosnia-Herzegovina.
UNITED STATES
The United States continues to block Yugoslavia's access to
credits from the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.
Washington reinforced its sanctions, which are essentially
economic, on May 1, 1999 by banning the trade in all goods with
Serbia.
[19] THE OTE PRESIDENT IN BELGRADE
The interest of the Greek Telecommunications Organization,
OTE, in the development of telecommunications in Serbia because
they will help in the overall growth of the Serb economy and
society securing a better life for the Serb people, was underlined
in the meeting Greek Telecommunications Organization, OTE,
president Vasilis Rapanos had with the president of Serbia's
Telecommunications and Postal Service Organization, PTT, during
his visit to Belgrade heading a Greek delegation.
PTT president Milos Nesovic thanked Greece for the help it
has offered to Serbia and referred to the support and solidarity
of the Greek people and the OTE employees' unions to the Serbs
during the NATO bombings. He pointed out the successful and
constructive contribution of OTE which is the strategic partner of
Telecom Serbia and spoke about the problems that were created
because of the bombings.
PTT board of directors chairwoman Radmila Atzelovic expressed
the certainty that cooperation between the two companies will
become stronger in the future.
[20] TURKISH JOURNALISTS HAVE BEEN SENTENCED TO PRISON TERMS OF 96
YEARS
Prison terms of 96 years in total have been imposed to
journalists in Turkey last January, according to the monthly
report issued by the Turkish Association of Journalists.
Turkish journalists were assaulted in five separate incidents
in January and in one case the assault came from a Nationalist
Action Party parliament deputy. Specifically, a cameraman of the
news agency IHA was injured with a knife, while the offices of the
newspapers Akit and Atilim were attacked by gunmen. Bomb attacks
were recorded against the offices of the newspaper Hurriyet and
the Eskisehir branch of the Association of Modern Journalists.
[21] THE GREEK LOBBY INFLUENCES THE US CONGRESS
The Greek lobby exerts a strong influence on the US Congress
according to the US daily "Washington Post" adding that Israel and
Taiwan are also among the countries that try to have a presence at
the backstage of the US foreign policy through different companies
that undertake to improve their image and promote their interests.
Furthermore, the newspaper report referred to the efforts
made by the Pakistan lobbyists to secure a visit of US president
Clinton to the country and the efforts made by Pakistan's nuclear
rival India aimed at ruling out such a likelihood during the
scheduled formal visit of the US president to India.
The newspaper writes that the final decision on the issue
will depend less on the reports drawn up by Mr. Clinton's advisers
and more on the power of the companies that are paid with huge
sums of money to lobby for India and Pakistan in Washington.
[22] SUPER PROFITS FOR THE NATIONAL BANK OF GREECE
Belgian newspaper L'ECHO published a praising article on the
National Bank of Greece underlining that its profits doubled in
1999 compared to the previous year.
The newspaper mentioned that the state-controlled National
Bank of Greece Group had almost doubled its before taxes profit in
1999 compared to 1998.
An increase of 76% was recorded in the bank transactions,
while there was a considerable increase of 70% in the bank's
available capital.
[23] A GREEK-AMERICAN FILM DOCUMENTARY ON THE ASIA MINOR DISASTER
"Smirni: The forgotten holocaust" is the title of a film
documentary which is a Hellinas Multimedia production in
cooperation with the Greek-American Culture Institute, a Boston
based non profit organization.
The historical film documentary will present the 3.000 year
history of Hellenism in Asia Minor and the disaster of Smirni
(Ismir) through the testimonies of survivors, written and verbal
testimonies and numerous family and archive photographs. The
documentary will be filmed in different regions in Greece and
Turkey.
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