Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 2000-05-18
MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Thessaloniki, May 18, 2000
SECTIONS
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
NEWS HEADLINES
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] MILITARY AIRCRAFT CRASHES ON TOP OF A HOUSE
[02] TWO GIRLS BURN TO DEATH WHEN F4 CRASHES ON HOME
[03] PROSECUTOR FILES CHARGES AGAINST FALCON'S PILOTS
[04] GREECE, CYPRUS HOLD JOINT MILITARY EXERCISE
[05] COSMOTE, TELENOR BUY 85% STAKE OF ALBANIA'S AMC
[06] A7 CORSAIR PILOT SUCCUMBS TO INJURIES FROM CRASH
[07] INTERNATIONAL MUSEUM DAY CELEBRATED TODAY
[08] THE BALKAN FOREIGN MINISTERS WILL MEET IN THESSALONIKI ON
JUNE 10
[09] THE NEW PRIVATE CAR OF THE GREEK CAR INDUSTRY WILL BE READY
NEXT YEAR
[10] PAPANDREOU WILL DELIVER A SPEECH IN LONDON ON THE PARTHENON
MARBLES
[11] PAPANDREOU-BURNS MEETING
[12] THE "YES" IN THE EUROPARLIAMENT BROUGHT GAINS TO THE ATHENS
STOCK EXCHANGE
[13] GREECE CONDEMNS YESTERDAY'S EVENTS IN SERBIA
[14] THE GREEK GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN ON THE AIR FORCE JET CRASH
[15] THE GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN ON THE CONFIDENCE-BUILDING-MEASURES
IN THE AEGEAN
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[16] ARAFAT MEETS WITH GREEK PRESIDENT IN BETHLEHEM
[17] EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT TO ENDORSE GREEK EMU ENTRY
[18] MELBOURNE, CRETE UNIVERSITIES TO COOPERATE
[19] SAE PRESIDENT AWARDED BY SERB ORTHODOX CHURCH
NEWS IN DETAIL
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] MILITARY AIRCRAFT CRASHES ON TOP OF A HOUSE
An F-4 military aircraft crashed on top of a house in
Antikira, Viotia, during training maneuvers this afternoon,
killing both the pilot and co-pilot, while one young woman, out
of three persons who were inside the home at the time, escaped
unharmed.
According to unverified reports, two more girls are believed
to be trapped inside the burning, two-storey house. Fire brigades
have rushed to the scene, and are presently searching for
survivors. The aircraft had taken off at 10:45 this morning
from the Andravida air force base and was conducting maneuvers
with another F-4. Eyewitnesses have reported that the aircraft was
flying at a very low altitude prior to crashing.
Today's accident occurred a few kilometers away from the site
where another F-4 crashed last January, killing both pilots.
[02] TWO GIRLS BURN TO DEATH WHEN F4 CRASHES ON HOME
Two girls burned to death when an F-4 military aircraft
crashed on top of their house in Antikira, Viotia (southern
Greece), this morning.
The aircraft crashed during training maneuvers, killing both
the pilot and co-pilot, while one of the three young women inside
the home at the time, escaped unharmed.
According to the information office of the General Air Force
Staff, the names of the pilot and co-pilot are Constantinos
Alexandrakis, 31, and Polykarpos Mouchtouris, 29. The two girls
are Iro Papaharalampous, 16, and Irene Kollia, 21.
Flying at a 500-feet altitude, the ill-fated aircraft
crashed at a speed of 800-kilometers per hour.
[03] PROSECUTOR FILES CHARGES AGAINST FALCON'S PILOTS
An Athens prosecutor has filed unintentional manslaughter
charges against the two pilots who commanded the Greek Premier's
corporate jet on an ill-fated flight that witnessed the death of
seven passengers last year, including the country's alternate
foreign minister Yannos Kranidiotis.
The charges follow the tabling of an experts report ordered
by the Athens prosecutors office, in which "human error"
is ruled as the cause of the accident and not mechanical failure.
S Specifically, the two pilots are cited as flying at an
excessive speed (336 knots instead of a manufacturers prescribed
speed of 260 knots) and of disregarding directions issued by air
traffic controllers from Bucharest airport.
[04] GREECE, CYPRUS HOLD JOINT MILITARY EXERCISE
Greece's armed forces and the National Guard of Cyprus are
presently holding a joint military exercise code-named "Vergina-
Toxotis", held within the framework of the Unified Defense
Doctrine.
Greek war ships, which are in the area between Rhodes and
Cyprus, are also taking place in the exercise.
[05] COSMOTE, TELENOR BUY 85% STAKE OF ALBANIA'S AMC
An 85-percent stake of Albania's Mobile Communications (AMC)
has been purchased by Greece's COSMOTE and Norway's TELENOR for
85 million US dollars following an international competition.
COSMOTE, a subsidiary of Greece's Telecommunications
Organization (OTE) and TELENOR posted a bid of $85.6 million,
edging by far offers made by PANAFON and TURKCELL which amounted
to $40 and $39 million respectively.
According to a COSMOTE official, the Greek company hopes to
expand its activities throughout the neighboring country, in a
joint venture with TELENOR.
AMC net profits marked a 123% increase last year, surpassing
the seven-million-dollar mark.
[06] A7 CORSAIR PILOT SUCCUMBS TO INJURIES FROM CRASH
The pilot of the A7 Corsair aircraft which crashed on
Tuesday at Crete's Souda military base, succumbed to his injuries
today.
The 26-year-old first lieutenant Dimitris Agiasofites
suffered massive burns when his aircraft crashed immediately after
taking off from the base.
[07] INTERNATIONAL MUSEUM DAY CELEBRATED TODAY
All Greek museums and archaeological sites will be open free
of charge today, which has been declared International Museum Day.
This year's theme is "Museums for a harmonious and peaceful
development of society".
Thessaloniki's "Archeological Museum Friends Assocaition"
organized a free tour today, while the Greek Archaeologists
Association in Athens will hold a round table discussion this
evening.
Also, the Jewish Museum is holding organized tours, while the
Museum of Greek Folklore Art is featuring an educational program
for kids.
[08] THE BALKAN FOREIGN MINISTERS WILL MEET IN THESSALONIKI ON
JUNE 10
A Balkan foreign ministers' meeting will be held in
Thessaloniki on June 7-10 within the framework of the Stability
Pact and on the sidelines of the Balkan Conference.
Within the framework of the foreign ministers' summit there
will be meetings of non governmental organizations from all the
Balkan states, while an invitation will be issued to the Serb
society of citizens.
[09] THE NEW PRIVATE CAR OF THE GREEK CAR INDUSTRY WILL BE READY
NEXT YEAR
The first small polymorphic car designed by the Greek Car
Industry, which seeks to expand its activities to the
manufacturing of products used by the civilian population, will be
ready next year, stated in a press conference company chairman
Likourgos Sakellaris.
It will be a three-door car and the company will be able to
produce 400 such vehicles annually. It will be a convertible, with
flexible interior and it will target the car rental market and the
young consumers.
[10] PAPANDREOU WILL DELIVER A SPEECH IN LONDON ON THE PARTHENON
MARBLES
Greek foreign minister Giorgos Papandreou will be in London
on June 5 invited by the British parliament special committee.
Mr. Papandreou will deliver a speech on culture and the mass
media and he will answer to questions regarding the return of the
Parthenon Marbles to Greece.
[11] PAPANDREOU-BURNS MEETING
Greek foreign minister Giorgos Papandreou met in Athens today
with US ambassador Nicholas Burns.
According to diplomatic sources, the topic of discussion was
the preparation of Mr. Papandreou's meeting with US Secretary of
State Madeleine Albright scheduled to be held on the sidelines of
the NATO ministers' council meeting in Florence, Italy on May 23-
24.
The two foreign ministers had agreed in New York to meet
again to discuss the developments in the Balkans.
Mr. Papandreou and Mr. Burns also discussed the course of
bilateral relations while, according to the same sources, a
special reference was made to the bilateral agreement that is
still pending and concerns the police cooperation between the two
countries.
The Greek foreign minister reiterated to the US ambassador
that the Greek government is firm to it position namely, that the
signing of the agreement will be made at the appropriate level and
by both sides.
[12] THE "YES" IN THE EUROPARLIAMENT BROUGHT GAINS TO THE ATHENS
STOCK EXCHANGE
Gains of 0.79% were recorded in the Athens Stock Exchange
today with the general index at 4.740,79 points, while the volume
of transactions reached 253 billion drachmas.
Of the stocks trading today 308 recorded gains and 30 had
losses.
[13] GREECE CONDEMNS YESTERDAY'S EVENTS IN SERBIA
The Greek foreign ministry condemned yesterday's events in
Serbia and the obstruction of the operation of the pro-opposition
television station "Studio B" in Belgrade.
Greek foreign ministry spokesman Panos Beglitis stated that
such anti-democratic actions by the Belgrade regime underline the
serious lack of democracy in Serbia.
He said that Greece is in favor of the democratic
developments in Serbia, the freedom of expression and the
dissemination of ideas.
[14] THE GREEK GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN ON THE AIR FORCE JET CRASH
The government's grief for the air tragedy involving a Greek
Air Force jet that resulted to the deaths of four people, two
pilots and two young girls on the ground, was expressed by
government spokesman Dimitris Reppas.
When asked by reporters on the causes of the crash Mr. Reppas
stated that it would be immature, thoughtless and a blasphemy to
speak about it at this point.
Regarding the maintenance of the aircraft, Mr. Reppas stated
that the Air Force fleet is reliable, adding that the aircraft
undergo maintenance regularly and are at a high level of
operation. He also praised the efforts of the pilots who take the
aircraft to their limits and sometimes put their own lives at
risk.
[15] THE GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN ON THE CONFIDENCE-BUILDING-MEASURES
IN THE AEGEAN
The issue of the confidence-building-measures in the Aegean
is discussed by Greece and Turkey within the framework of NATO,
stated Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas when asked to
comment on whether a political-military committee has been set up
in Athens to deal with the issue.
The Greek government spokesman also stressed that he is not
aware if a similar committee has been set up in Ankara and that
the issue is being discussed within the framework of NATO.
Mr. Reppas stated that the Greek side has decided the
cooperation of the ministries of foreign affairs and defense which
have already formed a joint committee that will deal with issues
that are not included in the list of issues under discussion
within the framework of NATO.
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[16] ARAFAT MEETS WITH GREEK PRESIDENT IN BETHLEHEM
The President of the Hellenic Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos
met with the leader of Palestine Yasser Arafat in Bethlehem
yesterday, prior to ending his official visit to Israel.
Following a formal dinner held in honor of his guest, Mr.
Arafat thanked the Greek President for "his significant visit on
behalf of the friendly Greek people, with whom the Palestinians
are linked both historically and politically."
Moreover, Mr. Arafat referred to the Greek President January
2000 visit to Bethlehem, and added that the Palestinians do not
forget the assistance granted by Greece in all sectors, either
directly, or through the European Union."
[17] EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT TO ENDORSE GREEK EMU ENTRY
The European Parliament is expected today to overwhelmingly
endorse Greece's application to join the euro zone, thereby
rendering the country the 12th member of the Economic and
Monetary Union.
The Parliament's vote, expected around noon today, is non-
binding on European Union leaders, who will rule on Greece's
application along with EU finance ministers at next month's EU
summit in Feira, near Oporto, Portugal.
Addressing the European Parliament, EU monetary affairs
commissioner Pedro Solbes stressed that Greek inflation in April
at 2.1 percent was lower than that of Ireland, Spain, Luxembourg,
Italy, Belgium and Finland.
[18] MELBOURNE, CRETE UNIVERSITIES TO COOPERATE
A cooperation agreement has been reached between the
University of Melbourne (RMIT) and the University of Crete,
according to which the two campuses will be able to exchange
staff, students and research programs.
Degrees awarded by either University will be recognized by
one another, according to the agreement.
The agreement's announcement preceded the occasion of the
59th anniversary of the Battle of Crete, where many Australians
lost their lives.
The University of Melbourne also announced that the
cooperation will be boosted morally and materially by the Pan-
Cretan Union of Melbourne and Victoria.
RMIT signed a similar agreement with the University of
Ioannina in 1992.
[19] SAE PRESIDENT AWARDED BY SERB ORTHODOX CHURCH
The Serb Orthodox Church of the United States and Canada
bestowed an award upon the President of the Council of Greeks
Abroad (SAE) Andrew Athens, during the First Annual Conference of
the Serb-American Leadership, held recently in Washington.
Serb Orthodox Metropolite Christoforos conveyed the "profound
recognition of Mr. Athens' pioneering leadership during his
diplomatic efforts to promote and defend Hellenism and Orthodoxy
during his contacts with officials in the nation's capital and the
world over."
|
