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MPA NEWS IN BRIEF (96-10-07)Macedonian Press Agency: Brief News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Macedonian Press Agency at http://www.mpa.gr and http://www.hri.org/MPA.BRIEF GREEK NEWS BULLETIN BY MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCYThessaloniki, October 7, 1996TITLES
NEWS IN DETAIL[01] GREECE'S NEW PARLIAMENT SUMMONS FIRST SESSION TODAYAthens, October 7 (M.P.A.)The country's newly elected Parliament summoned its first session today beginning with the traditional blessing and followed by the swearing-in of the 300 Parliament deputies. The ceremony consisted of two parts, the first for the 297 Christian deputies and the second for the three Muslim deputies who were elected, two in Rodopi and one in Xanthi.The new Parliament includes 84 new faces as well as 27 former deputies who did not participate at the previous parliamentary composition. In all, there are 162 deputies from the ruling party PASOK, 108 from the main opposition New Democracy, 11 from the Communist Party of Greece (KKE), ten from the Coalition of the Left and Progress (Synaspismos) and nine from the Democratic Social Movement (DIKKI). The Parliament's opening session was held in the presence of former President of the Hellenic Republic Christos Sartzetakis, former Prime Ministers, members of the diplomatic corps, the mayor of Athens, Supreme Court justices, the President of the Athens Academy, the armed forces leadership and other dignitaries. The Parliament President will be elected by secret ballot in the Parliament's Plenary session tomorrow, October 8, while the remaining members of the legislative body's Presiding Board will be elected on Wednesday, October 9. The three-day discussion of the Government's policy statements will begin on Thursday, October 10 and will be completed on Saturday around midnight when the Government will ask for the Parliament's vote of confidence. [02] ANOTHER ROUND OF TALKS BETWEEN GREECE-FYROM HELD TODAY IN NEW YORKAthens, October 7 (M.P.A)Talks on the name issue between Greece and FYROM will be continued today in New York, under the auspice of international mediator Cyrus Vance. Mr. Vance will meet with the Greek Ambassador Christos Zacharakis and with FYROM's Ivan Tosevski. Thereafter, the two officials will return to their respective countries wherein they will hold talks with their governments. FYROM is considering a name for Greece's exclusive use, as FYROM's President Kiro Gligorov has recently stated "they (Greece) can call us with any name they want." The applications of this name could be for FYROM's domestic use, for bilateral uses or as a substitute for the acronym FYROM to be used by international organizations and which name will be used by third parties as they deem proper, or a name which will be used by third parties obligatorily, something that demands the signing of an agreement which will force a compromise. The same UN sources have stated that the use of "FYROM" as a name has certain drawbacks since, first, it has not been accepted by the Skopjan leadership, second, use of acronyms is avoided, and third, it contains no adjective thereby making it difficult to address the country's residents. [03] NATIONAL GUARD OF CYPRUS BEGINS "NIKIFOROS" WITH GREECE'S PARTICIPATIONNicosia, October 7 (M.P.A.)The Cypriot National Guard's military exercise "Nikiforos '96" embarked on its operative phase today, utilizing real ammunition with the back up of greek fighter jets and warships.Cypriot President Glafkos Clerides observed the exercise's first part today, along with Cyprus' Minister of Defense Kostas Heliades, and commented that "the participation of Greek armed forces in 'Nikiforos' gives the clear message that the joint defense area doctrine is firm. It is what secures the future of the cypriot Hellenism." Greece's warships, the fregate "Aegean", the destroyer "Themistocles" and two rocket launchers participating in the greek exercise "Toxotis" are also taking part in "Nikiforos." The Cypriot exercise also features, for the first time, russian artillery BMP 3 and T-80. [04] CYPRIOT PRESIDENT SUPPORTS GREEK PARTICIPATION IN MILITARY EXERCISENicosia, October 7 (M.P.A.)Greek Air Force flights will be conducted in Cyprus whenever it is deemed necessary, stated the President of Cyprus Glafkos Clerides.Mr. Clerides also stated that there were no pressures exerted to prevent greek forces from participating in the cypriot national guard's military exercise "Nikiforos '96" and pointed out that "even if pressure is exerted, our side will not succumb to it." Mr. Clerides observed the first part of the exercise and commended the National Guard's leadership. The National Guard's Lieutenant General Mr. Vorvolakos stated that "stemming form the analysis and study of the coordinated acts, we derive knowledge and experience which allow us to further a common plan, common training, event readiness, all within the realm of the joint defense doctrine." [05] GREECE'S ALTERNATE AND DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTERS TO VISIT CYPRUSNicosia, October 7 (M.P.A.)Greece's deputy Foreign Minister Christos Rozakis and alternate Foreign Minister George Papandreou will visit Cyprus within the folowing days, in light of the United States initiative on the cypriot issue.During their stay, Messrs. Rozakis and Papandreou will hold contacts with Cypriot political leaders. [06] BULGARIA, YUGOSLAVIA AND RUSSIA ATTEND TRADE SEMINAR IN KAVALA TODAYKavala, October 7 (M.P.A.)In an effort to increase trade activity to and from Northern Greece, trade attaches from the Embassies of Bulgaria, Yugoslavia and Russia are attending a seminar held in Kavala today where they will also meet with officials from Greece's National Economy Ministry.The trade attaches from Albania, Romania and FYROM have cancelled their scheduled participation in the seminar. [07] GREECE, BULGARIA, RUSSIA TO MEET OVER BURGAS-ALEXANDROUPOLIS OIL PIPELINESofia, October 7 (M.P.A.)A tripartite meeting of Greek, Bulgarian and Russian experts on the construction of the Burgas-Alexandroupolis oil pipeline is expected to be held in October.Bulgarian Minister of Public Works and Projects D. Grigorov has stated that both Bulgaria and Greece have proposed a specific timeline to the russian side for this meeting and are awaiting a response. The pipeline's technical specifications are expected to be determined at the upcoming session. According to the Bulgarian daily Trud, Sofia, with Athens' cooperation, is ready to submit seven alternative plans for the pipeline's construction and course. The project's cost estimates range between $570-640 million, and its construction is expected to start during 1997. [08] AUSTRALIAN AND SWISS DOCTORS JOINTLY AWARDED NOBEL PRIZE IN MEDICINEStockholm, October 7 (M.P.A.)The Nobel Prize in medicine for 1996 has been awarded jointly to Australian doctor Peter Doherty from Cambera and Ralph Cinkernagel, a Swiss doctor from Zurich, for their study concerning the "the immune system's recognition of virus-stricken cells."The two scientists collaborated at the John Kerting School of Medical Research, in Cambera, Australia. Their study is deemed as being highly significant in the field of clinical medicine. It concerns the efforts to strengthen the immune system from microorganisms and viruses which enter the body as specific types of cancer, as well as the reduction of infection-related complications in illnesses suh as diabetes, rheumatisms and multiple sclerosis. Complete archives of the Macedonian Press Agency bulletins are available on the MPA Home Page at http://www.mpa.gr/ and on the U.S. mirror at http://www.hri.org/MPA/Macedonian Press Agency: Brief News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |