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Macedonian Press Agency: Brief News in English, 97-02-18Macedonian 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, February 18, 1997TITLES
NEWS IN DETAIL[01] GREEK DEFENSE MINISTER IN BONN, MEETS GERMAN COUNTEPRARTBonn, February 18 (MPA)Greek Minister of National Defense Akis Tsochatzopoulos, currently on a two-day, formal visit to Bonn, met today with the president of the German-Hellenic Parliamentary Group of the Federal Parliament Ziegried Scarpelis-Sperk and with the president of the Defense Committee of the Federal Parliament Kurt Rosmand.Yesterday evening, Mr. Tsochatzopoulos met with his German counterpart Faulker Rye and with the parliamentary group president of Germany's Social-Democratic Party, Rudolph Sarping. In a press conference yesterday evening, Mr. Tsochatzopoulos stated that he and Mr. Rye discussed bilateral relations, examined the opportunities for cooperation in the military sector, and referred to the Alliance's expansion to the East. Moreover, Mr. Tsochatzopoulos stated, the two ministers examined NATO's role in southern Europe and, more specifically, in the Mediterranean region. In turn, Mr. Rye stated that the Greek-German relations are developing satisfactorily and the two governments are to sign a memorandum within this year. Mr. Rye ruled out the possibilities of his country undertaking initiatives over the Cyprus issue and a German military participation in peacekeeping missions for stabilizing situations either in Europe, or elsewhere. [02] TEACHERS UNION WANTS TO EXTEND STRIKE INTO A SIXTH WEEKAthens, February 18 (MPA)The Greek teachers national union OLME proposed today that the primary-school teachers extend their five-week-long strike into a sixth week, although any final decisions are to be drawn today.OLME's secretary-general said that the government must take charge of its responsibilities and act on its promises in order to alleviate the existing deadlock. Primary school teachers and kindergarten staff are to decide tomorrow whether or not they will continue their strike, while another massive rally will be conducted in Athens. [03] FOREIGN AFFAIRS UNDERSECRETARY AND EU COMMISSIONER DISCUSS CYPRUS ISSUEBrussels, February 18 (MPA)Greece's Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs Yiannos Kranidiotis met with the European Commissioner for Foreign Affairs Hans Van Den Broek in Brussels yesterday and the two discussed the Greek-Turkish relations as well as the Cyprus issue.Mr. Van Den Broek asked Greece to exert every possible effort in enabling the success of the European Union-Turkey Association Council, which is to be held on April 30. According to the Commissioner, the Turkish Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs Onur Oymen promised to Mr. Van den Broek that Ankara will accept the common statement of the "15", according to which Turkey must not use force or the threat of using force in resolving its differences with Greece, as welll as to resort to the International Court of Justice at the Hague for the Imia islets issue. Also, accordingn to Mr. Van den Broek, Mr. Oymen promised that Turkey will present the EU with a package of measures it plans to undertake for improving its human rights record. Mr. Kranidiotis will attend NATO's extraordinary meeting this evening where he is expected to reiterate the Greek government's positions on the Cyprus issue and the Greek-Turkish relations. Specifically, the Foreign Affairs Undersecretary will state that the initiative for resolving the Cyprus issue and for normalizing Greek-Turkish relations which impede the smooth functioning of the Alliance's southeastern sector, must be a combined effort on behalf of the European Union, Greece's and Turkey's allies and, especially from the United States. Moreover, Mr. Kranidiotis is expected to emphasize the significant role Greece can carry out in NATO's expansion to the East. [04] EU COMMISSION PRESIDENT MEETS WITH U.S. SECRETARY OF STATEBrussels, February 18 (MPA)European Commission President Jacques Santer and Commissioner for Foreign Affairs Hans Van Den Broek met with the United States Secretary of State Madeleine Albight in Brussels today.The three officials discussed the Cyprus issue, where Ms. Albright stated that following a troublesome year, 1997 is an opportunity to achieve progress in resolving the issue. Concurrently, Ms. Albright said that the U.S do not want to see Turkey turn into a secular state. [05] SECOND MISSION OF HUMANITARIAN AID TO BULGARIA LEAVES EVROS TOMORROWAlexandroupolis, February 18 (MPA)A second mission of humanitarian aid to Bulgaria is to be sent from Greece's Evros region tomorrow.The aid, to be sent to Bulgaria's city of Haskovo, contains 300 tons of corn which is to be transported by 12 trucks. The aid will be distributed to agrarian families living in regions near the Greek-Bulgarian borders. Greece's humanitarian aid mission to Bulgaria began last week when seven hundred tons of corn were sent, along with 700 tons of flour which were distributed to children's institutions and military camps. [06] INJURED GREY SEAL WASHED UP NEAR THESSALONIKI'S SHOREThessaloniki, February 18 (MPA)Members of the Association for the Protection of the Mediterranean Seal arrived in Thessaloniki from Athens today in order to tend to the unjured grey seal that washed up yesterday at the shore of Malgara near Thessaloniki.The 2.30-meters-long mamal has injuries on the head and left eye, but the causes of the trauma remain unknown. 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 |