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Sunday, 22 December 2024
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Macedonian Press Agency: Brief News in English, 97-03-12Macedonian 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, March 12, 1997TITLES
NEWS IN DETAIL[01] ALBANIA'S NEW PREMIER HOPES FOR HELP FROM GREECETirana, March 12 (MPA)Albania's new Premier, the Socialist Bascim Fino, has expressed his hope that Greece and Italy will help his country overcome its economic turmoil.The 34-year-old Premier, who is considered to be a moderate politician, has expressed his wish to conduct all-scale dialogues with the political forces in his country, including President Sali Berisha and the rioting civilians from southern Albania. While characterizing the current situation in Albania as difficult, Mr. Fino emphasized that his foremost priority will be to create conditions of prosperity for the Albanian people, as well as promote mutual understanding and peaceful coexistence. Meanwhile, a committee of national salvation has been formed in Argyrocastro by the rioting civilians who ask that they be included in the negotiations that are currently taking place for the formation of a government of national reconciliation. They also insist that President Berisha resign from his post. The committee issued an announcement today wherein it proposes that the Presidency be held by the country's various political parties on a rotating basis. They do clarify that the rioters have no intent of advancing towards Tirana. A.F. [02] GREECE SENDS HUMANITARIAN AID TO AGII SARANTAAthens, March 12 (MPA)An official from Greece's Foreign Ministry is to travel to Tirana today in order to assist in alleviating the crisis in Albania. Today Greece is to also embark on a humanitarian aid mission to Albania.The Greek government is to officially ask Albania for the release of Socialist leader Fatos Nano from jail. The European Parliament will convene today its plenary session in order to discuss the Albanian crisis, while representatives from the Albanian opposition parties will also participate in the session. A.F. [03] ATHENS COURT TO HEAR PARENTS LAWSUIT AGAINST TEACHERS STRIKEAthens, March 12 (MPA)An Athens court is to hear a lawsuit today filed by four parents of high school students whose teachers have been on a two- month long strike.In their action, the parents ask the court to declare the teachers' strike as extortionate and illegal. At the same time, the teachers will conduct a march outside the courts while on Friday they are to decide whether or not they'll continue their strike for a ninth week. A.F. [04] US OFFICIAL TOURS EUROPE TO DISCUSS CYPRUS ISSUEWashington, March 12 (MPA)Carey Cavanaugh, the Director of the Office of Southeastern European Affairs at the U.S. State Department, has embarked on a tour throught he European capitals in order to discuss the Cyprus issue and other matters that concern the eastern Mediterranean region.Mr. Cavanaugh was in London and is to visit Brussels, Germany, the Hague and Paris where he is to meet with government officials to discuss Greek-Turkish differences. Meanwhile, State Department spokesperson Nicholas Burns, commending on the Clerides-Denktash talks, stated that the United States are supportive of any initiiative that would bring the island's two sides closer. Moreover, Mr. Burns stated that "it is time for Greece and Turkey, the Cypriot government and Rauf Denktash to sit down and talk, resolve some of the issues." The State Department spokesperson also stated that U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright discussed the Cyprus issue during her meeting with British Foreign Minister Malcolm Rifkind. A.F. [05] GREEK ALTERNATE FOREIGN MINISTER GUARDED ON ALBANIAN CRISIS OUTCOMEAthens, March 12 (MPA)Greece's Alternate Foreign Minister George Papandreou is guarded on expressing hopes on the likelihood of the Albanian crisis being alleviated.Mr. Papandreou stated that "we hope that there will be a smooth development, but we can't be sure since a big part of Albania is occupied by the rioters and it is questionable if an agreement will be reached with the new government." Meanwhile, a parliamentarian from Greece's main opposition party New Democracy's George Souflias has asked the Greek government to fortify the guarding of the Greek-Albanian borders since, as he said, thousands of arms are being handled by Albanian civilians and the resulting danger is quite high. A.F. [06] POLAND'S PARLIAMENT PRESIDENT IS ON A THREE-DAY FORMAL VISIT TO GREECEAthens, March 12 (MPA)Poland's Parliament President Josef Zych, is to embark on a three-day formal visit to Greece today, after an invitation issued by Greek Parliament President Apostolos Kaklamanis.Mr. Zych will meet with the President of the Hellenic Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos tomorrow, as well as with Alternate Foreign Minister George Papandreou, leader of the main opposition party New Democracy's Miltiades Evert, the Communist Party of Greece's Secretary-General Aleka Paparega, the President of the Coalition of Left and Progress Nikos Konstantopoulos and the President of the Democratic Social Movement Dimitris Tsovolas. On Friday, Mr. Zych will visit the Acropolis and the Athens Archaeological Museum and will depart for Poland on Friday evening. A.F. [07] MEMORANDUM OF INDIGNATION FILED IN CYPRUS BY FAMILIES OF MISSINGNicosia, March 12 (MPA)The families of those missing since the Turkish invasion of Cyprus have filed a memorandum with the embassies of the five countries that are permanent members of the UN Security Council, through which they express their bitterness and indignation.According to the memorandum, the lack of enforcement of the United Nations' resolutions for the missing and the absence of progress regarding the Investigative Committee's work constitutes a sign of tolerance on behalf of some and is indicative of the Turkish stance towards the matter. The relatives emphasize that they await from Russia, China, Britain, France and the United States to undertake all the necessary measures to resolve the issue, thereby rightfully claiming their fame as pioneers of human rights. Similar memoranda have been filed with the European Union's embassy and with the UN's Secretary General's alternate special envoy to Cyprus Gustav Feischel. The President of the Pan-Cypriot Committee of Relatives of the Missing stated that the group will await for the UN Secretary- General Kofi Annan to respond to a relevant letter sent to him by Cypriot President Glafkos Clerides and in turn will ask that the National Council convene in order to discuss the matter. A.F. [08] ILLICIT BANKING SCANDAL ROCKS FYROM, OPPOSITION ACCUSES GOVERNMENTSkopje, March 12 (MPA)A financial scandal that was recently discovered in FYROM's largest private banking insitution "TAT" has rocked the country, as high-ranking government officials are implicated in illicit money-making operations.According to press reports, the scandal was exposed after an audit performed by the National Bank showed a DM40 million deficit in TAT's books. An investigation also revealed that while the financial insitution presented its current accounts as being 3,600, in reality they surpassed 23,000. Public opinion in FYROM is quite alarmed, where people are fearing an economic collapse similar to the one felt by Albania. A.F. 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 |
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