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Macedonian Press Agency: Brief News in English, 97-05-02Macedonian 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, May 2, 1997TITLES
NEWS IN DETAIL[01] GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE CONVENES UNDER PREMIER KOSTAS SIMITISMay 2 (MPA)The governmental committee is currently in a session headed by Prime Minister Kostas Simitis where the participants are to discuss the course of Greek-Turkish relations.Greece's Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos will brief the Committee members on his recent contacts with his Turkish counterpart Tansu Ciller as well as the stance adopted by the European allies during the EU-Turkey Association Council. Also, the Committee will examine the issue of the separate Greek and Turkish experts committees, a matter over which the country's main opposition party New Democracy has expressed its reservations. A.F. [02] EU COMMISSION CHIEF JACQUES SANTER TO VISIT THESSALONIKI ON MAY 9Thessaloniki, May 2 (MPA)The President of the European Commission Jacques Santer is to visit Thessaloniki on May 9, where he will address a convention held by the Association of Northern Greece's Industries.Mr. Santer will be accompanied by Greek Commissioner Christos Papoutsis and, during his two-day stay in Greece, will meet with the President of the Hellenic Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos, Prime Minister Kostas Simitis, the President of the Greek Parliament Apostolos Kaklamanis and the leader of the main oposition party, New Democracy's Kostas Karamanlis. A.F. [03] GREEK VENTURES SUPPORTED IN ODESSOS BY ATHENS SATELLITE OFFICEOdessos, May 2 (MPA)Greek businesses venturing into the Ukraine and other neighboring states will now be supported by an Athens-satellite office established in Odessos, the Center for Businesss and Entrepreneurship of Attica.Basically, the center will provide consultation and assistance services on economic, technical and legal maters, while it will also serve as a liaison between the Greek businessmen and their Ukrainian counterparts. It will also undertake market research and provide data on the various activities taking place in the Ukrainian market and the Commonwealth of Independent States, within the framework of the EU's Tacis and Tacis/Jopp programs. A.F. [04] GERMAN ENVOY FOR CYPRUS ISSUE MEETS WITH PRESIDENT CLERIDES TODAYNicosia, May 2 (MPA)The German envoy for the Cyprus issue Detlev Radshau was received by the President of the Republic of Cyprus Glafkos Clerides and Foreign Minister Yiannakis Kasoulides in Nicosia today.Mr. Radshau stated that the meeting with President Clerides was interesting and enlighting, declining to make further comment before Monday's scheduled press conference. He has stated that Germany would like to see the Cyprus issue resolved so that when the island accedes to the European Union there will be no tangles to face. The German diplomat will meet with the Turkish-Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash on Monday. A.F. [05] BRITAIN'S LABOUR PARTY WINS ELECTIONS, TONI BLAIR NEXT PREMIERLondon, May 2 (MPA)Britain's Labour Party, led by Toni Blair, emerged victorious during yesterday's parliamentary elections, seizing the power from John Major's conservative faction which had governed the country for 18 consecutive years.The Labour Party amassed 45% of the votes, winning 416 seats in Parliament, while the Conservatives gathered 31%, 158 seats, the Liberals 17%, 40 seats, and other minor parties 29 seats. Mr. Blair will be sworn in as Prime Minister tomorrow. In his first statement to the press following his victory, Mr. Blair said that he plans to repesent the whole of British society in a fair and just manner. Mr. Major offered his wishes to his successor and vowed to maintain a tough, yet fair, stance as the main opposition leader. A.F. [06] ALBANIA: OPPOSITION AT ODDS WITH DEMOCRATIC PARTY OVER ELECTION LAWTirana, May 2 (MPA)The election law that will determine Albania's parliamentary elections scheduled for June 29 continues to be a thorn between the country's opposition parties and the ruling Democratic Party which favours an absolute majority system.The majority of the opposition parties want a proportonial representation system, and the Albanian Premier Bashkim Fino told so to Frantz Vranitski, the envoy from the Organization for Security and cooperation in Europe. Mr. Fino also stated that he will summon the parties to a last convention in order to discuss this difference and if a meeting of minds is not reached, then, he said, he will have to table the law first to the Governmental Council and second to Parliament. Mr. Fino also said that, given the Democratic Party's majority rule in Parliament, he will also ask for a vote of confidence. Mr. Vranitski stated that a coordinated effort is needed on behalf of all the country's political forces in order to reach a solution. The OSCE envoy communicated with Albania's President Sali Berisha who assured Mr. Vranitski of his will to hold the elections within the given deadline, albeit reiterating his condition that, before elections are held, the committees formed by rioting civilians must be dismantled. A.F. [07] TURKISH TROOPS INVADE NORTHERN IRAQ, PRESS IN ANKARA REPORTSAnkara, May 2 (MPA)Strong forces from the Turkish Army have invaded Northern Iraq and have embarked on a "clean-up" operation against the PKK's Kurds, according to daily press reports in Turkey.Specifically, the Turkish daily "Milliyet" reported that the mobility noted lately at the Turkish-Iraqi borders has been replaced by armed conflict and wrote that "terrorists who opened fire against militiamen and soldiers in Hakkiari's Tsukurtza region killed four militiamen and one soldier, while an additional four militiamen and one soldier were wounded during the attack. The Turkish armed forces that entered Northern Iraq began close surveillance against the PKK and advanced 10 kilometers. The authorities have said that this is a 'close surveillance' and the real operation has not began yet." Another daily, "Zaman", reported that a large number of PKK members were killed during the attack, although it added that the security forces have withdrawn back to the borderline and also wrote that the Turkish General Army Staff has not confirmed reports of the operation. In a briefing given at the Turkish Foreign Ministry, deputy spokesman Sermet Atajanli stated that the reported military force "probably concerns a misunderstanding", adding that this is most likely concerning the surveillance force that has been assigned to the area. 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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