Compact version |
|
Sunday, 22 December 2024 | ||
|
Macedonian Press Agency: Brief News in English, 97-10-21Macedonian 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 21, 1997TITLES
NEWS IN DETAIL[01] STATE DEPARTMENT ISSUES CLARIFICATION OVER TURKISH VIOLATIONSWashington, October 21 (MPA)The US State Department has issued a clarification, after receiving an austere demarche by the Greek government which protested to James Rubin’s (State Department’s spokesperson) original statement who had said that the Greek Air Force’s C-130 which transported Defense Minister Akis Tsochatzopoulos from Cyprus constituted a violation of the flights moratorium over Cyprus. The new statement reads that if a Turkish aircraft flew provocatively close to a Greek one, then such act is not in accordance with Ankara’s expressed desire to reduce tension in its relations with Athens.Meanwhile, according to BBC’s Greek service, NATO’s secretary-general Xavier Solana has proposed specific trust- building measures for the Aegean to both Turkey and Greece. Among other things, Mr. Solana proposed that military exercises be completely banned in certain parts of the Aegean, and that both sides refrain from air-sea exercises during the summer months, as well as from using real ammunition during exercises. A.F. [02] CABINET CONFERENCE OVER THE NEXT YEAR’S BUDGETAthens, October 21 (MPA)Greece’s Prime Minister Kostas Simitis is to head a Cabinet meeting today which will draw the final touches on the government’s economic policy for 1998.Taxation is expected to be imposed on mobile phones as well as on shares trading. Moreover, the state is expected to up the interest on state bonds, as well as increase prices on cigarettes. A.F. [03] CYPRUS’S GOVERNMENT COALITION BREAKS UPNicosia, October 21 (MPA)The government coalition of Cyprus has broken up, after the Democratic Party decided to withdraw its members from the government. Democratic Party leader Spyros Kyprianou has informed the President of the Hellenic Republic Glafkos Clerides and the final decision for the deputies’ walkout is expected to be drawn by the Democratic Party’s Central Committee. A.F.[04] ALBANIA’S INTERIOR MINISTER SPEAKS TO MPA ON WAYS TO COUNTER CRIMEThessaloniki, October 21 (MPA)Albania’s Minister of the Interior, Neritan Ceka, stressed the need to promote cooperation between the Greek and Albanian police forces, especially in the border region, in order to combat crime.Speaking to the Macedonian Press Agency, Mr. Ceka stated that his government’s efforts to reclaim the arms that had been stolen by civilians during the riots have not been fully successful, albeit he did add that the Albanian state did its best under the given conditions. Moreover, Mr. Ceka added that Tirana plans to send to Athens a list of photographs and prints of the most wanted escapees from Albania’s prisons. When told that Greek citizens are concerned that quite a few Albanian criminals are on Greek ground, Mr. Ceka stated that “we do combat crime, but you must understand that life in Greece is easier for the criminals and we can’t fully obstruct their passage into Greece since they usually employ lawful means to cross the border. “We do believe that cooperation between the two countries’ police forces is to bear results,” Mr. Ceka said, adding that his ministry is ready to cooperate with the Greek police and gain from the Greek authorities’ experience. “I do strongly believe that that which will reduce criminal activity of Albanians in Greece is Albania’s economic development,” Mr. Ceka added. A.F. [05] MILOSEVIC ASKS THAT KRAISNIC RESIGNBelgrade, October 21 (MPA)The President of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Slobodan Milosevic stated that the member of Bosnia-Herzegovina’s presidium from the Serb Republic Momcilo Kraisnic should resign.Mr. Milosevic had met with the leader of the United States committee for the protection of journalists Katy Marton who stated that the Serb president has openly said that he will support Biljana Plavsic. Moreover, according to Ms. Marton, Mr. Milosevic stated that the presidential elections in the Serb Republic should not be held when Mr. Kraisnic wishes them to be, but rather, should be conducted under the supervision of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. Lastly, the US official stated that Mr. Milosevic does not advocate the idea that those accused or having committed war crimes be tried at The Hague, but he rather supports that trials be held in the defendants’ countries. 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 |