 |
Compact version |
|
 |
        |
|
 |
||
|
Sunday, 22 December 2024
|
||
 |
 |
|
|
|
Macedonian Press Agency: Brief News in English, 97-11-19Macedonian 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, November 19, 1997TITLES
NEWS IN DETAIL[01] TENS OF EARTHQUAKE AFTERSHOCKS ROCK THE ISLAND OF ZAKYNTHOSThessaloniki, November 19 (MPA)Tens of aftershocks continue to rock the region south of the island of Zakynthos, in the Ionian Sea, after yesterday’s strong earthquake, which measured 6.6 degrees on the Richter scale.The aftershocks were quite strong, two of them having measured 4.9 and 4.8 on the Richter scale early this monring. The quake caused material damages in buildings of Zakynthos, Pyrgos and Kalamata. The schools at the Municipality of Pyrgos will remain closed today. The Earthquake Risk Assessment Committee of the Anti- Earthquake Planning and Protection Organisation is to convene today in order to examine the recent eatthquake activity both in the Ionian Sea’s region, as well as through the country. A.F. [02] GOVERNMENT COUNCIL FOR DEFENSE TO CONVENE TODAYAthens, November 19 (MPA)The Greek Governmental Council for Defense (KYSEA) is to convene today under the leadership of Prime Minister Kostas Simitis.The officials are to discuss the course of the armed forces’ outfitting program, the potential crises in the drafting process and the trust-building-measures between Greece and Turkey. Meanwhile, NATO’s chief commander of the European allied forces Wesley Clark is currently in Athens and will be received by the President of hte Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos. Mr.Clark will also meet with the Defense Minister Akis Tsochatzopoulos, Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos and the Chief of the Armed Forces Athanasios Tzoganis. A.F. [03] EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT ADOPTS PROPOSAL FOR EU’S EXPANSIONStrasburg, November 19 (MPA)The European Parliament’s Foreign Afairs Committee has adopted a proposal concerning the European Union’s expansion, which foresees that such negotiations will start in the beginning of 1998 and will concern all candidate members, except Slovakia.The proposal, tabled by the Dutch Christian-Democrat Ooltander and Spanish Socialist Baron Crespo, was adopted with 31 votes in favor, 10 against and 4 abstentions. The accession negotiations will be conducted based on each country’s respect of the entrance criteria and its ability to adjust to the Community’s rate of progress. According to the report, all of the countries are currently a the same starting point, since the expansion constitutes an “ethical right”. However, the EU’s executive committee does point out that “intense negotiations will start first with those countries which have achieved progress in sensitive areas.” The European Parliament’s committee grants heightened significance in allowing “all the candidate members whcih have drawn agreements for association with the EU to participate at the European conference, Turkey being among these countries. According to the European Assembly’s parliamentarians, discussions with the EU will concern the common foreign and defense policy, as well as justice-related matters and internal affairs. The said Conference should be held on an annual basis at a state-leaders level. In regards to ties with Turkey, the report underlines that, aside from this country’s participationin the Cofnernece, there should also be a special relationship at a high level which will surpass the Customs Union. In regards to Cyprus, the EU is called on to adopt a more active policy towards the island, so that it may “help Cyprus find its integrity” and to “promote the finding of a political solution”. A.F. [04] GREEK EURODEPUTY ASKS FOR IMPROVED PUBLIC HEALTH MEASURESThessaloniki, November 19 (MPA)Greek eurodeputy Antonis Trakatellis (New Democracy) has asked the European Parliament’s plenary session to adopt more effective control mechanisms for the sector of public health, in order to avoid problems such as the “mad cow disease” that plagued Europe last year.As the coordinator of the European People’s Party, Mr.Trakatellis told the European Paliament’s Review Committee trhat “the experience of the spongine encephalopathy proved that the European paliament strenghtened its control role and forced the Committee to draw severe measures.” Nevertheless, the Greek eurodeputy critisiced the Committee for not having met five of the House’s proposals, in spite of the positive measures it did draw. Among these proposals, the three most significant were: drawing measures against the British government, imposing disciplinary measures on those employees who failed to perform their tasks and paying damages in restitution to the 20 individuals who were stricken with the Croitchfel-Jacobs disease, which was linked with the “mad cow syndrome” . “I want to believe that, through this dramatic event which cost human lives, we will once and for all take decisive action and not merely be limited to verbal wishes, based on the principle that the protection of the European citizen’s health is a priority,” Mr. Trakatellis stated. EC President Jacques Santer, responding to the European deputies’ comments, stated that the Commission will provide the victims’ families with specific assistance, while, in regards to disciplinary acitons taken against the employees, he stated that he will propose that the relevant regulation be reviewed. A.F. [05] UN’S DIEGO CORDOBEZ TO MEET WITH CLERIDES-DENKTASH TODAYNicosia, November 19 (MPA)The special advisor to the United Nations’ secretary-general Diego Cordobez is to meet with the President of Cyprus Glafkos Clerides and the Turkish-Cypriot leader of the island’s occupied part Rauf Denktash in separate appointments today.Upon his arrival in Cyprus, Mr. Cordobez stated that no developments should be awaited from his visits, and reminded the UN secretary-general Kofi Annan’s statement that opportunities to solve the Cyprus issue will appear after the island’s presidential elections. Moreover, he added that his visit is exploratory in order to ascertain if preparatory work can be performed for the period following the elections. Mr. Cordovez is to relay a message from Mr. Annan to Mgrs. Clerides and Denktash. Tomorrow, the UN official will tour the demarcation line and in turn he will met with political leaders from both communities at the residence of Gustav Feishel, the UN’S special envoy to Cyprus. On Friday, Mr. Cordobez will meet with the ambassadors of the Security Council’s five permanent members. In turn, he will travel to Athens, Ankara and London, while he may also visit Brussels. A.F. [06] GREEK FARMERS TO RALLY TODAY IN CENTRAL GREECEKarditsa, November 19 (MPA)The farmers of central Greece’s Thessaly region are to conduct a rally today, while members of their coordinating committee are submit to the Minister of Agriculture Stefanos Tzoumakas their demands, among them being the discontinuance of the legal process on the criminal charges filed against them last year for blocking the roads.The committee is to convene in Larisa this Friday in order to examine the minister’s response. However, the farmers are reportedly already preparing mobilizations, such as blocking the roads between December 5 and Christmas. A.F. [07] GREEK SHIPOWNERS “SAIL” FOR ROMANIABucharest, November 19 (MPA)Greek shipowners have purchased 51% of the Romanian Company Oceanic Fishery’s shares (CRPO) and are to proceed with its reorganization, according to the Romanian press.The Bucharest daily “Cronia Romana” reports that the Greek shipowners Yiannis Dimakos and Theodoros Ladas have purchased the company’s majority shares and, once their proposal is approved, are to proceed with its reorganization. The two will sell as scrap ships no longer in use that are anchored at the Danube River’s ports or at Cape Media. Also the shipowners will repair and reactivate fishing ships. According to other press reports in Romania, CRPO has been saved from certain bankruptcy. A.F. [08] EDUCATION OFFICIALS FROM CYPRUS AND BALKANS TO MEET IN THESSALONIKI TOMORROWThessaloniki, November 19 (MPA)One hundred officials from Cypriot and Balkan child education research centers are to meet in Thessaloniki on November 20-23, at the Center for Thessaloniki’s History.The initiative for this meeting has been taken by Greece’s Pedagogical Association which aims at introducing the various countries’ education specialists to one another and at expanding the opportunities to cooperate on related maters. Moreover, the association aims at establishing in Thessaloniki a coordinating body for the various educational organizations both in the Balkans and in Cyprus. 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 |
|
 |
|
 |
 |
|
All Rights Reserved.