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Macedonian Press Agency: Brief News in English, 97-12-05Macedonian 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 THE MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCYThessaloniki, December 5, 1997TITLES
NEWS IN DETAIL[01] COUNCIL OF HELLENES ABROAD HOLDS ELECTIONS IN THESSALONIKI TODAYThessaloniki, December 5 (MPA)The Council of Hellenes Abroad (SAE) is continuing its First Regular Meeting in Thessaloniki today, with elections for the nine- member presidency taking place in the afternoon.The two candidates for the top post are the current president of SAE Andrew Athens and Theodoros Spyropoulos. Both men delivered eloquent campaign speeches which stressed the need for unity and outlined their individual plans of action. The 350 delegates are to vote for one president, an alternate president, the four regional presidents and the three secretaries. In case a majority vote is not reached, the voting process will be repeated in a run-off election. A.F. [02] MINISTERIAL COUNCIL TO CONVENE TODAY, ARSENIS WILL BE CALLED UPONAthens, December 5 (MPA)The Greek government’s ministerial council is to convene today, under the leadership of Prime Minister Kostas Simitis.The Premier is expected to call upon Education Minister Gerasimos Arsenis, who is a former defense minister, to provide an explanation over his critical statements regarding NATO’s recent agreement concerning both Greece and Turkey. In Thessaloniki yesterday, responding to an MPA reporter’s relevant question, Mr. Simitis expressed his disapproval over Mr. Arsenis’ statements and fully supported Defense Minister Akis Tsochatzopoulos by stating that the latter executed the decisions drawn by the National Defense Council. A.F. [03] GREEK PARLIAMENT’S COMMITTEE ON HELLENES ABROAD SUPPORTS SAEThessaloniki, December 5 (MPA)The President of the Greek Parliament’s Cross-Party Committee on Hellenes Abroad Grigoris Niotis has proposed that the various organizations of the Greek communities abroad be represented within the Council of Hellenes Abroad (SAE) through the formation of another committee.Addressing the Thessaloniki-held SAE First Regular Meeting yesterday, Mr. Niotis stated that this committee should comprise members of the General Secretariat of Hellenes Abroad, SAE and the Parliament’s Cross-Party Committee. In addition, Mr. Niotis outlined that the parliamentary committee’s foremost priority is to construct the premises of a national strategy for the Greek communities abroad. “The first basic choice is the formation and operation of the World Assembly of Hellenism and its immediate convocation, as well as the concurrent establishment of Thessaloniki as a metropolitan center of coordination of the international network of Greeks living abroad through the creation of an Organization (Foundation) of Hellenism Abroad, as well as the upgrading of the functional and monetary operation of the general Secretariat of Hellenes Abroad,” Mr. Niotis stated. In turn, the parliamentarian stressed that the SAE must become financially independent and to be established as the top- ranking institution of the various self-coordinated forces of Hellenism. Lastly, addressing the attending delegates, Mr. Niotis said that “you are the natural leaders of Hellenism abroad, the responsibility for unity is now in your hands.” The parliamentary committee’s main opposition party representative, New Democracy’s George Kalangis stressed the significance of unity and added that SAE should function with transparency and democratic processes. A.F. [04] GREECE-FYROM ECONOMIC COOPERATION GIVEN A BOOST BY GREEK BIZ FAIRThessaloniki, December 5 (MPA)The fact the economic cooperation can play a determinative role in the course of establishing a positive political climate between Greece and FYROM was echoed during the course of the First Exhibition of Greek Businesses held in Skopje by Thessaloniki’s HELEXPO - International Trade Fair (ITF).The Exhibition features the participation of 146 businesses from throughout Greece and various authorities, such as Greece’s ministry of development. National Economy undersecretary Alexandros Baltas inaugurated the Exhibition and announced that Greece will establish a trade office in FYROM’s capital Skopje at the beginning of the following year. In declaring open the Exhibition, which will be held until tomorrow, December 6, Mr. Baltas stressed that initiatives such as the current one taken by HELEXPO fall within the framework of the overall Balkan policy drawn and applied by the Greek government. Moreover, Mr. Baltas stressed the weight granted by the Greek government to the development of economic ties with FYROM, in its effort to establish an improved political climate. Meanwhile, coinciding with the Exhibition, the Thessaloniki- based Inter-Balkan and Black Sea Business Center (DIPEK) organized a seminar in Skopje yesterday which examined the business opportunities for bilateral cooperation between Greece and FYROM. The head of the Greece-FYROM Liaison Office Alexandros Mallias stressed the need to establish a credible legislative framework in FYROM that would secure Greek investments and ventures in the neighboring country., Mr. Mallias referred to two incidents that compromised FYROM’s credibility in business ventures with Greece, one which concerned a Greek-Russian interest joint venture “East Power Corporation” the agreement of which was breached at the last minute. Nevertheless, Mr. Mallias added that significant steps have been taken in the recent years to improve the business collaboration of Greece and FYROM. The secretary-general of FYROM’s Ministry of Economy Mr. Asorvski outlined that his country has proceeded to legislative reforms and tax incentives that will attract foreign investment. A great incentive, according to FYROM’s official, is the tax exemption granted to foreign investors who will be relieved from a 15% tax under the condition that their profits be re-funneled into FYROM. A.F. [05] US REITERATE ADVOCACY OF INTERNATIONAL COURT FOR AEGEAN DISPUTESWashington, December 5 (MPA)The State Department has reiterated its stance that Greece and Turkey should resolve any territorial dispute through a mutually acceptable dispute resolution mechanism, such as the International Court of Justice.State Department spokesperson James Rubin, responding to a question submitted by a Greek correspondent, stated that “Greece and Turkey have agreed in principle to a plan to revamp the NATO command structure in the context of the overall realignment of NATO’s command structure. We see this agreement as a noteworthy step forward in the effort to build confidence in the Aegean.” Moreover, Mr. Rubin clarified that, as the US understand it, the agreement is not directly related to any territorial dispute. White House spokesperson Mike McCurry also referred to the NATO agreement and said that it is an encouraging development. “We welcome this agreement in principle between Greece and Turkey which facilitates the adjustment of NATO’s command structure,” Mr. McCurry stated. “This had been an issue for at least two decades and was the source of tension between two of NATO’s close allies.” A.F. [06] ATHENS HOSTS CRUCIAL TALKS ON BURGAS-ALEXANDROUPOLIS OIL PIPELINEAthens, December 5 (MPA)Talks concerning the allocation of the Greek, Bulgarian and Russian shares in the Transbalkan Pipeline company, which will construct and operate the Burgas-Alexandroupolis oil pipeline, are to be continued in Athens today by experts representing the three sides.Yesterday, the officials signed an agreement for the auctioning of the pipeline’s construction study, whose cost is budgeted at one billion drachmas and whose funding will be derived from the European Union (70%) and two Greek companies (30%) which are to participate in the project, Latsis and Kapelouzos. The allocation of shares is a sore point in the development course of the project since none of the three sides has managed to agree on its degree of participation. The main stumbling block in the negotiations has been Bulgaria’s demand that it be assigned 25% of the shares. A.F. [07] GREECE, BULGARIA AND TURKEY TO GET NATURAL GAS FROM THE UKRAINESofia, December 5 (MPA)A supply of 1.26 billion cubic meters of natural gas is to be given by the Ukraine to Greece, Bulgaria and Turkey, in repayment of its debt to these countries, as per the Jaburg Accord.The relevant agreement was signed yesterday in Moscow between the two Russian companies “Gazprom” and Gazexport” with Bulgaria’s “Bulgargaz”, officiated by the President of the Bulgarian Committee on Energy Ivan Silaski. Mr. Silaski said that the Bulgarian state will proceed with the construction of the pipeline that will transfer natural gas to Greece, a project whose length measures 120 kilometers. A.F. [08] C OF E’S PRESS MINISTERS TO HOLD 5TH SUMMIT IN THESSALONIKI NEXT WEEKThessaloniki, December 5 (MPA)Over 40 ministers of press and media from the Council of Europe member-states, along with observers and other officials, are to gather in Thessaloniki next week in order to participate at the Fifth European Ministerial Summit for Politics in the Mass Media.The conference, to be held on December 11 and 12, is jointly organized by the C of E and Greece’s Ministry of Press and Media, which will hold the presidency of the event. This marks the first time that Greece has been assigned the organization of such a significant event in the sector of information and communication. The Summit will be inaugurated by the Greek Minister of Press and Media Dimitris Reppas and the C of E’s alternate secretary- general Hans Christian Kruger, while salutations will be forwarded by the President of Greece Kostis Stephanopoulos and the Prime Minister Kostas Simitis. The Greek delegation, headed by the secretary-general of information Yiannis Nikolaou will focus on the theme “Society of Information: a Challenge for Europe” . The two-day Summit will examine the opportunities provided by the governments for the adoption of a common policy in regards to new technologies and the new services related to communication- information. The ministers will try to draw a regulating framework that will aim at safeguarding human rights and freedoms, as well as the basic principles of democracy. A.F. [09] INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON THE BYZANTIUM TO BE HELD IN THESSALONIKIThessaloniki, December 5 (MPA)An international symposium on the Byzantium titled “The Byzantine Philosophy and its ancient sources” is to be held in Thessaloniki next Thursday, December 11, organized by the Organization Cultural Capital of Europe Thessaloniki ’97, the National Metsovio Polytechnic School and the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.The one-day event, to be held a the city’s Museum of Byzantine Culture, is to feature the participation of distinguished historians, among them D. Harlfinger of the University of Hamburg, J. Duffy from Harvard, L. Benakis from the Athens Academy and others. The speeches will be delivered in the English and German languages and admission is free of charge. A.F. [10] WE COULDN’T COMMUNICATE WITHOUT GREEK, SAYS SPANISH ACADEMICMadrid, December 5 (MPA)Giving a new dimension to “it’s all Greek to me”, Spanish academic Francisco Rodriguez Adrados supports that if Greek words were to be expunged from the other languages, then we wouldn’t be able to communicate.Mr. Adrados, academic and honorary professor of the Greek language, supported the contribution of the Greek language during the presentation of the fifth volume of a Greek-Spanish dictionary. The book contains a detailed report on the influence of the ancient Greek language on the newer tongues. Spain’s Minister of Culture Esperanda Aguirre was present at the event. A.F. [11] FATOS NANO ASKS ALBANIAN PARLIAMENT TO EXTEND GREEK FORCES STAYTirana, December 5 (MPA)Albanian Prime Minister Fatos Nano has asked his country’s Parliament to approve the stay of the Greek military force that is currently stationed in Albania.The Albanian State Secretary to the Ministry of Defense Perikli Teta, stated that the 250-men force of the Greek company will guard the military hospital and will assist in the distribution of aid that Greece has pledged to offer for the reconstruction of the Albanian armed forces. A.F. [12] FYROM’S FOREIGN MINISTER MEETS WITH ALBANIAN COUNTERPART IN TIRANATirana, December 5 (MPA)The Foreign Minister of FYROM Blagoye Hadjinski met with his Albanian counterpart Pascal Milo in Tirana yesterday, where the two men proceeded to the signing of six bilateral agreements concerning border access and safeguarding, as well as trade and economic cooperation.During his stay at the Albanian capital, Mr.Hadjinski was received by Albania’s President Reijep Meidani, the President of Parliament Skender Gjinushi and Prime Minister Fatos Nano. Mr. Milo stated that all differences should be resolved through dialogue and stressed that his country has no ill intention towards FYROM’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity. He did add that Albania does have the right as the mother-land to develop solidarity with the Albanian people living in FYROM so that it may safeguard its legitimate rights, especially those concerning education in its mother tongue. In turn, Mr. Hadjinski stated that his country truly wishes for the development of ties with all of its neighbors especially Albania. He stated that the people of his country, as Albania’s are divided and separated (meaning that sections of these peoples reside in other states) and stressed that the only solution is a united Europe. The Foreign Minister of FYROM stressed that his country wishes to fulfill the conclusions reached at the Crete Summit. Mr.Hadjinski announced that the Premier of his country Branco Cervenkovski will visit Albania in the beginning of January. 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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