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Macedonian Press Agency: Brief News in English, 98-01-08Macedonian 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, January 8, 1998TITLES
NEWS IN DETAIL[01] TURKISH MILITARY EXERCISE IN THE AEGEAN SEA IS CONTINUEDAthens, January 8 (MPA)Turkey’s vast sea and air military exercise is currently underway in the Aegean Sea, in regions that are protected by Greece.The Minister of National Defense Akis Tsochatzopoulos has stated that any whatsoever violations are to be dealt with in a dynamic manner. Meanwhile, a score of violations of Greece’s air space were conducted this morning by Turkish military aircraft, above the island of Rhodes and extending to the Evros region, while they also flew over the island of Psara. The 32 Turkish military aircraft were intercepted by Greek ones and the Ministry of National Defense is currently on a state of readiness in order to face new Turkish challenges. Meanwhile, Ankara is bringing up an issue of islets, as the spokesperson of Turkey’s Foreign Ministry stated that many of the Greek islets have not been given to the Greek government through international accords. A.F. [02] BRITAIN DISPLEASED OVER TURKISH VIOLATIONS OF GREECE’S AIR SPACELondon, January 8 (MPA)The British government, which currently holds the European Union’s rotating presidency, has expressed its displeasure over the Turkish violations of Greece’s air space and the tension created in the Aegean Sea.Speaking to BBC radio, a Foreign Office diplomat stated that “London has always been against all acts that undermine stability in the Aegean” adding that the British government advises, as it has in the past, that both sides display self restrain. According to the BBC, the British official clarified that these comments do reflect the views of Britain, yet are not the official positions adopted by the EU’s Britain-held Presidency, given that the issue of the Turkish violations of Greece’s air space has not been set forth by Athens to the Community’s authorities for discussion. He did add that this could take place at the following EU Council of General Affairs. In regards to the course of the Greek-Turkish contacts through the experts committees, -which is currently at a standstill due to Turkey’s wish that these contacts be of a bilateral nature, whereas Greece maintains that their initial form should not be changed and wants them to remain under the auspices of the EU, - the British government does not see how it could proceed to any action that would activate the process, the BBC reported. A spokesperson from the Foreign Office stated that at the given phase London is examining the situation taking place in the Turkish-Greek relations and is looking for ways through which it could revive the course of contacts between the two countries, by utilizing the experts committees. A.F. [03] GREEK ECONOMY IS MARKED BY STEPS OF PROGRESS, SAYS PRIME MINISTERAthens, January 8 (MPA)Greek Prime Minister Kostas Simitis has outlined the steps of progress noted in the course of Greece’s economy.Mr. Simitis said the Greek economy has made considerable steps of progress lately, which is also proved by the fact that inflation has dropped to the lowest levels in past decades, deficits have been decreased considerably and growth rates are among the highest in Europe. The Premier stated that this policy must be continued and will be continued because the target of equal participation in the Economic and Monetary Union will be achieved in this way. The Minister of Development Vaso Papandreou stressed that the government has taken the necessary economic measures in order to lift the county from the deadlock, albeit she admitted that the Greek people have had to make a series of sacrifices. National Economy Ministry officials have expressed their satisfaction over the implementation of the 1997 public investments program. The government expects that total European union funds inflows in 1997 will cover almost 50 per cent of the sum earmarked for the country until the year 2001. A.F. [04] ROME HOSTS INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON KURDISH REFUGEES TODAYRome, January 8 (MPA)In Rome today, an international conference of police forces from five European countries is to take place in an effort to reach a solution to the incoming wave of illegal immigrants towards the countries that enforce the Schengen Accord. The countries to participate at the conference will be France. Germany. Austria, the Netherlands, Italy Greece and Turkey.Greece will be represented at the highest possible level, with Greek police (ELAS) chief Lt. Gen. Athanasios Vassilopoulos and the director of state security, Brig. Gen. Georgios Yianes. Two Italian police officials arrived in Athens yesterday to cooperate with the Greek authorities on the problem of illegal Kurdish emigration from Turkey. Also invited to take part in the conference is the second-in- command official of the Turkish police force, since the Europeans deem that Turkey is responsible for the “flight of the Kurds”. Almost in their entirety, the European governments are expressing their opposition to the vast exodus of Kurdish people from Turkey and Austria has also taken measures to avert the inflow of Kurdish refugees. In Brussels yesterday, a team of European Union experts examined the same matter. A.F. [05] GREEK FOREIGN MINISTER: THE WEST’S INDIFFERENCE IS SYSTEMATICAthens, January 8 (MPA)Greece’s Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos has stated that Turkey is violating international law and the recently signed Madrid communique through its attitude.Speaking on the Kurdish problem, Mr. Pangalos criticized the international community, stating that it has displayed a systematic indifference for years. Mr. Pangalos added that the problem lies with organized action by Turkey's military, which is evacuating regions in Turkish and Iraqi Kurdistan. Characteristically, Mr. Pangalos compared the attitude of the Turkish authorities towards the Kurds with that shown towards the Jews by Hitler. A.F. [06] TSOVOLAS RELEASED FROM ICU, CONDITION IS “EXCELLENT” DOCTORS SAYThessaloniki, January 8 (MPA)The president of opposition party Democratic Social Movement (DIKKI) Dimitris Tsovolas was released from the intensive care unit of Thessaloniki’s Papanikolaou Hospital this morning, after having undergone a quadruple bypass on Tuesday.According to today’s medical bulletin, Mr. Tsovolas has been transferred to a recovery unit and tomorrow is expected to be moved to a regular ward. The president of Papanikolaou Hospital Kostas Kallergis stated that Mr. Tsovolas’ condition is “excellent.” Mr. Tsovolas suffered a heart attack during the Christmas holidays and on Sunday was taken into the hospital. The quadruple bypass operation was conducted by a team of surgeons headed by Panayiotis Spyrou, a close friend of Mr. Tsovolas. Dr. Spyrou said that Mr. Tsovolas was in "excellent condition" after the one hour and 45 minute procedure. He described the operation as a "routine" one, adding that damage to Mr. Tsovolas' coronary arteries had been fully reversed. A.F. [07] DEFENSE MINISTER OF GEORGIA TO ARRIVE IN ATHENS TOMORROWAthens, January 8 (MPA)The National Defense Minister of Georgia, Lt.-Gen. V. Nadibaize, is to embark on a three-day visit to Greece tomorrow when he will arrive in Athens.Mr. Nadibaize is to meet with his Greek counterpart Akis Tsochatzopoulos with whom he will discuss matters concerning defense cooperation between the two countries and developments in the greater region. Also, the Georgian Minister is to be received by the President of the Hellenic Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos. A.F. [08] CYPRIOT FOREIGN MINISTER TO VISIT ATHENS TOMORROWNicosia, January 8 (MPA)The Foreign Minister of Cyprus Yiannakis Kasoulides is to arrive in Athens tomorrow to hold talks with his Greek counterpart Theodoros Pangalos on issues related to Cyprus’ accession to the European Union.Following his stay in Athens, Mr. Kasoulides will travel to Lisbon, Portugal, where he will meet with Portuguese officials, prior to returning to Nicosia on January 13. A.F. [09] THREE ARRESTED IN HUGE ARSENAL AT DION, INTERROGATION UNDERWAYThessaloniki, January 8 (MPA)An American woman, Donna Wilkins-Kaltsas, whose husband, George Kaltsas was found dead in the trunk of his car last week in what appeared to be a gang-style murder, has been arrested by Greek police after last Saturday’s discovery of a huge arsenal at a pigsty behind her house at Dion, Pieria, (near Mt. Olympus) which included anti-tank rockets and launchers, machine guns, Kalashnikov rifles, hand grenades, pistols and silencers, ammunition, masks and bullet-proof vests.Two Albanian men, Skrendi Peirikliou, 21, and Ilir Rogi, 28, have also been arrested along with 42-year-old Wilkins-Kaltsas, although they deny any involvement in the arms storage. They did say that Wilkins-Kaltsas knew about the arsenal and had threatened to kill them if any of the arms went missing. Both of them and Wilkins-Kaltsas are being charged with criminal possession and trafficking in weapons, armaments, explosive material and narcotics. The case broke when local police arrested the two Albanians just as they were trying to sell 11 kilos of hashish to an undercover agent. They said they stole the hashish from the pigsty because Wilkins-Kaltsas owed them money for manual jobs they performed and led police to the arms cache. Police authorities appear certain that the weaponry, among them ten anti-tank rockets, had been smuggled into Greece from Albania through a deal drawn between George Kaltsas, his brother Vassilis, who had escaped from Greek prison and was later killed in a car accident, and Albanian mafia who were quite active during last year’s period of disorder in the neighboring country. 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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