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Macedonian Press Agency: Brief News in English, 98-05-14Macedonian 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, May 14, 1998TITLES
NEWS IN DETAIL[01] SULEIMAN DEMIREL CHALLENGES SOVEREIGNTY OF GREEK ISLANDSAnkara, May 14 (MPA)Turkish President Suleiman Demirel has openly challenged the sovereignty of a number of Greek islets in the Aegean Sea.A few days ago, the Turkish Defense Minister, shortly before arriving at the island of Rhodes to take part at the Western European Union meting held there, had also challenged the sovereignty of a number of Greek islands. [02] MILOSEVIC-RUGOVA TO MEET TOMORROWBelgrade, may 14 (MPA)The leader of the Albanian community of Kossovo Ibrahim Rugova is to meet with the President of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Slobodan Milosevic tomorrow.The meeting, which is viewed as a historic one, was orchestrated by the United States presidential envoy Richard Holbrooke who traveled back and forth between the two sides repeatedly. [03] UN NAMES NEW SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE TO CYPRUSNicosia, May 14 (MPA)Secretary-General Kofi Annan has named Anne Hircus of New Zealand as his new Deputy Special Representative and Chief of the Mission of the United Nations Operation on Cyprus. She will take over for Gustave Feissel after he retires on 30 June. Ms. Hercus has held a number of diplomatic and government posts over the course of her career, including serving as New Zealand's Ambassador to the United Nations from 1988 to 1990. She was also a member of the Secretary- General's Eminent Persons Group on Preparations for the 1995 World Conference on Women. A founding member of World Women Parliamentarians for Peace, Ms. Hercus is currently chairperson of the New Zealand Women's Refugee Foundation. She was a Member of Parliament from 1978 to 1987, and Minister of Social Welfare for Police and Women's Affairs from 1984 to 1987. As Deputy Special Representative and Chief of Mission, Ms. Hircus will continue the efforts of Mr. Feissel to keep the peace and bring about a comprehensive settlement in Cyprus.[04] GREEK WORKERS PROTEST STATE’S PRIVATIZATION PLANSAthens, May 14 (MPA)The General Confederation of Greek Workers (GSEE) and their workers union’s at the state-owned enterprises (DEKO) are strongly reacting to the privatization plans announced by the National Economy and Finance Minister Yiannos Papantoniou who said that the state will p[proceed to privatize 12 DEKO by the end of the year 1999. Mr. Papantoniou said that the government will not sacrifice its accession to the Economic and Monetary Union over the workers’ protests. The companies slated for privatization are the phone company; the duty free shops; the Thessaloniki International Trade Fair; Olympic Catering; the Corinth canal; the Athens stock exchange; the nation's race tracks; Thessaloniki's water and sewage systems; and the ports of Thessaloniki and Piraeus.[05] SE EUROPEAN MP MEETING BEGINS IN THESSALONIKI TODAYThessaloniki, May 14 (MPA)Parliamentarians from countries in southeast Europe are to meet in Thessaloniki today where they will discuss the developing cooperation between parliaments in the region on political, economic, defense and cultural issues. The three-day meeting is being organized by the Council of Europe's International Institute for Democracy. Thirty-five deputies from Albania, Bulgaria, Greece, Croatia, Federal Yugoslavia, FYROM, Romania, Slovenia and Turkey are expected to attend.[06] EC SUPPORTS GREECE’S EFFORTS IN DEFICIT REDUCTIONBrussels, May 14 (MPA)The European Commission has endorsed the measures adopted by the Greek government in order to contain the public deficit and recognizes the progress made int he state’s economy in the recent years. An EC report on the "Orientations of Economic Policies of Member-States for 1998," states that "Greece has, for a number of years now, made noteworthy progress in stabilizing prices. In combination with efforts towards fiscal recovery made in these recent years, this development allowed the entry of the drachma into the Exchange Rate Mechanism of the EMS in March 1998. "Greece has (also) made noteworthy progress for the reduction of significant imbalances in public finances in recent years, but the deficit still stood at around 4 per cent of Gross Domestic Product in 1997...(It) must continue the efforts for fiscal recovery," it added.[07] GREECE’S “ACTIVE MEMBER” TO RAP FOR PARTHENON MARBLESLondon, May 14 (MPA)The Greek rap group Active Member is to perform in a concert at London's Astoria concert hall on May 31 in order to raise money for the campaign calling on the return of the Parthenon Marbles to Greece. The concert is being organized by the Union of Greek Students in Britain, which yesterday also announced the launch of an English-language magazine on Greece, titled Symposium, issued free in the UK every two months.[08] FOREIGN UNDERSECRETARY SPEAKS ON CYPRUS ISSUEWashington, May 14 (MPA)Greece’s Foreign Undersecretary Yiannos Kranidiotis, currently on an official visit to the United States, addressed the 9th annual conference of the Cypriot Struggle World Coordinating Committee (PSEKA) in Washington yesterday.Mr. Kranidiotis stated that the Cyprus issue is an obvious anachronism which must be eliminated and stressed that the course towards Cyprus' membership in the European Union will act as a catalyst for a solution of the island's political problem, and will greatly contribute to improving the standard of living of the Turkish Cypriot community, as well as maintaining the cultural, religious and national heritage of all Cypriots. He also referred to the efforts exerted worldwide to resolve the issue and stressed that they should be based on declarations of the United Nations Security Council. Referring to various reactions to the deployment of Russian-made S-300 anti- aircraft missiles at Cyprus, Mr. Kranidiotis said the international community should turn their efforts towards the demilitarization of the island and make it clear to Turkey that it is the large-scale gathering of weapons in occupied northern Cyprus that overturns balances. Moreover, he stated that the root of Turkish-Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash’s intransigence can be found in Ankara. [09] GREEK FOREIGN UNDERSECRETARY SPEAKS AT CARNEGIE HALLWashington, May 14 (MPA)Greece’s Foreign Undersecretary Yiannos Kranidiotis outlined the Greek government’s foreign policy during an address he gave at the Carnegie Foundation.Referring to the Balkan policy of friendship and cooperation which is enforced by the Greek government. Mr. Kranidiotis spoke of the improvement in the ties held by Greece and its neighbors, while he also stressed Greece’s role as a mediator in the efforts to resolve the Kossovo crisis. Specifically, Mr. Kranidiotis stated that Greece has proposed that Kossovo be granted greater autonomy, albeit without a change in borders. “In order to establish peace, stability and economic development in the wider region,” Mr. Kranidiotis stated, “the Balkan countries need to gain access to the European bodies, such as NATO and the European Union, since we cannot speak of a United Europe without the Balkans.” Moreover, Mr. Kranidiotis proposed that Greece undertake the role of mediator in achieving rapprochement between the Israelis and the Palestinians, citing the two contacts held in Greece by leaders of both sides. 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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