Macedonian Press Agency: Brief Greek News in English, 98-06-30

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From: The Macedonian Press Agency at http://www.mpa.gr and http://www.hri.org/MPA.

BRIEF GREEK NEWS BULLETIN BY THE MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY

Thessaloniki, June 30, 1998

TITLES

[01] GREEK CONSULATE DENIES TURKISH PRESS REPORTS OF ESPIONAGE

[02] IONIAN BANK’S SHAREHOLDERS TO HOLD GENERAL ASSEMBLY TODAY

[03] MAIN OPPOSITION PARTY LEADER WRAPS UP TOUR OF WESTERN MACEDONIA TODAY

[04] EU FOREIGN MINISTERS CONVENE OVER KOSSOVO, SUPPORT RUGOVA

[05] IONIAN BANK EMPLOYEES TO STRIKE ON FRIDAY

[06] RADIOACTIVE LEAK OCCURRED AT CYPRUS IN 1973, BRITISH REPORTS CLAIM

[07] UN SECURITY COUNCIL EXTENDS UNFICYP MANDATE THROUGH END OF YEAR.

[08] LAQUE UNVEILED AT POET KALVOS' HOME IN LONDON

[09] IT WAS A FIASCO, AFTERALL, THE SO-CALLED “ESPIONAGE” SCANDAL

[10] ECONOMY AND FINANCE MINISTER COMMENTS ON PRIVATIZATION COURSE

[11] IONIAN BANK SHAREHOLDERS GENERAL ASSEMBLY UNDERWAY, NO EPISODES

[12] CONFLICT CONTINUES IN KOSSOVO

NEWS IN DETAIL

[01] GREEK CONSULATE DENIES TURKISH PRESS REPORTS OF ESPIONAGE

Izmir, June 30 (MPA)

The consulate was referring to Turkish press reports regarding an alleged case of espionage by Greece.

Consul Andreas Fryganas said Greek authorities know nothing about the supposed "red-handed" arrest of "Turkish officers who gave information to Greek spies."

[02] IONIAN BANK’S SHAREHOLDERS TO HOLD GENERAL ASSEMBLY TODAY

The shareholders of Ionian bank are to hold their General assembly today, featuring the participation of a limited number of labor representatives.

Yesterday, Eurobank, which is owned by the Latsis Group, bought the Bank of Crete for 93 billion drachmas. The offers made by the Bank of Piraeus and the Bank of Labour were GRD52.5 billion and GRD48 billion, respectively.

Details of the bids given by the Bank of Crete are as follows: - Luxembourg-based Consolidated Eurofinance Holdings SA bid on behalf of the Latsis group, owners of EFG Eurobank. The bid was 93 billion drachmas, of which 30 per cent is payable within a month: 10 per cent annually for the first three years; and the remaining 40 per cent in the final year.

[03] MAIN OPPOSITION PARTY LEADER WRAPS UP TOUR OF WESTERN MACEDONIA TODAY

Thessaloniki, June 30 (MPA)

In Kastoria yesterday, Mr. Karamanlis stated that decisive measures need to be taken in order to combat organised crime and the flood of illegal immigrants. He accused the state of not taking the necessary measures to protect its citizens and their property.

Mr. Karamanlis has toured several parts of Greece on recent weekends, ahead of October’s local government elections.

[04] EU FOREIGN MINISTERS CONVENE OVER KOSSOVO, SUPPORT RUGOVA

Luxembourg, June 30 (MPA)

Meanwhile, the Serb forces in the region attempted to seize the city of Belasevic, which is currently under the control of the Kossovo Liberation Army, according to the press headquarters in Prishtina.

The United Nations secretary-general Koffi Annan warned that if NATO takes military action in Kossovo without the Security Council’s relevant decision, it would constitute a dangerous precedent.

[05] IONIAN BANK EMPLOYEES TO STRIKE ON FRIDAY

Athens, June 30 (MPA)

The union had initially called a four-hour work stoppage today and a gathering at the Hilton Hotel, where a general assembly of Ionian Bank shareholders will take place.

However, after the court ruling, which limits the presence of employees and of representatives of their insurance fund at the assembly, the union suspended today's work stoppage and turned it into a 24-hour strike on Friday.

[06] RADIOACTIVE LEAK OCCURRED AT CYPRUS IN 1973, BRITISH REPORTS CLAIM

London, June 30 (MPA)

The Cypriot government said yesterday it would look into the claims by a former British defence official that Britain had stored nuclear weapons at the Western Sovereign Base Area of Akrotiri during the Cold War.

Britain has neither confirmed nor denied the claims. According to the report, based on details leaked by a senior British Ministry of Defence official, the Cyprus government was never even informed that the nuclear bombs were being stored at Akrotiri.

The leaked document also shows that the government was similarly kept in the dark when monitors inside the storage building detected leaking radioactive Tritium gas in 1973.

A team of scientists had to be flown out from Britain to deal with the incident.

According to the Cyprus News Agency, Cypriot government spokesman Christos Stylianides said yesterday the state was unaware of the reports, and was looking into the matter. But Limassol DIKO deputy Marios Matsakis said the Cyprus government had asked the British government about such reports on previous occasions.

"The Cyprus government has asked for information and the British have said `It's none of your business'," Matsakis said. "They(the government) were told it was all part of Britain's defence system and they refused to confirm or deny. They (the bombs)might even still be here."

Officials at the British bases did not want to comment on the claims, but High Commission spokesman Piers Cazalet neither confirmed nor denied the reports.

"All we say is that we do not discuss the presence or absence of nuclear weapons at any particular place at any particular time," Cazalet said.

"There has never been an accident involving a nuclear weapon, which has led to or come anywhere near to leaking or releasing radioactive material." Similar comments were made by the MoD in London.

According to the report, whose author is nuclear disarmament campaigner Eddie Goncalves, Cyprus was not the only country which Britain used for its nuclear arms programme without informing its government. He claims that Germany and Malta were also victims in a total of some 20 mishaps said to have occurred in Britain and abroad.

In Germany in 1984, a nuclear bomb dropped off the trailer on which is was being transported and bounced twice before ending upside down.

[07] UN SECURITY COUNCIL EXTENDS UNFICYP MANDATE THROUGH END OF YEAR.

New York, June 30 (MPA)

The first reiterates the Council's grave concern at the continuing "excessive and increasing levels of military forces and armaments in the Republic of Cyprus and the rate at which they are being expanded, upgraded and modernized, including by the introduction of sophisticated weaponry."

The Council called upon all concerned to commit themselves to a reduction in defence spending and in the number of foreign troops on the island to help restore confidence between the parties. It called upon the leaders of the two communities in Cyprus to resume their discussions on security issues, which had begun last September.

Also by that resolution, the Council reiterated its support for the efforts of the United Nations and others to promote the holding of bi- communal events so as to build trust and mutual respect between the two communities.

In a related resolution, the Council reaffirmed that "the status quo is unacceptable and that negotiations on a final political solution of the Cyprus problem have been at an impasse for too long." The Council stressed its full support for the Secretary-General's mission of good offices and for the efforts of his Special Advisor on Cyprus.

The Special Advisor, Diego Cordovez, is expected to arrive on the island in the early hours of 2 July, according to a United Nations spokesman. Separate meetings are scheduled with Cypriot President Glafcos Clerides and Turkish-Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash. The Special Advisor is expected to leave Cyprus on 4 July.

[08] LAQUE UNVEILED AT POET KALVOS' HOME IN LONDON

Greek ambassador to London Vassilis Zafiropoulos yesterday unveiled a plaque commemorating Greek poet Andreas Kalvos, the English Heritage Foundation announced.

The plaque marks the poet's home and school for young ladies, which he operated with his wife between 1857 and 1865 in Maida Vale, London.

Kalvos was born on the Venetian-held island of Zakynthos in 1792, becoming one of the most ardent supporters of Greek independence.

According to the Athens News Agency, English Heritage launched the first National Blue Plaque Scheme pilot project in Liverpool and Merseyside. Members of the public are invited to nominate famous Liverpulians and 10 blue plaques will be put up over the next few years.

[09] IT WAS A FIASCO, AFTERALL, THE SO-CALLED “ESPIONAGE” SCANDAL

Ankara, June 30 (MPA)

The “spying” story, which appeared in mass circulation Turkish dailies such as “Millyiet”, reported that “Greeks use women spies” in order to obtain information from Turkish military officers.

Specifically, the scapegoat, Turkish Major Mehmet Barut, a married man, was arrested and charged with spying for Greece. According to the reports he was living with a woman claimed to be affiliated with the Greek Intelligence Service.

However, today’s “Hurriyet” reported that Barut was, well, a womaniser, but not a spy by any means. He was reportedly nailed to the authorities by his jealous wife.

According to the Turkish press reports, Major Barut was arrested last November along with and two other officers for passing classified information regarding Turkish airforce practices in the Aegean sea to Greece. Major Barut, was released, but the other men remain incarcerated.

[10] ECONOMY AND FINANCE MINISTER COMMENTS ON PRIVATIZATION COURSE

Athens, June 30 (MPA)

Moreover, Mr. Papantoniou said that “the government is taking coordinated steps in this direction, which is the only one that can lead us to complete success in our fiscal policy.”

[11] IONIAN BANK SHAREHOLDERS GENERAL ASSEMBLY UNDERWAY, NO EPISODES

Athens, June 30 (MPA)

The decision to limit the number of unionists present at the meeting was taken by the First Circuit Court which wanted to prevent a reoccurrence of the violent episodes that marked the previous general assembly meeting.

[12] CONFLICT CONTINUES IN KOSSOVO

Prishtina, June 30 (MPA)

According to reports, thousands of residents have abandoned their homes. A State Department spokesperson justified the contacts made recently between US officials and KLA representatives, by stating that this covert organisation has influence on the people

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/

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