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The Hellenic Radio (ERA): News in English, 99-08-18
From: The Hellenic Radio (ERA) <ert.ntua.gr/>
CONTENTS
[01] NORTH-WESTERN TURKEY IN STATE OF EMERGENCY AFTER QUAKE
[02] GREEK AND INTERNATIONAL AID TO TURKEY
[03] QUAKE IN TURKEY OVER 7 ON THE RICHTER SCALE
[04] PRIME MINISTER MEETS PASOK SECRETARY
[05] GREEK FOREIGN MINISTER MEETS ALBANIAN FINANCE MINISTER
[06] FUEL PRICES UP AGAIN
[07] MOUNT ATHOS REFUSES POPE PERMISSION TO VISIT
[01] NORTH-WESTERN TURKEY IN STATE OF EMERGENCY AFTER QUAKE
During an extraordinary cabinet meeting in Ankara yesterday evening,
the north-western part of Turkey, including Constaninople, was declared
in a state of emergency in the wake of the devastating earthquake
measuring over 7 on the Richter scale. Rescue teams are making
superhuman efforts to find survivors under the rubble.
According to the latest toll reported by Reuters, more than 3,000
people were killed, while the number of injured is over 13,000. Izmit
was leveled and a fire which broke out in the Tupras oil refinery is
still raging and threatening the coastal city. The mayor of Izmit said
the fire could not be put out with the means available and appealed for
international help.
[02] GREEK AND INTERNATIONAL AID TO TURKEY
Two Greek fire-fighting planes and a helicopter will be despatched to
Turkey today. Furthermore Greek C-130 planes will transport special
fire-fighting units to the region at the request of Turkish foreign
minister Ismail Cem after Greek foreign minister Yorgos Papandreou had
a telephone conversation with him offering Greece's assistance.
Greece has already sent an 11-member medical team, 25 soldiers of the
special emergency team with 4 vehicles and special equipment, 2 mobile
medical units, a 7-member team of expert scientists of the Anti-Seismic
Protection Organization, and several tons of medical supplies.
Following a request by the Red Cross Federation and the Red Crescent,
in Geneva, the International Red Cross appealed for two billion
drachmas in aid to cover immediate needs in foodstuffs, blankets and
tents for about 100,000 people who were left homeless. The United
States is also sending aid to Turkey as well as a team of specially
trained technicians and firemen who will take part in the rescue
efforts.
[03] QUAKE IN TURKEY OVER 7 ON THE RICHTER SCALE
Turkish Professor Ahmet Mete Isikara of the Kadili Seismological Centre
in Constantinople, revising his previous statement about the earthquake
measuring 6.7 on the Richter scale, said that the earthquake measured
over 7 on the Richter scale. Earlier the Upsala Geophysical Institute
had announced that the earthquake measured 7.5 on the Richter scale,
while the seismological centre of Golden, Colorado, reported that the
earthquake measured 7.8 on the Richter scale.
[04] PRIME MINISTER MEETS PASOK SECRETARY
Greek prime minister Kostas Simitis returned from his vacations in
Sifnos yesterday and he is to meet at Maximos mansion today with
secretary of PASOK's central committee Kostas Skandalidis.
In the next few days, Mr Simitis will meet with national economy
minister Yannos Papantoniou to finalize the state budget for the year
2000 and the allocation of funds from the third community support
framework. The new budget, in combination with the nature and extent of
social benefits will be discussed during a cabinet meeting to be
chaired by the prime minister on 28th August, in view of the
international trade fair in Thessaloniki on 3rd September, a date which
coincides with the 25th anniversary of PASOK's founding.
[05] GREEK FOREIGN MINISTER MEETS ALBANIAN FINANCE MINISTER
Greek foreign minister Yorgos Papandreou discussed with Albanian
finance minister Angeli issues connected with Greek prime minister
Kostas Simitis' visit to Tirana on 24th August. Among the issues
discussed were Greece's immigration and labour policy towards Albanians
working in Greece, the payment of the sum of 20 billion drachmas as a
Greek loan to Albania, the Greek contribution of 1.5 million US dollars
in aid to the Albanian budget and Greek aid for the construction of the
new Albanian National Theatre.
[06] FUEL PRICES UP AGAIN
As of midnight on Wednesday, the price of fuel is expected to go up by
2.5 drachmas per litre, while today a meeting will take place at the
ministry of development with the participation of development minister
Evangelos Venizelos and fuel retailers and petrol companies to find
ways of stabilising prices. Because of the soaring prices, there is a
possibility of fixing a ceiling in order to avoid adverse effects on
inflation.
[07] MOUNT ATHOS REFUSES POPE PERMISSION TO VISIT
Mount Athos is closing its doors to the head of the Catholic Church,
refusing to grant the Pope a visit to the Greek Orthodox monastic
state. Pope John Paul the second requested permission to visit the holy
community of Mount Athos on the occasion of the 2000 Jubilee. The 20
heads of the community's monasteries gave a negative reply to the
Vatican, describing John Paul the second's presence in the community as
a provocation to Orthodox Greeks and saying it would constitute an
illegitimate infiltration of Papism into Orthodoxy.
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