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The Hellenic Radio (ERA): News in English, 99-09-27
From: The Hellenic Radio (ERA) <ert.ntua.gr/>
CONTENTS
[01] OPPOSITION LEADER'S PRESS CONFERENCE IN THESSALONIKI
[02] RELIEF EFFORTS FOR ATTICA HOMELESS
[03] ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH INAUGURATES CULTURAL CENTRE ON LEROS
[04] CYPRIOT FEDERATION OF AMERICA EVENT IN MANHATTAN
[05] TURKISH PRIME MINISTER TO VISIT USA
[06] MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR PAVLOS BAKOYANNIS
[07] MAJOR FIRE ON ISLAND OF CHIOS
[01] OPPOSITION LEADER'S PRESS CONFERENCE IN THESSALONIKI
At a press conference in Thessaloniki yesterday, in the framework of
his visit to the International Trade Fair, opposition New Democracy
party leader Kostas Karamanlis indicated he was in favour of early
elections. He said his party would present its proposal for a new
president of the republic in late January of the year 2000. Mr
Karamanlis also criticised the government for its handling concerning
the Athens stock exchange and called for no intervention in its
functioning and efforts to upgrade the institution. On Saturday, Mr
Karamanlis announced his party's economic programme, which includes
boosting investments in small- and medium-sized enterprises as well as
measures to combat unemployment. In reply to Mr Karamanlis' statements,
government spokesman Dimitris Reppas stated that the major opposition
party was in a state of political inertia.
[02] RELIEF EFFORTS FOR ATTICA HOMELESS
Officials in Athens are making efforts to speed up procedures for
improving the living conditions of the homeless in quake-hit regions in
Attica. A team of Public Administration Auditors is expected to visit
the quake-hit areas and make a list of problems, inform citizens and
contribute to simplifying procedures so that government measures can be
applied quickly and more effectively. Meanwhile, most schools in Athens
prefecture will open normally today, but certain school buildings in
Athens municipality which are under repair will open at a later date.
[03] ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH INAUGURATES CULTURAL CENTRE ON LEROS
Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos of Constantinople yesterday
inaugurated the Patriarchate's Dodecanese cultural centre on the island
of Leros. On the second day of his visit to the island yesterday,
Patriarch Vartholomeos officiated at a special service and laid a
wreath at the war memorial dedicated to the fallen on board the
destroyer "Queen Olga" which was torpedoed in the port of Leros during
World War II. The Ecumenical Patriarch announced that he was offering
to the Greek government the amount of 100,000 dollars for the needs of
the quake-stricken population of Attica.
[04] CYPRIOT FEDERATION OF AMERICA EVENT IN MANHATTAN
Cypriot president Glafkos Kliridis has attended an event organized by
the Cypriot Federation of America in Manhattan. Speaking at the event,
president Kliridis pointed out that if the US exerted its influence,
then the negotiations for a solution to the Cyprus issue based on UN
Security Council resolutions would be possible. During the event,
American senator Joseph Bidden was awarded the Cyprus justice prize,
while the Cypriot Federation's charity prizes were awarded to Greek
Americans from the Peloponnese, Georgia and Dimitrios Kaloidis, for
their contribution to the Cypriot struggle. Speaking at the event,
American state department special coordinator for Cyprus Thomas Weston
indirectly called on the Turkish side to participate in a dialogue. He
said the Cyprus problems would be one of the main issues to be
discussed at Tuesday's meeting between American president Bill Clinton
and visiting Turkish prime minister Bulent Ecevit. For his part,
senator Bidden pointed out that prospects and opportunities for
resolving the Cyprus issue were greater than ever today and criticized
those who describe the present situation on Cyprus as one of relative
peace.
[05] TURKISH PRIME MINISTER TO VISIT USA
Meanwhile, during Mr Ecevit's five-day official visit to Washington,
American officials are expected to exploit the recent good climate in
Greek-Turkish relations in the wake of the quakes in both countries in
order to achieve progress in the Cyprus issue. In an interview with the
Cypriot newspaper "Fileleftheros", Cypriot foreign minister Yannakis
Kassoulidis said much would depend concerning future Cyprus
developments on the forthcoming meeting between president Bill Clinton
and Mr Ecevit. Mr Ecevit is to try to convince president Clinton to
exert pressure on the International Monetary Fund for a loan to
Turkey.
[06] MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR PAVLOS BAKOYANNIS
A religious and political memorial service for the late New Democracy
deputy Pavlos Bakoyannis was held in his hometown of Velota in
Eurytania, continental Greece, yesterday. Ten years ago, Pavlos
Bakoyannis was assassinated by the terrorist organization "November
17th".
[07] MAJOR FIRE ON ISLAND OF CHIOS
A major fire has been raging for 4 days now in north-western Chios.
Thousands of acres of woodland have been reduced to ashes so far and
two firemen were slightly injured.
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