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The Hellenic Radio (ERA): News in English, 99-12-29
From: The Hellenic Radio (ERA) <ert.ntua.gr/>
CONTENTS
[01] CONCERN OVER THE MILLENNIUM BUG
[02] DEVELOPMENTS IN THE 2ND ROUND OF PROXIMITY TALKS ON CYPRUS
[03] TURKISH JET FIGHTERS VIOLATE GREEK AIR SPACE
[04] EVENTS FOR THE NEW MILLENNIUM
[05] THE TURKISH CULTURE MINISTRY CANCELS MILLENNIUM EVENT
[01] CONCERN OVER THE MILLENNIUM BUG
The state mechanism will be ready from midnight Thursday till Monday
January 3rd, 2000 to deal with any problems that might arise in the
sectors of health, transports, communications and banking transactions
from the millennium bug, known as the Y2K. Development Minister Vasso
Papandreou has given assurances that all the systems and networks have
been fully adjusted to the new data. Transport minister Tasos Mantelis
yesterday announced that a team of expert staff will be working from
08:00 pm on December 31st till 04:00 am on New Year's eve to deal with
any malfunctions. Olympic Airways has announced that it will postpone
its flights from 08:30 pm on December 31st until 06:00 am on January
1st. The civil aviation has also an emergency plan ready if required.
[02] DEVELOPMENTS IN THE 2ND ROUND OF PROXIMITY TALKS ON CYPRUS
In Nicosia, details regarding the second round of proximity talks in
Geneva were discussed yesterday between the UN secretary general's
deputy special envoy for Cyprus James Holger and Cypriot president
Glafkos Kliridis. In statements made later, Mr Holger said that there
would be some readjustments to the date of the talks and reliable
sources indicate that they will begin on January 27th. Cypriot
government spokesman Michalis Papapetrou said yesterday that Nicosia
does not expect any spectacular results from the second round of
proximity talks on the Cyprus dispute. He also made it clear that the
Turkish side would probably not move from its inflexible positions, due
to the upcoming elections in the self-styled Turkish-Cypriot state.
Turkish foreign minister Ismail Cem who is currently on a visit to the
Turkish occupied parts of northern Cyprus stated yesterday that the
recent Helsinki EU summit decision was giving the possibility to the
Turkish government to bring its stand on a confederation in Cyprus to
the European steps.
[03] TURKISH JET FIGHTERS VIOLATE GREEK AIR SPACE
Six Turkish F-16 jet fighters yesterday violated the Greek national air
space over the islands of Ikaria, Samos and Patmos in ten occasions.
The Turkish jet fighters were not armed and in certain occasions
violated the limit of 6 nautical miles which Ankara accepts as Greece's
national air space.
[04] EVENTS FOR THE NEW MILLENNIUM
Popular Greek singers Dionysis Savvopoulos, Periklis Koukos, Maria
Farandouri and Vasilis Papaconstantinou are amongst the artists who
have been invited to welcome the new millennium in a spectacular event
to be staged at the foot of the Athens Acropolis on December 31st. In
the meantime, Greek state radio and television has invited the public
to attend a 14 hour happening on Friday evening, in front of the
University gates.
[05] THE TURKISH CULTURE MINISTRY CANCELS MILLENNIUM EVENT
The Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos of Constantinople has sent a
letter to the Turkish culture minister Istemihan Talai, protesting for
the ministry's plans to celebrate the New Year at the church of Saint
Irene-one of the oldest churches of Constantinople, a museum today as
Mr Talai said over a private Turkish TV channel. The Turkish culture
ministry announced yesterday that the festive event for the new
millennium has been cancelled.
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