BRIEF GREEK NEWS BULLETIN (29/12/1995)

From: Macedonian Press Agency <mpa@uranus.eng.auth.gr>

Macedonian Press Agency News in English Directory

BRIEF GREEK NEWS BULLETIN BY MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY

Thessaloniki, December 29 1995

NEWS IN ENGLISH

NEWS IN ENGLISH

[01] CONDITION OF THE PRIME MINISTER'S HEALTH UNCHANGED

The condition of the health of the greek prime minister mr Andreas Papandreou remained unchanged today according to the two reports of the medical board observing him since he was admitted in the Onassion Cardiology Center of Athens, one of the best equipped in Europe on November 20th.

The first medical bulletin, issued at 1:50pm mentioned that the condition of the Prime Minister's health remains the same while the evening one, issued at 20:00 said that his respiration has not been supported at all since ten o' clock in the morning when the periodical support stopped.

According to the bulletins, Prime Minister mr Andreas Papandreou's renal functions presented no significant changes but today it was not supported at all by artificial kidney, while the treatment with antibiotics continued.

A spokesman of the board said that they think of submitting mr Papandreou to an axis tomography but added that this is not something indicated by the clinic condition of the patient but it is included in the general treatment of the prime minister's

Meanwhile US ambassador in Athens mr Tomas Niles conveyed today to mr Papandreou's wife ms Demetra Liani, who is also the director of the personal bureau of the prime minister's, the prersonal interest of President Clinton's who offered to guest mr Papandreou for treatment in the states.

Greek Press and Media Minister mr Tilemahos Hitiris characterised mr Clinton's offer as symbolic showing the worldwide estimation mr Papandreou receives but declined to comment when asked whether mr Papandreou's tranfer to the US is a real eventuality.

Earlier mr Papandreou's daughter Sofia, had confirmed information that a tranfer of mr Papandreou's to the US for better treatment was suggested but she had contradicted that such thoughts have originated from the prime minister's family.

Mr Papandreou, born in February 1919, has won three general elections with absolute majority.The first tow were successive in 1981 and 1985 and the third in 1993, the mandate of which is still on the way for a four-year term.

In 1989 he married ms Demetra Liani while form a previous marriage he has four children one of whom is the minister of Education mr Giorgos Papandreou.

[02] HEALTH MINISTER BRIEFS EXECUTIVE BUREAU OF PASOK

Mr Dimitris Kremastinos, minister of health and greek prime minister mr Andreas Papandreou's personal doctor briefed today on the situation of mr Papandreou's health a four-member delegation of the executive bureau of PASOK under the secretary of the Central Committee of the party mr Constantinos Scandalidis.

After the briefing mr Scandalidis, covered fully all action taken by mr Kremastinos and the doctors treating mr Papandreou and said that now the bureau can make better decisions.

In a statement he made later mr Kremastinos called politicians and all those who are institutionally concerned to set all those questions which the doctors should answer so that the politicians be helped to interpet the constitution and decide as they are responsible to.

It has been already announced that there will be a common session of the 150-member central committee of the party and those of the 170 MPs which are not its members on January 20-21 with an open agenda.

MPs of the party have said that January 20th is too late and that all necessary meetings at party level should take place much earlier even in the next few days.

The Panhellenic Socialistic Movement (PASOK) was founded by mr Papandreou in 1974 after the fall of the military dictatorship which governed Greece for seven years and which had forbidden his return to Greece.

[03] FIRST MEETING OF THE CABINET WITHOUT PAPANDREOU

Greek government had today its first session since prime minister mr Andreas Papandreou was admitted in hospital on November 20th.

The session took place under mr Akis Tsohadjopoulos, minister of Interior affairs, public administration and decentralization who as the first in order minister subsitutes the prime minister according to the greek law for the government.

In a statement he made after the session mr Tsohadjopoulos characterised 1995 as the year the targets the government has set were materialised and that 1996 will be the year when the results will be visible.

According to the press and media minister mr Tilemahos Hitiris, the cabinet where many ministers made a briefing on their fields did not discuss at all the condition of mr Papandreou's health.

[04] GREEK NOTE TO ANKARA ON THE ATHENS FIR VIOLATION

Greek ambasador in Ankara will submit a note of protest to the turkish government for the violation of the greek territorial air which took place yesterday.

The note will be submitted as soon as the greek ministry of national defense has finalised its investigations concerning the event which concluded in the fall, 9 miles south west of the greek north-east Aegean Sea island of Lesvos, of a turkish "fantom", one of the pilots of which was rescued by greek warships and brought to the hospital of Mitilini, the capital of the island.

[05] THESSALONIKI:UNPRECEDENTED THEFT BEFORE CONCERT OF STATE ORCHESTRA

Thessaloniki's State Orchestra Director Leonidas Kavakos characterized as "unprecedented" the fact that just a few hours before yesterday's scheduled concert the scores used by the musicians were stolen by unknown thieves.

The concert finally took place after copies of the classical works that were scheduled to be performed were located in the Libraries of the State and Municipal Orchestra.

The Association of Thessaloniki's State Orchestra Musicians expressed indignation for this unheard of action stressing that it is the first time that something like this happens in the 36 years of the Orchestra in Thessaloniki.

[06] THE SEARCH FOR THE LOCATION OF THE MISSING TURKISH PILOT CONTINUES

The air and sea search continues for the location of the second pilot of the turkish "F-4" that crashed yesterday off the coasts of the greek island of Lesvos (Mitilini) in north-eastern Aegean.

Meanwhile, the co-pilot of the turkish airplane who was picked up yesterday by a greek Air Force helicopter was taken to Mitilini Hospital where he underwent medical examinations.

The rescued turkish pilot arrived today in the turkish city of Ismir on board a greek helicopter and was handed over to representatives of the turkish army.

[07] EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT SOCIALIST GROUP DELEGATION WILL VISIT CYPRUS

The Cyprus problem and the country's accession into the European Union will be the main topics that will be discussed during the contacts of the European Parliament Socialist group delegation with the cypriot political leadership in Nicosia on January 7 and 8.

Head of the delegation will be the Socialist group President mrs.Pauline Green who stated that the European Socialists are committed to promote the European Union enlargement adding that their visit to Cyprus will mark the beginning of the transitional period before the country's accession.

Mrs.Green also referred to the close relations between the European Socialists and the Cypriot Socialist Party stating that in cooperation with the Cypriot Socialists they will propose solutions for the Cyprus problem and the country's accession into the European Union.

[08] EARTHQUAKE 3,8 ON THE RICHTER SCALE SHOOK CHALKIDIKI, NORTH GREECE

An earthquake measuring 3,8 on the Richter scale shook this morning the region near the town of Arnea in Chalkidiki, northern Greece.

A seismologist from Thesaloniki's Aristotle University Geophysics Laboratory stated that the tremor is placed within the framework of the aftershocks which are still in progress after the strong earthquake measuring 6 on the Richter scale that hit the region on May 4, 1995.

According to police there were no damages reported but the residents of many villages left their homes in panic.

[09] PROTEST AGAINST NUCLEAR TESTS HELD IN FRONT OF FRENCH EMBASSY

With main slogan "No, to nuclear testing", the organization for the protection of the environment "Network Mediterranean SOS" organised a protest in front of the french Embassy building in Athens after the fifth nuclear test conducted by France in Mururoa of South Pacific on December 27th.

Despite the heavy rain, two activists of the organization stood outside the french Embassy building dressed as "Santa Claus" and as "New Year" and with oxygen masks on their faces they were wishing "Happy Nuclear Year" to people passing-by.