MPA NEWS IN ENGLISH (21/06/1996)

From: Macedonian Press Agency <mpa@philippos.mpa.gr>

Macedonian Press Agency News in English Directory

MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH

Thessaloniki, June 21, 1996

NEWS IN ENGLISH

[A] NATIONAL NEWS

[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

TITLES

[A] NATIONAL NEWS

[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

NEWS IN DETAIL

[A] NATIONAL NEWS

[01] GREEK PRIME MINISTER ADDRESSES EUROPEAN COUNCIL IN FLORENCE

Mr.Simitis, was the third speaker to address the European Council and using the opportunity presented by the issue of the "mad cow" disease that had been raised by Britain said to the EU partners, according to greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas, that if mr.Major regards the "mad cows" issue as especially important for Britain then everyone has to acknowledge how important is a problem when it concerns the safeguarding of the national integrity of a member state.

Mr.Simitis pointed out that, at this moment, the safety of the borders of a member state is in danger by another country which aspires to become a full member of the European Union.

Specifically, if there is a reference to "solidarity" for Britain on the issue of the "mad cow" disease, then Greece will seek and request from its partners to also offer their solidarity to Athens on the issue of the greek-turkish relations.

Mr.Simitis after reminding that Britain has made many EU programmes "inactive", through its policy of non cooperation, said to the EU partners that they must realize the difficult position Greece can be led to as a result of their indifference and unwillingness to take a position on the issue of the greek-turkish relations.

According to information, the attempt by mr.Simitis to correlate those two issues annoyed the British Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister who, at one point during the greek Prime Minister's speech, took off their headphones in a show of protest.

The greek government spokesman stated that mr.Simitis presented to the EU partners clear and detailed facts concerning the greek-turkish relations and outlined Greece's policy by saying that "problems can not be faced through threats for the use of force and through an effort to create a climate of tension and crisis".

He also added that this behaviour not only undermines Greece's development course but it can also undermine and the course of the EU. Mr.Simitis left open the possibility for Greece to follow a similar policy with the one followed by Britain on the issue of the "mad cows", namely, to block the completion and implementation of joint EU policies and programmes.

Also, mr.Simitis reminded that Greece, due to the turkish provocativeness, is forced to spend huge sums of money for the improvement of its defence in order to have the capability to ward off any danger, stressing that this fact undermines the country's economic growth.

According to greek government spokesman mr.Reppas, the Prime Minister's speech today and the one he gave yesterday, during the meeting of the Socialist leaders, created positive impressions and favourable reactions.

It should be noted, that in today's speech the greek Prime Minister backed the upgrading of the European Parliament's role and within this framework said that the European Parliament must be informed in advance on the allocation of funds for the MEDA programme in order to have the opportunity to prevent the programme's development in countries with human rights violations.

Mr.Reppas also expressed Greece's satisfaction because in a European Parliament resolution a special reference was made to the Mediterranean countries "which do not want good neighbourly relations with other member states". This reference, stated mr.Reppas, clearly concerns Turkey and added that Greece will utilize this position.

[02] EUROPEAN UNION SUMMIT MEETING IN FLORENCE BEGAN TODAY

Under-Secretary of Foreign Affairs Mr. Fascino of Italy - which currently holds the EU Presidency prior to being relayed to Ireland- stated that the turkish memorandum submitted this week regarding greco-turkish relations and european solidarity will not be brought up for discussion during the Summit, but will be examined during the Foreign Ministers meeting with the turkish delegation tomorrow evening. Greece will be represented by a diplomat at this meeting.

Prime Minister Kostas Simitis, accompanied by Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos and Under-secretary of Foreign Affairs George Romeos were received this morning at the session by Italian Premier Romano Pronti and Foreign Minister Laberto Dini.

This afternoon, Italian Presiden Oscar Luigi Scalfaro will host a luncheon at the Medici Pallace welcoming the European Council members and the EU's National Economy ministers and, in light of the signing of agreements between EU-Chile and EU- Uztbekistan, in honor of these two countries' foreign ministers.

Within the European Council's parameters, Prime Minister Simitis will meet with the President of Cyprus Glafkos Clerides who is currently in Florence.

[03] ASSOCIATION OF BALKAN NEWS AGENCIES TO MEET IN ATHENS TODAY

Attending the conference will be the general directors from each news agency, which are Macedonian Press Agency (in Thessaloniki) Spyros Kouzinopoulos, Athens News Agency Andreas Christodoulides, Anadolu (Ankara) Mehmet Akarca, ATA (Tirana) Ilir Zhilla, BIP (Sofia) Stefan Velev, BTA (Sofia) Milen Vaikov, MPB (Skopje) Milova Stefanovski, Rompress (Bucharest) Neagu Odroiu and Tanjung (Belgrade) Slobodan Jovanovic. Also present will be two observers, Fevzi Khraman, general-director of the Ankara-based independent IHA news agency and Ali Ibranimoglu, IHA's news coordinator.

The conference will address issues such as the progress of MPA's Diavlos program, which envisions the creation of an inter- Balkan news data bank based in Thessaloniki, as well as the preparation for the exchange of financial information between ABNA members.

The Conference's general assembly will begin at 9 am on Saturday at the Asteras resort in Athens' seaside suburb of Vouliagmeni. A dinner will be held on Saturday, honoring the general directors, who will visit Sounio on Sunday. The events are sponsored by the Athens Medical Center.

[04] GREEK PRESIDENT TO ADDRESS COUNCIL OF EUROPE'S PARLIAMENT

On Monday afternoon, mr.Stephanopoulos is scheduled to speak in the Rober Schumann University.

[05] PROTOCOL FOR THE COOPERATION OF THE GREEK AND UKRAINIAN RAILWAY NETWORKS IN THE TRANSPORT OF FOODSTUFFS

During the meeting mr.Zeleznjak underlined his country's interest in that kind of transports and stated that will undertake initiatives in all the interested networks (russian, moldavian, romanian and bulgarian) for the improvement of the transport conditions.

[06] NEXT WEEK'S GREEK-SKOPJAN TALKS POSTPONED

According to information from the UN headquarters, the date for the resumption of the talks in New York will be set immediately after mr.Vance's return from South Africa.

[07] MACEDONIA'S HOSPITAL PHYSICIANS CALL OFF STRIKE, DEMANDS MET

According to the President of the Association of Specialist Physicians of Macedonia Vassilis Nakos, 90 per cent of the doctor's financial demands were met by parliament yesterday.

A similar move to end the strike is expected any time from the Athens front as well.

[08] TALKS FOR THE NEW BORDER CROSSINGS IN GREEK-BULGARIAN BORDERS

The delegation is made up of bulgarian Undersecretary of Transport and Communications Ivan Gantchev, Prefect of Philippoupolis, Petko Tsarev and mayor of Smolian, Tsatalbasev.

The bulgarian delegation met with greek local authorities and presented to them three alternative proposals concerning possible areas for the new border crossing in order to be selected the best possible for both countries.

[09] NORTHERN GREECE'S STATE THEATER EMBODIED INTO EUROPEAN CIRCLES

The European theatrical network includes the most renowed theatrical organizations in the continent, under the leadership of Giorgio Streller.

[10] WORLD-WIDE CATALOG OF GREEKS LIVING ABROAD CREATED BY PATRA UNIVERSITY

The catalog, collated through the use of the Diogenis electronic program, will allow for an expedient and itemized access to all Greeks living in countries throughout the world.

The task of putting together this voluminous work began at the Patra University and was continued through the cooperative efforts of Washington University and the University of Saint Louis, Missouri.

[11] LOADS OF FUN IN 1997 WHEN THESSALONIKI WILL BE CULTURAL CAPITAL OF EUROPE

Among the main events is the exhibition of 580 sacred relics from 17 monasteries in Mount Athos which will be held in the Museum of Byzantine Civilization.

[12] GREEK MUSIC CONCERT TO HONOR OLYMPIC GAMES IN ATLANTA

The concert is scheduled to be held at Atlanta's Symphony Hall with singer mezzo soprano Agnes Baltsa as the lead vocalist and noted composer Stavros Xarhakos directing. Works from Greece's most famous composers will be performed, among which will be pieces written by Mikis Theodorakis, Vassilis Tsitsanis, Manos Hatzidakis and Xarhakos.

[13] GREECE TO GRANT $16,000 FOR GREEK FESTIVALS IN AUSTRALIA

Along the same lines, Greece is giving financial assistance to Modern Greek Studies departments featured in australian universities.

[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

[14] CYPRUS WILL SOON BE A FULL MEMBER OF THE EU, SAYS GOVERNMENT

The cypriot government spokesman outlined the cypriot government positions on its relations with the EU, with an emphasis on the accession course and the Cyprus problem.

Responding to questions by reporters, mr.Kasoulidis stated that the cypriot government has a clear european orientation and works intensively and methodically for the full harmonization of the cypriot legislation with the european laws.

[15] THE UNFICYP PROTESTED AGAINST THE TURKISH PROVOCATIONS

UNFICYP spokesman, Valtemar Rokosefski stated that two turkish fighter jets flew over the neutral zone twice, within the framework of the turkish military exercises while strong protests are being made and by the cypriot government.

Meanwhile, the five permanent members of the UN Security Council begin consultations today for the adoption of a resolution on the renewal of the UN peace keeping forces mandate in Cyprus. According to information, a draft resolution will be tabled that will include only the paragraphs concerning the UNFICYP.

The references to the Cyprus problem will be added after the UN Secretary General submits his report on his good services which is expected on Tuesday.

Next Wednesday, will meet the countries which participate in the UN forces stationed in Cyprus, while on Tuesday will begin the informal consultations of the UN Security Council plenary session.

[16] CYPRIOT PRESIDENT IN FLORENCE FOR CYPRUS' EU ACCESSION

President Clerides, who is invited to the Summit by the Italian presidency, will also have a series of meeting with european leaders. In outlining his expectations from these contacts, President Clerides stated that negotiations regarding Cyprus' accession to the EU will begin six months after the Inter- Governmental Conference takes place, and assessed that during the next EU expansion, Cyprus will become a full member of the Union.

[17] COOPERATION AND TRADE AGREEMENT BETWEEN EU-FYROM RATIFIED

The Director of the European Commission's General Directorate of Foreign Affairs Pablo Benartides and the head of FYROM's delegation Yianne Milliovski, exchanged letters ratifying the bilateral agreement which promotes cooperation, especially on the trade sector.

The EU member-states agreed that the signing of the agreement be done in a "unique" matter and specifically through an exchange of letters similar to NATO's "Cooperation for Peace." In other words, the skopjan government's letter states that the agreement is ratified by the "Republic of Macedonia", while in the European Commission's version Skopje is referred to as "FYROM".

[18] TRADE AGREEMENT SIGNED BY THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION AND FYROM

The two sides also agreed on the restoration of a regular political dialogue between them.

Based on the trade agreement, the European Bank of Investments will participate in the financing of the construction of infrastructure projects in FYROM with 150 million ECU.

[19] COUNCIL OF EUROPE TO DISCUSS SITUATION IN ALBANIA NEXT WEEK

As it was announced today by a Council of Europe spokesman, will be examined the situation in this country as it is being formed after the controversial elections that were held last Sunday and were won by the governing Democratic party.

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