MPA NEWS IN ENGLISH (16/09/1996)

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

Macedonian Press Agency News in English Directory

MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH

Thessaloniki, September 16, 1996

NEWS IN ENGLISH

[A] NATIONAL NEWS

[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

TITLES

[A] NATIONAL NEWS

[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

NEWS IN DETAIL

[A] NATIONAL NEWS

[01] PREMIER CONFIDENT OF VICTORY IN SUNDAY'S ELECTIONS, CAMPAIGNS CONTINUE

Prime Minister and PASOK President Kostas Simitis expressed his confidence that he will win in Sunday's elections, during his campaign through Livadia and Halkida yesterday.

Mr. Simitis emphasized that his party does not make unfeasible promises and criticised the personal juxtapositions and attacks directed against him, stating that they constitute a tasteless tactic.

The Premier also stated that the main opposition paty New Democracy has opted for a national issues policy that will escalate tensions and will lead to uncontrollable outcomes.

Speaking in Thessaloniki yesterday, New Democracy leader Miltiades Evert asked for the resignation of either Mr. Simitis or the National Defense Minister Gerasimos Arsenis, claiming that one of the two men is lying regarding the government's handling of the Imia crisis in January. Mr. Evert referred to Mr. Simitis' statement during Friday night's debate where he had said that when the Imia crisis erupted, he issued orders to the nation's armed forces general staff (headed by Defense Minister Gerasimos Arsenis) which were not executed. The following day Mr. Arsenis stated that the orders issued by the Premier were executed as issued.

Mr. Arsenis, in his response to Mr. Evert, said yesterday his statements were identical with the Premier's and asked the main opposition leader not to get hooked on the armed forces.

Having entered the final week before Sunday's elections political party leaders are continuing with their campaigns.

Mr. Evert will visit various areas in Western Attica while minor opposition leader Political Spring's Antonis Samaras visited the port of Pireaus this morning.

The honorary President of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) Harilaos Florakis will tour Patra today and the President of the Coalition of the Left and Progress (Synaspismos) will speak at his party's largest pre-election gathering in the center of Athens this evening.

[02] THE PRE-ELECTION CAMPAIGN CONTINUES

Prime Minister and PASOK leader, Kostas Simitis will give a press conference at 11pm tonight in which he will respond to New Democracy's criticism on issues concerning foreign policy and unemployment, while in the following days, before the September 22 elections, he will visit the cities of Larisa, Volos, Lamia, Kalamata and Pirgos. On Friday, mr.Simitis will speak in a open- air political rally that will be held in the center of Athens.

Minister of Environment, Planning and Public Works Kostas Laliotis, who is PASOK's spokesman until the elections, appealed to New Democracy leader, mr.Evert to clarify his party's positions on crucial foreign policy issues such as, the expansion of Greece's territorial waters in the Aegean to 12 nautical miles, the Joint Defence Doctrine between Greece and Cyprus and the issue of Ankara's aggressiveness toward Greece.

Responding to the statements made yesterday by mr.Evert concerning the crisis in Imia, mr.Laliotis called the leader of the main opposition party to leave the armed forces out of the pre- election campaign, while on the issue of unemployment he said that New Democracy had promised 100 thousand jobs in 1990, but instead 120 thousand young people were left unemployed.

Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos stated, referring to mr.Evert, that a Prime Minister unable to understand the issues of national interest will be a tragedy for the country. Mr.Pangalos said that on the night of the crisis in Imia had personally outlined to mr.Evert the moves made by the government and the ND leader had expressed no objections.

New Democracy leader, Miltiadis Evert reiterated his proposal for a televised debate with the participation of the leaders of all major political parties and already has contacted the leaders of Political Spring, the Communist party, Coalition of the Left and Democratic Social Movement.

The proposal was accepted only by Coaltion of the Left leader, Nikos Konstantopoulos, while the rest of the political party leaders stated that a televised debate without the participation of the leader of PASOK would not help in the search for truth.

Mr.Evert also announced that he decided against holding an open-air political rally in Athens on Thursday and instead he intends to give a televised press conference.

Political Spring party leader, Antonis Samaras, touring the city of Pireaus, appealed to the undecided voters and to all those who intend to cast a blank or spoilt ballot paper to vote for his party.

Coalition of the Left leader, Nikos Konstantopoulos will speak in a political rally in Athens, while Democratic Social Movement leader, Dimitris Tsovolas stated that his party is the target of a "slander operation", stressing that it will win votes from all the major political parties.

[03] THE CARETAKER MINISTER OF PRESS SUGGESTED TO VOTERS SELF- RESTRAINT AND MEDITATION

Caretaker Minister of Press, Dimitris Konstas suggested self- restraint and meditation to voters in the September 22 elections. Mr.Konstas announced that the number of soldiers guarding the polling stations will drop to 8 thousand, clarifying that soldiers will be sent only to small polling stations in villages close to army units.

He also announced that the greek state television will broadcast the election results in a special 6-hour programme that will also be broadcast to the United States, Canada, Europe and the Black Sea.

[04] MAIN OPPOSITION'S VICE-PRESIDENT DEMANDS AN EXPLANATION ON IMIA CRISIS

A plea to break their "guilt-ridden silence" regarding January's Imia crisis was issued by the main opposition party New Democracy's vice-president Ioannis Varvitsiotis to the Prime Minister Kostas Simitis, the Defense Minister Gerasimos Arsenis and the former chief of the Armed Forces, Admiral Lymperis.

Mr. Varvitsiotis's request was provoked by statements made by PASOK officials today, specifically former Minister of the Interior Akis Tsohatzopoulos and former Labor Minister Evangelos Yiannopoulos, who accused N.D. of trading on national issues for pre-campaign purposes.

The conflict has stemmed from Friday night's televised debate between Mr. Simitis and N.D. President Miltiades Evert, when the Premier had stated that the orders he issued on the night of the Imia crisis were not executed by the country's armed forces.

Mr. Varvitsiotis stated that Mr. Simitis has created a major politicial issue, "by becoming panic-stricken upon realizing that he will lose the elections.

"He proceeded on his own volition to make this unprecedented statement, that he had issued an order to the armed forces during the Imia crisis, which order was not executed," Mr. Varvitsiotis stated, adding that the Government is now frantically trying to impose deliberate confusion on the whole matter, which must be cleared up immediately.

Referring to Mr. Simitis, Mr. Arsenis and Mr. Lymperis, the N.D. Vice-President accused them of maintaining a "guilty silence" and called on them to answer the following questions: To whom were the Premier's orders issued, what time were they given, and what was the content of the orders? Moreover, Mr. Varvitsiotis asked, what were the consequences on the nation after the orders were not followed, what measures were drawn against those who did not execute ther orders and why was Adm. Lymperis, if he is the person responsible for not carrying through with the Premier's orders, given an honorable discharge?

Mr. Varvitsiotis also called attention to statements made by Mr. Lymperis, according to whom many persons will go into hiding if he talks, and to Mr. Arsenis's claims that all of the orders given were executed.

[05] STATEMENTS BY MR.KONSTAS ON THE FRENCH PREMIER'S VISIT TO GREECE AND THE NEW INCIDENT IN CYPRUS

Caretaker Minister of Press, Dimitris Konstas stated today that during french Prime Minister, Alain Juppe's visit to Greece it was ascertained that Greece and France share the same views on the issue of the completion of the Inter-Governmental Conference in the first half of 1997.

Mr.Konstas also emphasized France's persistence in International Law and in the respect of international procedures such as, the International Court of Justice in The Hague.

Responding to a question by a reporter on the new incident in the region of Pila in Cyprus, mr.Konstas reiterated the Cypriot government's statements, adding that there is communication between the two governments and that the greek government follows the situation closely.

[06] UNDERSECRETARY OF HEALTH SUFFERS STROKE, CONDITION IS CRITICAL

Greek Undersecretary of Health Franklinos Papadellis suffered a stroke last night at 9:30 while he was campaigning in the island of Limnos.

Mr. Papadellis is currently hospitalized in the Athens General Hospital's intensive care unit. With his condition remaining critical, Mr. Papadellis is scheduled to undergo surgery.

[07] PRESIDENT ATTENDS FRENCH ARCHAEOLOGICAL SCHOOL'S ANNIVERSARY FESTIVITIES

The President of the Hellenic Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos attended the 150th anniversary commemmoration festivities of Athens' French Archaeological School.

The President of the Athens Academy Ioannis Pesmazoglou opened the ceremony with a speech illustrating the cultural ties that bind the Greek and French peoples. Mr. Pesmazoglou also referred to the movements of enlightement and humanism that inspired the Greeks during the Greek Revolution.

[08] THE GREEK FOREIGN MINISTER MET IN ATHENS WITH THE SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE OF THE UN SECRETARY GENERAL IN CYPRUS

Foreign Minister, Theodoros Pangalos met at noon today with the UN Secretary General special representative in Cyprus, Han Sung Ju and they discussed the recent developments and the current situation on the island.

Mr.Pangalos stated that every effort to change the territorial status quo will mean war between Turkey and Greece, stressing that the pre-election period does not affect the greek government's determination.

Mr.Ju stated that certain efforts are being made by the leaders of the two communities in Cyprus aimed at the easing of tensions. The UN special representative after completing his contacts in Athens will visit Ankara where he will have meetings with turkish officials.

[09] THE GREEK PARLIAMENT PRESIDENT SENT AN OPEN LETTER WITH PHOTOS OF THE RECENT TURKISH ATROCITIES, TO MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE, EURO-PARLIAMENT AND INTERNATIONAL MASS MEDIA

Parliament President, Apostolos Kaklamanis sent an open letter with special photographic material showing the recent turkish atrocities, to members of the Council of Europe, the Euro- Parliament and to international mass media.

According to mr.Kaklamanis, the special photographic document shows clearly the brutal killing of greek-cypriot, Tasos Issac and also, the cold-blooded killing of Solomos Solomou by thugs of turkish military organizations.

Mr.Kaklamanis has stated that a report is being drawn up which will be presented in a press conference in the Euro- Parliament and will reveal that turkish Foreign Minister, Tansu Ciller had financed with secret funds the organization "Grey Wolves", which participated in the recent bloody events in Derinia.

The greek Parliament President speculates that the turkish provocations in Cyprus will be intensified and that after the US Presidential elections pressures will be exerted on the greek side in order to enter negotiations.

[10] THE PERSONAL FILES OF ANDREAS PAPANDREOU CAN NOT BE LEFT IN THE HANDS OF PRIVATE INDIVIDUALS, STATED THE PARLIAMENT PRESIDENT

The priceless material in Andreas Papandreou's personal files can not be left in the hands of private individuals stated, greek Parliament President, Apostolos Kaklamanis responding to a question by reporters on the will of the late PASOK leader.

Mr.Kaklamanis added that the material included in the files should be handed to specialists, who are studying the files, in order to be safeguarded both the files and the history of Greece itself.

[11] THESSALONIKI'S BENEFACTOR, POET GEORGE VAFOPOULOS DIED LAST NIGHT

All of Greece, but more so Thessaloniki, is mourning the death of its 93-year-old poet George Vafopoulos.

Mr. Vafopoulos died last night after a lengthy illness. He was a reknowed poet, revered in Thessaloniki as being its most significant benefactor and well-known writer.

Born in Gevgeli in 1903, Mr. Vafopoulos was the first among the Macedonia writers who overcame the "Mt. Olympus" barrier and became equally known in Athens as a distinguished writer.

His first published work appeared in "Nea Estia" in 1928, having been in charge of the magazine "Macedonian Letters" since 1924.

In addition to numerous anthologies of poems, Mr. Vafopoulos also authored a number of essays, such as "Public Libraries, Institutions of Social Infrastructure" (1982) and "Poetry and Poets" (1983). In 1963 he was honored with the "Award of the Macedonian Capital" and in 1967 he was given the first "State Award for Poetry", to be followed by the "Award for Poetry by the Athens Academy, Ourani Foundation" in 1972.

In 1983, Mr. Vafopoulos and his wife Soula founded the Vafopouleion Intellectual Center, endowed upon the Municipality of Thessaloniki.

Thessaloniki's Mayor Konstantinos Kosmopoulos stated that "I express my profound sorrow for the death of the man who spent his life offering Thessaloniki an unprecedented spiritual light. George Vafopoulos was for Thessaloniki a massive chapter, a source of ethos. His love for Macedonia, Thessaloniki and Greece was a deep love and that is transparent through his course in life."

The funeral of Mr. Vafopoulos will be held tomorrow afternoon at 4 p.m. in Thessaloniki's Aghia Sofia church.

[12] THESSALONIKI'S 61ST INTERNATIONAL TRADE FAIR COMES TO A CLOSE TONIGHT

Thessaloniki's 61st International Trade Fair completes its annual run tonight, with a marked increase in the interest of foreign investors, albeit coupled with a slight reduction in the number of visitors.

According to HELEXPO officials, the organization in charge of the Fair, the reduction in visitors could be partially attributed to the adverse weather conditions during the Fair's opening weekend and to the coinciding pre-election campaign period in Greece.

President of HELEXPO, Antonis Kourtis, stated that the trade delegations visiting the Fair this year have created a record number throughout the Fair's history.

Foreign media have also turned their attention to Thessaloniki's Trade Fair, among them the Swiss daily Neue Zurcher Zeitung with an article titled "Greece Between Europe and the Balkans."

The author, Heinz Gstrein illustrates in his article the beneficial effects the Fair bears upon the Balkan region, pointing out the new era currently being shaped in the eastern European area, of which Greece is part.

[13] THIRD INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON POLLUTION HELD IN THESSALONIKI

The locally-held Third International Conference on Pollution and its Impacts is focusing on three facets that directly affect Thessaloniki, according to the Mayor Konstantinos Kosmpoulos.

Primarily, the appropriate and productive waste management, the seven-day garbage disposal program and the creation of a central drainage network which will alleviate the Thermaicos Bay are the Municipality's three primary targets.

Presenting their environmental impact studies at the conference are scientists from Greece, Norway, England and other countries, while pollution-reduction programs were presented from Italy, Germany, Malta and Japan.

[14] PORTUGAL FIRST PLACE, GREECE SECOND IN THESSALONIKI-HELD SONG FESTIVAL

Portugal won first place in the Sixth Festival of Songs for European Union countries, Malta and Cyprus, held in Thessaloniki, with Greece gaining second place and Spain third.

Portugal's "Cancao do vendo e la terra" performed by Carla Pierew and written by Manuel Coelho was the favorite, with Greece's "Thessaloniki" and Spain's "Que Pena" following closely behind with the second and third awards respectively.

The first prize award is 1.5 million GRD, the second one million and the third 700,000 GRD.

Also participating in the festival were Austria Belgium, Cuprus, France, Ireland, Italy, Malta, Holland and Great Britain.

[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

[15] NEW EPISODE OCCURS IN CYPRUS ALONG THE DEMARCATION LINE

A new episode took place in Cyprus along the demarcation line during the early morning hours, forcing the National Guard to be placed in a state of emergency.

According to up-to-date reports, a Cypriot guard stationed at the border guardhouse, located west of the village of Pyla, detected a group of individuals moving in a suspect manner and ordered them to stop. When they did not comply, a series of warning shots was fired which forced the unknown persons to flee.

Meanwhile, additional incriminating evidence has surfaced against the "Minister" of Agriculture of Rauf Denktash's occupying regime regarding his involvement in the murder of Greek-Cypriot Solomos Solomou.

"Minister" Kenan Akin's involvement has provoked a reaction by Turkey's main opposition party. The Secretary-General of the Turkish Republican Party Samit Soyel, has asked for a complete clear up of the situation which, as he stated, has made the Turk- Cypriot community's position even more difficult.

[16] BOSNIA: ELECTIONS CARRIED OUT SATISFACTORILY, RELATIVELY TANGLE-FREE

Sunday's elections, held for the first time after the four- year war in Bosnia-Herzegovina, were carried out relatively tangle- free according to the international organizations that have undertaken the task to oversee the voting process, per the Dayton accord.

Speaking to the Macedonian Press Agency,the regional director of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Benjamin Karakostanoglou, confirmed that the voting process has been carried out smoothly.

Mr. Karakostanoglou, who is in charge of the Socolac bureau of the organization and is responsible for approximately one- fourth of the Bosnian state, has characterized the establishment of new state bodies as a very significant factor for Bosnia's future.

The OSCE regional director and the honorary Ambassador Konstantinos Zeppos, are the two Greeks who have been assigned administrative duty in Bosnia.

Approximately 2.9 millions of the war-torn country's electorate body were called to vote on a tripartite, rotating presidium and to form a parliament. The collective presidentcy will copmrise a Serb, Croat and Muslim Parliament. The voter turnout was estimated at 60-80 per cent.

The legislative and executive bodies of the newly-formed state will be primarily composed by the three-member presidium of the Bosnia-Herzegovina union.

The presidency will be on a rotating, six-month basis and among the likeliest candidates are Bosnia's current President Alia Izetbegobic, a Muslim; Croat Krezimir Zubac, current President of the Mulsim-Croatian Federation; and Serb Momcilo Krasnik, current President of the Bosnianserb Parliament.

The Common Representatives Body will be made up by 42 parliamentarians, 14 from the Serb Republic and 28 from the Muslim- Croatian Federation.

The Muslim-Croat Federation Parliament, will be composed by 120 MPs and expected to take a lead are Alia Izetbegobic's SDA, the Party of the Democratic Action, and the Croat Democratic Union (HDZ) which is led by the like-named party of the Croatian President Franjo Tudjman. Main opponents of these two parties are considered to be the Union for Bosnia-Herzegovina of former Premier Haris Silaizic, and Rasim Kadic's Liberal Alliance.

The Serb Republic's Parliament will be made up by 83 Bosnianserb parliamentarians. It is almost certain that the Serb Democratic Party (SDS) prevails, led by Alexa Buha. The Coalition for Peace and Progress led by the Socialist Party and supported by President of Serbia Slobodan Milocevic and the Democratic Patriotic Bloc, led by Banja Luca's former mayor Predrag Radic have also increased their chances of entering parliament, although they're lagging far behind the ruling SDS.

The Serb Republic's Presidency, which up to date has been steered by the acting President Biljiana Plavcic, is likely to gain majority appeal by the Bosnianserbs.

[17] EUROPE IS INTERESTED IN RESOLVING CYPRIOT ISSUE, BUT WON'T TAKE INITIATIVE

France, Germany and Britain have not expressed an intent to develop an initiative regarding the Cypriot issue, but they have expressed their interest in resolving the problem of the island's division, stated the Cypriot government's spokesperson Yiannakis Kassoulides.

"It was an expression of heightened interest, given the developments in Cyprus, and it was an expression of intent to help in finding a solution to the Cypriot issue," Mr. Kassoulides stated, adding that this was the message relayed to the President of the Republic of Cyprus Glafkos Clerides by the Ambassadors of France, Germany and Britain.

[18] THIRD CONFERENCE OF MODERN GREEK STUDIES TO BEGIN IN MELBOURNE

The Third Conference of Modern Greek Studies of Australia's and New Zealand's Associations of Modern Greek Studies will be held at the University of Melbourne between Seprtember 29 - October 2, and will be themed after "Greek Culture: Heritage, Innovation, Development."

Distinguished visitors will give speeches in both the Greek and English languages and will expound on the course of the Greek culture in the recent past and present, as well as on the effects it will bear in the future. Emphasis is also expected to be given to Cypriot culture and to the Greek diaspora.

[19] EUROPEAN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS CONDEMNS TURKEY FOR THE FIRST TIME

Turkey was condemned for the first time by the European Court of Human Rights regarding a case that concerned the conflicts between the Turkish armed forces and Kurdish rebels.

The Court ruled that Turkey violated the European Accord for Human Rights when its armed forces destroyed the Kelekci village, located in southeastern Turkey, in 1992 and 1993.

[20] THE TURKS ARE REACTING TO THE 50 RUSSIAN ARMOURED TANKS PURCHASED BY CYPRUS

The purchase of 50 russian "T-80" armoured tanks by Cyprus was the reason behind the information channeled by the turks concerning the possibility of a "hot incident" in the region.

According to a Cyprus Radio report, the turkish side attempts to avert the armoured tanks' transportation to Cyprus by creating concern in the West, particularly in the United States and the EU, aimed at exerting pressures on the cypriot government in order to postpone the transportation of the russian tanks.

Government sources speculate that this turkish effort is aimed at creating serious concern in the EU over the situation in Cyprus by presenting it as potentially explosive.

[21] NATO TO HOLD WARSAW SEMINAR ON IMMIGRATION'S ECONOMIC IMPACTS

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization will organize a seminar on the economic consequences born onto state security by immigraiton and refugeees, to be held tomorrow and Wednesday in Warsaw.

Participating in the seminar will be over 60 representatives from Alliance countries and well as representatives from international organizations. Main topics of discussion will be the multi-faceted aspects of immigration, focusing on the positive and negative economic impacts guided by the security factors.

Within the seminar's framework, the participants will analyse issues such as the impacts of immigration on demographics and job markets as well as the relation between immigration and economic development.

[22] THE ALBANIAN MINISTER OF DEFENCE ASKED GREECE'S SUPPORT TO HIS COUNTRY'S EFFORTS TO BECOME MEMBER OF EURO-ATLANTIC ASSOCIATIONS

Albanian Minister of Defence, mr.Zuliali in his meeting with Greece's new ambassador to Tirana, Konstantinos Prevedourakis asked for Greece's support to the efforts of his country to become a member of Euro-Atlantic Associations.

According to the albanian mass media, mr.Zuliali underlined the satisfactory course of the greek-albanian cooperation, especially in the sector of defence and also emphasized the improvement in the political-economic bilateral relations. The albanian Minister of Defence also maintained that the further development of those relations can set an example of bilateral cooperation in the region.

Ambassador Prevedourakis stressed that his mission in Albania will play a constructive role in the improvement of relations between the two countries.

[23] MEMBERS OF THE "FRIENDS OF CYPRUS" COMMITTEE ARE EXAMINING WAYS FOR THE SOLUTION OF THE CYPRUS PROBLEM

Ways for the easing of tensions in Cyprus and also for the solution of the Cyprus problem are being discussed by british parliamentarians members of the "Friends of Cyprus" Committee.

Committee Chairman, Lord Bethel after his meeting with cypriot Parliament President Spiros Kiprianou, stated that the situation in Cyprus now is probably worse than the 1974 war. According to Lord Bethel, the only light at the end of the tunnel is the proposed accession of Cyprus into the European Union.

[24] THE NUMBER OF UNEMPLOYED IN THE EU WAS CLOSE TO 18 MILLION AT THE END OF JULY

The total number of unemployed in the European Union was close to 18 million at the end of July. Nevertheless, the overall tendency appears encouraging as the unemployment percentage is in decline.

According to a report published in Luxemburg today by the official Statistics Agency of the European Union, Eurostat, on the average the EU unemployment percetage in the months of June and July was 10,7%, showing a decrease of 0,1% compared to April and May.

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