Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 97-02-24

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

Macedonian Press Agency: News in English Directory

MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH

Thessaloniki, February 24, 1997

NEWS IN ENGLISH

[A] NATIONAL NEWS

[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

TITLES

[A] NATIONAL NEWS

[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

NEWS IN DETAIL

[A] NATIONAL NEWS

[01] TSOCHATZOPOULOS: GREECE WILL BE SUPPLIED WITH ARMAMENTS FROM ANY COUNTRY

Greece will be supplied with armaments from any country, stated Greek Minister of Defence Akis Tsochatzopoulos from Oslo, Norway on his way to the North Pole.

His statement is regarded as a clear warning to Germany and the United States on the occasion of press publications and information according to which, the two NATO countries are not willing to supply Greece with "M-1" and "Leopard" armoured tanks. The statement leaves open the possibility for the purchase of Russian "T-80" armoured tanks, similar to those recently purchased by Cyprus.

[02] THE PRESIDENT OF LITHUANIA WILL VISIT THESSALONIKI ON WEDNESDAY

Lithuanian President Brazauskas will make a short visit to Thessaloniki on February 26 where he will stay for a few hours. He and his daughter will visit the archeological site of Vergina and later will visit Thessaloniki's Archeological Museum.

The Lithuanian President will be accompanied by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Transportation, Parliament deputies and the Lithuanian Ambassador to Athens.

[03] PLANS OF A PARAEGNATIA ROAD ABANDONED

[04] STUDENTS' PARENTS WORRIED OVER THE HIGH-SCHOOLS TEACHERS' STRIKE

The deadlock in Greece's secondary education has been extended as the government and the striking high-school teachers are still at an impasse, neither of them willing to budge from their stated positions.

The teachers' national union is expected to propose that the strike be extended into a seventh week. The government calls on the teachers to return to the negotiations table, but at the same time emphasizes that there is no room left for further salary raises.

Parent and Guardian Associations are quite concerned as the year's second quarter ends on Friday and the students might not get their grades. A.F.

[05] GREEK HIGH-SCHOOL TEACHERS ARE ADAMANT, WILL PRESS ON WITH THEIR STRIKE

Mr. Arsenis, in a special announcement given last night, said that the government will grant the teachers a 50,000GRD monthly bonus beginning March 1.

[06] GREEK ALTERNATE FOREIGN MINISTER ATTENDS EU GENERAL AFFAIRS COUNCIL

[07] THE CURRENT ND LEADER FORMALLY ANNOUNCED HIS CANDIDATURE FOR PARTY PRESIDENT

Main opposition party of New Democracy leader mr.Miltiades Evert with a written statement announced that he will be a candidate for the party Presidency in the party congress that will be held in March.

Mr.Evert mentions that the party congress will deal with the leadership issue to end the existing disputes, while regarding New Democracy's ideological and political platform, he said that it must move in the area of the popular center-right, stressing that the party needs to break away from the "old" and the outdated.

[08] GREECE'S UNDERSECRETARY OF HEALTH TO VISIT CYPRUS TOMORROW

Greece's Undesecretary of Health Theodoros Kotsonis will depart for a five-day visit to Cyprus tomorrow, following an invitation issued by Cypriot Minister of Labour and Social Security Andreas Mousiouttas.

The two men will sign a bilateral cooperation agreement on issues of welfare and prosperity, while they will also discuss issues concerning individuals with special needs. A.F.

[09] THE GREEK BUSINESSMEN CLUB OFFERS ECONOMIC AID TO SCHOOLS AND ORPHANAGES IN BULGARIA

The region's Club of Greek Businessmen has offered the sum of 2.000 dollars to a school in the city of Plovdiv in Bulgaria for the purchase of computers, while it has also offered 800.000 lev to an orphanage.

The Club's Chairman mr.Arvanitopoulos mentioned that to the center for the disabled in the city of Asenovgrad will be offered goods worth 1 million lev while the same amount of money has been offered for the purchase of goods to be delivered to the region's Young People's House.

[10] GREECE SEEKS THE CONSTRUCTION OF A ROAD AXIS LINKING THESSALONIKI WITH CENTRAL EUROPE AFTER THE EU REJECTION OF THE PARA-EGNATIA ROUTE

The Greek government directs its efforts toward winning the EU approval for the construction of the road axis linking the city of Thessaloniki with Central Europe, via Yugoslavia, after the recent rejection, by the responsible EU committee, of the para- Egnatia route project, according to statements made in Thessaloniki today by Minister of Transportation and the Telecommunications mr.Haris Kastanides.

The minister stated that after this very positive decision for Greece and the Balkans, what has to be decided in the Helsinki meeting of Transportation and Telecommunications Ministers next June, is the completion of the european transport networks with the addition of the 10th road axis.

Mr.Kastanides also underlined the significance of the vertical road and railway axis of the Egnatia Route. He said that the road links with Bulgaria, Yugoslavia and Albania constitute a entity not only concerning the infrastructure but the economic development of Greece and the rest Balkan countries as well.

The minister also underlined that with the rejection of the para-Egnatia route solution, which was going to link the Albanian city of Durres with the Black Sea, Greece undertakes a special role in the Balkans.

[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

[11] CLASHES IN ANTI-RACIST DEMONSTRATIONS IN MADGEBURG

Clashes between demonstrators and police rocked the eastern German city of Magdeburg for a second weekend in a row when about 2 thousand young marchers protested against the extreme-right violence, chanting anti-racist slogans.

The demontration was held two weeks after the killing by neo- nazis of a 17yearold punker, whose death was the reason for similar bloody incidents in Berlin.

According to eye-witnesses, the clashes in Magdeburg erupted when about 400 demonstrators threw rocks and empty bottles at the police, protesting against the tolerance it shows in certain cases toward extreme-right supporters.

Police used batons injuring many protestors while numerous arrests were made.

[12] THE ALBANIAN SOCIALIST PARTY IS DISPLEASED BY THE GREEK INVITATION TO PRESIDENT BERISHA

Greek Coalition of the Left party Euro-deputy, mr.Alekos Alavanos conveyed a message of the Albanian Socialist party leadership to the EU Foreign Ministers and to the leaderships of the political groups in the European Parliament.

The Albanian Socialist party calls for pressures to be applied on the Albanian government for the release of its jailed leader Fatos Nano, as well as other political prisoners, while it also calls for the resignation of the Albanian government and the holding of free and fair elections in 1997. The Albanian Socialists also expressed their discontent for the Greek government invitation to Albanian President Sali Berisha to visit Greece.

[13] GERMAN INITIATIVES FOR BULGARIA

In a telephone conversation German Foreign Minister Klaus Kinkel had last Saturday with his Bulgarian counterpart Stoyan Stalev assured him that Germany will support Bulgaria's efforts to become an EU member and that his country will make every effort for the solution of the economic and monetary crisis in Bulgaria.

Mr.Kinkel stated that he will personally bring the issue for discussion to the EU Foreign Ministers meeting scheduled to take place today to deal with the situation in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and Albania.

[14] THE EU-CYPRUS ASSOCIATION COUNCIL MEETS TOMORROW

The EU-Cyprus Association Council will meet tomorrow to promote the procedures for Cyprus' accession into the EU. The accession negotiations will begin 6 months after the end of the Inter-Governmental Conference as agreed, while the Association Council proceedings will not be affected by the problem created after the persistence shown by certain member-states and especially Germany, asking to be included in the text with the position shared by the "15" the phrase that in the proceedings for Cyprus' accession also participate the Turkish-Cypriot community.

Greece has rejected the compromise solution suggested by the Dutch EU Presidency according to which, the EU seeks to safeguard as soon as possible, the involvement to the accession process of all Cypriots, including the Turkish-Cypriot community.

Alternate Foreign Minister Giorgos Papandreou is expected to ask today for clarifications by the EU partners in the General Affairs Council meeting. This new element, concerning the Turkish- Cypriot involvement in the accession procedures, is interpreted in Brussels as a new means for exerting pressure on the Cypriot government in view of the intensification of the efforts aimed at reaching a solution for the Cyprus problem.

[15] THE LEADER OF THE "GREY WOLVES" CALLED ON HIS SUPPORTERS TO CLAIM THE HOUSES OF THE GREEK-CYPRIOTS IN FAMAGUSTA

The leader of the Turkish extreme-right organization "Grey Wolves" in the Turkish occupied territories in Cyprus Mehmet Aslan, called on his supporters to enter the vacant city of Famagusta and claim the houses of the Greek-Cypriots.

Mehmet Aslan maintained that the march scheduled to take place on March 2 will end up at the edge of Famagusta and stated provocatively that if someone likes any of the houses can write his name on its walls and it will be given to him.

Pseudo-minister of Agriculture in the Turkish occupied territories Kenan Atkin, the killer of Greek-Cypriot Solomos Solomou in last year's bloody incidents in Derynia, expressed his support to the efforts of the extremist organization stating that he backs this march wholeheartedly.

[16] TWO TURKISH SPY-AIRCRAFT VIOLATED NICOSIA'S AIR SPACE

Two Turkish spy-aicraft, specially equipt to take photographs, violated the Nicosia FIR last Thursday and flew over the sea regions of Rhodes-Cyprus and Paphos-Limassol, according to the Cypriot Broadcasting Company.

The Cypriot National Guard radars located the spy aircraft that first appeared 80 kilometers west of Paphos and then flew south of the British Base in Akrotiri.

According to information from the National Guard General Staff, the Turkish aircraft mission was to photograph targets related to the Joint Defence Doctrine between Greece and Cyprus. The Cypriot government has made a demarche to the United Nations protesting against the new provocative Turkish action.

[17] THE CYPRUS PROBLEM WILL BE RESOLVED ONLY IF THE UN RESOLUTIONS ARE IMPLEMENTED

British special envoy to Cyprus Sir David Hanney stated upon his arrival in the Turkish capital, that the Cyprus problem will be resolved if the resolutions of the UN Security Council are implemented. The British diplomat during his visit to Turkey will have contacts with officials of the government of Prime Minister Erbakan.

The Turkish mass media reported that Sir David Hanney has stated that the Cyprus problem will be solved only through negotiations, without clarifying which parties will participate in those negotiations.

He stated that a solution to the problem will bring about the easing of the tension between Greece and Turkey. He also stressed, referring to the issue of the purchase of the Russian S-300 missile system by Cyprus, that the island must be demilitarized, adding that only this way Turkey will stop feeling threatened. He also clarified that he does not believe that the problem will be solved with Cyprus' demilitarization. He also said that the arms race in the island is a very unpleasant development.

[18] THE TURKISH-CYPRIOT PSEUDO-STATE WILL DECIDE TODAY ON THE RELEASE OF A GREEK-CYPRIOT

The Turkish-Cypriot regime in the Turkish occupied part of Cyprus is expected to decide today whether Greek-Cypriot Savvas Sidereniou will be released or be brought before a court.

The Greek-Cypriot was arrested last Friday when he lost his way and drove to the occupied territory of Achna by mistake.

[19] A NEW FRIENDSHIP PRIZE WILL BE AWARDED BY THE HELLENIC-TURKISH FRIENDSHIP ASSOCIATION

A new prize of friendship will be awarded, starting this year, by the Hellenic-Turkish Friendship Association established in Istanbul in 1996 by author Aziz Nesin. According to the Turkish newspaper "Cumhurriyet", this prize will be awarded for the first time in December to individuals who have contributed positivelly to the Greek-Turkish relations.

It should be noted that the Association has 43 founding members, among them Yasser Kemal, Melih Tzevdet Antay and Tzengiz Bektash, who said referring to the relations between the two countries that "we should stop poisoning our children".

[20] RUSSIAN SCIENTISTS UNDERTOOK TO MODERNIZE TWO OF KOZLODUI'S NUCLEAR REACTORS

Russian scientists undertook to modernize the nuclear reactors No1 and No4 of Kozlodui nuclear plant in Bulgaria for the benefit of Bulgaria and Russia as well, stated Russian Undersecretary of Nuclear Energy mr.Resetnikov, according to the Bulgarian newspaper "Douma".

Based on his statements, the condition of the nuclear reactors was not a desperate one and the modernization aims at using new techniques in their operation. The Russian Undersecretary speculated that the participation of scientists from other countries in the modernization efforts of the nuclear reactors is a positive development and will contribute to the selection of the best technology.

[21] TURKISH DIPLOMATS SAID TO BE INVOLVED IN SPYING AGAINST BULGARIA

Three Turkish diplomats are said to be involved in espionage acts against Bulgaria, according to the Sofia daily "Duma".

According to the report, the three Turkish officials are said to be affiliated with the Turk citizen Kamoran Dogu, who is currently being tried for espionage in Bulgaria.

The three suspects are Turkish former Consul-General (up to 1994) in Plovdic Funta Tezok, and the diplomats Belgin Alparsan and Turgut Yiasgan. A.F.

[22] BULGARIA DISTRIBUTES 20 THOUSAND TONS OF GRAIN FROM ITS STATE RESERVES

The price of bread in Bulgaria is expected to drop to 600 leva a kilo (about 30 cents) after the caretaker government's decision to release 20,000 tons of grain from its reserves.

People have formed long lines in front of the few bakeries still open in order to buy bread. The caretaker government held a Ministerial Council today where the full liberization of grain prices was also approved.

Meanwhile, Bulgarian Agriculture Minister Rumen Christov announced that all export of cattle feed from the country will be prohibited. A.F.

[23] CYPRIOT GOVERNMENT IS AWARE OF "GREY WOLVES" PLANS IN FAMAGUSTA

The Cypriot government is aware of and has information on the plans of the Turkish extreme right organization -known as "Grey Wolves"- to settle in the sectioned off region of Famagusta.

According to government spokesperson Yianakis Kasoulides, these threats do not leave the Cypriot government idle, as it has already informed the United Nations that Turkey is wholly responsible, according to UN resolutions, for the city's sectioned off area and, as such, it is also responsible for any violation of these resolutions.

Similar reports have been given to the UN over the Turkish violations of Cyprus' FIR, Mr. Kasoulides added. A.F.

[24] BRITISH SPECIAL ENVOY TO CYPRUS SUPPORTS DEMILITARIZATION

Britain's special envoy for the Cyprus issue Sir David Hannay supports the Cypriot government's proposal for demilitarization of the island, according to government spokesperson Yiannakis Kasoulides. Mr. Kasoulides stated that the British view is that, within the framework of the resolution of the Cyprus issue, the island will be demilitarized.

Meanwhile, United States Ambassador to Cyprus Kenneth Brill stated today that in order to break the deadlock in the Cyprus issue, the island's two communities must abandon their known positions and proceed to new compromises.

Following his meeting with President Glafkos Clerides, Mr. Brill said that 1997 is the year that provides the opportunity to achieve progress. A.F.

[25] YOUNG MAN FOUND DEAD IN KOSSOVO HAD BEEN TORTURED BY POLICE

A five-member committee of the European Parliament visited Pristina today where they were received by the family of the recently killed Albanian Besnik Rostelica who, according to Kossovo's Information Centre, died two days ago after having been tortured by police in Pristina's prison.

The committee's leader, Doris Peck, said that she was shocked by the dark-ages methods of torture the Serbian authorities use in Kossovo.

Tthere has been no official announcement of Rostelica's death, who had been arrested on suspicion of participating in terrorist activities in Kossovo. A.F.

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