Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 97-04-11

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

Macedonian Press Agency: News in English Directory

MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH

Thessaloniki, April 11, 1997

NEWS IN ENGLISH

[A] NATIONAL NEWS

[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

TITLES

[A] NATIONAL NEWS

[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

NEWS IN DETAIL

[A] NATIONAL NEWS

[01] THE GREEK PRIME MINISTER WILL NOT MEET WITH HIS TURKISH COUNTERPART

Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas stated that there will be no scheduled meeting between Greek Prime Minister Kostas Simitis and his Turkish counterpart Necmetin Erbakan, but he did not rule out the likelihood of a Simitis-Erbakan meeting on the sidelines of the NATO Summit that will be held in Spain in July.

Mr.Reppas stated that Prime Minister Simitis had similar contacts in the past with his Turkish counterparts during which views were exchanged.

[02] THE GREEK FINANCE MINISTER EXPRESSED SATISFACTION OVER THE COURSE OF THE ECONOMY

Greek Minister of Finance and National Economy Yiannos Papantoniou expressed satisfaction over the course of the economy in his speech to the University of Economics in Athens.

Mr.Papantoniou stated that inflation dropped from 12,5% at the end of 1993 to 6% today, while at the end of the year is expected to be 4,5%, stressing that this is a very significant decrease.

The Minister of Finance and National Economy pointed out that the public deficit which was 14,4% of the GDP in 1993 will drop to 4,2% in 1997. He also underlined that the principles of the government's economic policy will be competitiveness, privatizations and the strict implementation of the EU convergence programme.

[03] G. PAPANDREOU AND H.V. MIERLO DISCUSS GREEK-TURKISH RELATIONS

The Greek government is to examine the Dutch-held EU Presidency's proposal to form a joint committee which will view issues concerning relations between Athens and Ankara.

Greece's alternate Foreign Minister George Papandreou and the Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs Yiannos Kranidiotis met with officials from the Dutch Presidency. Mr. Papandreou said that Dutch Foreign Minister Hans Van Mierlo assured him that the efforts being carried out for resolving Greek-Turkish issues will continue. A.F.

[04] GREEK BATALLION TO ARRIVE IN ALBANIA BY NEXT WEDNESDAY

The Greek batallion which is to participate in the multinational peacekeeping mission to Albania will arrive in Tirana and Vlore by next Wednesday.

The European Parliament has issued a resolution asking for the resignation of Albanian President Sali Berisha and it further emphasizes the need to draw measures that will allow for free elections to be held in Albania next June. A.F.

[05] REPPAS: WHEN IT COMES TO SOCIAL DIALOGUE, NOTHING IS ASKED IN ADVANCE

[06] INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON CULTURE AND SOCIETY HELD IN THESSALONIKI

An international symposium on culture and social cohesion has began in Thessaloniki, organzied jointly by Greece's Ministry of Culture and the Cultural Capital of Europe Organization "Thessaloniki '97", in cooperation with the University of Europe and the European Cultural Center of Delphi.

The President of both the University and the Cultural Center, E. Glikatzi-Arveler referred extensively to Thessaloniki's history and said that Europe was "born in Thessaloniki in a certain dimension, when during the 9th Century Cyrillus and Methodius undetook the task to Christianize the Slavs."

The Symposium will look into ways to turn the European Union into a community of not only interests, but of success and happiness as well. A.F.

[07] TRANSPORTATION MINISTER PROMISES MORE BUS LINES IN THESSALONIKI

[08] GREECE'S ECONOMY AND FINANCE MINISTER EMBARKS ON TEN-DAY VISIT TO US

Greec's Minister of National Economy and Finance Yiannos Papantoniou embarked today on a ten-day visit o the United States, where he will meet with State Department officials.

Mr. Papantoniou, who travelled to the US on the invitation of the Harvard Business Club, will also meet an array of leading American businessmen who are interested in investment opportunities with Geece. A.F.

[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

[09] GREEK AND TURKISH MILITARY OFFICIALS MET IN BRUSSELS FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE GREEK-TURKISH RELATIONS

Military officials from Greece and Turkey met in the NATO headquarters in Brussels for the improvement of the Greek-Turkish relations.

According to information, an agreement was reached in the meeting for a one-month extension to the two-month moratorium on military exercises which is in effect during the summer months.

Greek Minister of Defence Akis Tsochatzopoulos stated this morning that there is no Greek-Turkish dialogue underway.

[10] CLERIDES-KRANIDIOTIS MEETING IN NICOSIA

Greek Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs Yiannos Kranidiotis, after meeting with Cypriot President Glafkos Clerides in Nicosia expressed the hope that the talks held in the presence of a mediator will have a positive result and will lead to a direct dialogue between the two communities in Cyprus for a fair and viable solution of the Cyprus problem.

Mr.Kranidiotis also added that he discussed with President Clerides the issue of Cyprus' course toward the EU membership and views were exchanged on the next moves that need to be made. He clarified that the pre-accession talks will start 6 months after the Inter-Governmental Conference and will be held with the rightful Cypriot government.

[11] TWO ITALIAN WARSHIPS ARRIVED IN ALBANIA THIS MORNING

Two Italian Navy ships and a transport plane carrying soldiers arrived this morning in Albania with a mission to start preparations for the deployment of the multi-national force in the country.

Meanwhile, the group of specialists from 6 countries that visited Albania has completed the prepaprations for the arrival of the international force. According to information, a US satellite is watching the movement of the armed groups in the country and offers valuable information to the Italian government.

Next Wednesday, are expected to arrive in Tirana and Vlora the first units of the Greek military force.

In Italy, a discussion is underway in Parliament on Prime Minister Romano Prodi's policy in view of tomorrow's vote of confidence tabled by the Prime Minister himself after the decision of the Communist Refoundation Party to withdraw its support from the government and vote against the deployment of the multi- national force.

[12] ALBANIANS WILL DECIDE ON THE COUNTRY'S SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT IN THE NEXT ELECTIONS

The Albanians will be called to decide on the system of government they prefer for their country in the next parliamentary elections.

The decision was made in the meeting the representatives from the 10 major political parties in Albania had with President Sali Berisha during which they discussed the Albanian President's proposal for the drafting of a new Constitution before the elections. The proposal was rejected in spite of Berisha's arguments and persistence, as only two of the 10 political parties participating in the meeting namely, the Democratic Party and the Social-Democratic Union, backed his proposal.

Nevertheless, the participants accepted the pro-monarchy party proposal for a referendum on the form of government in the country. According to the decision reached, the referendum will be held simultaneously with the upcoming parliamentary elections.

[13] FRCKOVSKI - VAN DEN BROEK MEETING IN BRUSSELS

The imminent signing of an economic cooperation agreement between FYROM and the European Union was the main issue of yesterday's meeting in Brussels between EU Commissioner on International Relations Hans Van Den Broek and FYROM's Foreign Minister Ljubomir Frckovski.

According to statements they made, the agreement will be an important step for the promotion of FYROM's relations with the European Union.

FYROM's state television has announced that the agreement will be signed in about a week, while it was also reported that mr.Van Den Broek has informed mr.Frckovski that an EU office will be opened in FYROM soon.

[14] 1.093 CHARGES AGAINST TURKEY ARE PENDING IN THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE

According to information from Germany, 1.093 charges against Turkey are still pending in the Council of Europe Human Rights Committee, while 134 have been accepted by the Council of Europe.

The government of Bonn stated that is aware of 5 verdicts of guilt issued against Turkey by the European Court on Human Rights in the period of March 1995 to December 1996.

Bonn has also announced that is not aware of how many lawyers are missing or murdered, executed without a trial or tortured in Turkey in the period of 1990-1996.

[15] 37 KURDISH HUNGER STRIKERS IN TURKISH JAILS ARE IN A CRITICAL CONDITION

The 37 Kurdish and leftist inmates, who are on a hunger strike in the Erzerum prison for the past 33 days demanding the improvement of living conditions in the Turkish jails, are facing serious health problems.

According to a representative of the People's Democracy Party, "HABEP", certain of the hunger strikers are in danger of losing their lives.

Last year, 12 inmates died from hunger strike in prisons of western Turkey demanding the end of tortures and access to their lawyers and relatives.

[16] FYROM'S PREMIER: GREECE IS OUR TOP TRADE ALLY

FYROM's Preier Branco Cervenkovski stated that the improvement of relations between Skopje and Athens is a factor conducive to his country's stabilization.

Mr. Cervenkovski stated that there has been a gradual stabilization and also said that Greece is currently his country's top trade ally. A.F.

[17] CYPRIOT PRESIDENT MEETS WITH GUSTAV FEISHEL IN NICOSIA TODAY

The United Nations Secretary-General's alternate special representative Gustav Feishel was received by the President of the Republic of Cyprus Glafkos Clerides in Nicosia today.

Mr. Feishel briefed President Clerides on the meeting held in Geneva between UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and the Turkish- Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash.

Referring to the statements made by Cypriot government spokesperson Manolis Christofides that no substantive progress has been noted on the Cyprus issue, Mr. Feishel said that "the talks are positive."

Meanwhile, The UN Secretary-General's special envoy to Cyprus Han Sung Ju is to arrive in Nicosia tomorrow and will be received on Monday by President Clerides. A.F.

[18] SERB POLICE CHIEF AND INTERIOR DEPUTY MINISTER STOICIC ASSASSINATED

The Serb undersecretary of the Interior and police chief Radovan Stoicic was assassinated late last night in Belgrade, by an unknown man who fired at him at close range.

Stoicic was one of Serb President Slobodan Milosevic' closest associates.

The police are on a manhunt to arrest the unkown culprit and their presence in the streets of Belgrade has been stepped up. A.F.

[19] POPE JOHN PAUL TO BE IN SARAJEVO TOMORROW

In his first visit to Bosnia, Pope John Paul will arrive in Belgrade tomorrow for a two-day visit.

The Pope will perform a mass at Bosnia's "Kosevo" stadium where he will issue an appeal to the country's Muslims, Croats and Serbs to make peace among them.

Also, the head of the Catholic Church will meet with the three members of the country's tri-partite Presidium, Alija Izibecovic, Momcilo Kraisnic and Kresimir Zubak.

While the Orthodox Serbs of Bosnia had in the past criticised the Vatican for its early recognition of Croatia, the Pope's visit was welcomed by all of the country's three nationalities. A.F.

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