Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 97-05-16

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

Macedonian Press Agency: News in English Directory

MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH

Thessaloniki, May 16, 1997

NEWS IN ENGLISH

[A] NATIONAL NEWS

[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

TITLES

[A] NATIONAL NEWS

[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

NEWS IN DETAIL

[A] NATIONAL NEWS

[01] US SUBMITS FIVE-POINT PROPOSAL ON GREECE-TURKEY TRUST BUILDING MEASURES

United States experts have submitted a specific five-point proposal to their Greek counterparts regarding the achievement of trust building measures between Greece and Turkey, according to the spokesperson of the US Department of Defense.

The proposal was submitted during last week's US-Greece meeting in Crete, although the US official added that he is not aware if an agreement has been reached between the two neighbors on the specific proposal.

During a regularly-scheduled press conference, Mr. Bacon said that the issue of air-corridors for flights above the Aegean was not discussed during the Crete-held meeting, thereby refuting rumors that the US had mediated in reaching an agreement between Greece and Turkey.

"What was discussed," Mr. Bacon said, "was the proposal of NATO's Secretary-General Javier Solana, which includes the following points:

"1. Moratorium on military flights between June 15 and September 15.

"2. Unarmed aircraft will participate in training missions.

"3. The aircraft will be equipped with an indentification of friend or foe device in order to avert interception and to reduce the risk of mistake during mock air combat.

"4. Direct communication will be established between the Greek and Turkish Air Defense Operation centers.

"5. Establish a center on AFSOUTH that will monitor regional flight operations in the Aegean."

Mr. Bacon clarified that Greece and Turkey have yet to respond, either negatively or positively, to Mr. Solana's proposal. A.F.

[02] GREECE REJECTS THREE OF THE FIVE CONFIDENCE-BUILDING-MEASURES WITH TURKEY

Greek Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos stated today, after the meeting with his Slovenian counterpart Zoran Taler, that Greece rejects three of the five confidence-building-measures with Turkey suggested by NATO.

Mr.Pangalos clarified that Greece accepts the proposal for a moratorium on military flights between June 15 and September 15.

Regarding the proposal for the establishment of a center to monitor flight oprations in the Aegean, mr.Pangalos stated that this is already being done through the NATO Headquarters in Naples. He rejected the measures for the use of unarmed aircraft in training flights over the Aegean, the establishment of an electronic system for the identification of fighter jets and the direct communication between the Air Force Headquarters of Greece and Turkey.

Concerning the first measure rejected by Greece, mr.Pangalos mentioned that it has never been discussed not even in the recent Greek-US meeting in Crete, while on the other two measures he pointed out that they do not safeguard the Athens FIR and do not resolve the issue of the Turkish fighter jets violations of air traffic regulations.

[03] THE DUTCH EU PRESIDENCY PROPOSAL FOR A MEETING OF GREEK AND TURKISH EXPERTS WAS REJECTED BY PANGALOS

Greek Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos rejected the proposal of Dutch Foreign Minister Hans Van Mierlo for a meeting of experts from Greece and Turkey on May 26-28. Mr.Pangalos also made it clear, that for as long as Ankara continues its intransigence Greece will not release the EU funds for Turkey.

Mr.Pangalos stressed that Greece insists in the procedure already determined and the experts are in the process of drawing up a text which will be completed today or by the beginning of next week. The text, said mr.Pangalos, will be sent provided that the term concerning the holding of a meeting, which creates problems to the whole procedure, will be withdrawn. According to mr.Pangalos, it is obvious that mr.Van Mierlo must understand that he made a mistake and that what he has stated can not materialize.

On the issue of the EU funds for Turkey, the Greek Foreign Minister stressed that the opening of any contacts is not a sufficient precondition for the release of the funds by Greece. In order for this to happen, stressed mr.Pangalos, the three terms set by Athens, which are based on International Law and the usual tactic followed by civilized nations, must be met.

[04] WORKERS FROM THESSALONIKI WILL PARTICIPATE IN A PROTEST IN AMSTERDAM

A fifty-member delegation of workers from Thessaloniki will leave for Amsterdam on June 14 to attend an anti-summit meeting and to participate in the pan-European demonstration organized to underline the problems faced by the unemployed, the wage-earners, the immigrants, the socially isolated, the farmers and the pensioners that will be held on the occasion of the EU Summit meeting that will take place in Amsterdam on June 14-15.

Over a thousand workers' unions, social movements and political organizations from all over Europe prepare protest marches against unemployment and social isolation. The marchers will converge on Amsterdam in an effort to make the voice of the 20 million unemployed and the 80 million poor in Europe heard.

[05] GREEK SHIPS TRANSPORT 85% OF THE CUBAN EXPORTS

Cargo ships under the Greek flag transport 85% of exports from Cuba and officials from this Latin-American country have expressed the wish for more agreements in the sector of merchant marine. The above were stated to MPA by Alexandros Holevas, Office Director of National Economy Undersecretary Alexandros Baltas who recently visited the Cuban capital, Havana.

Sea transportation, tourism and constructions are the three sectors on which Greek businessmen have focused their economic activities in Cuba in the past few years.

The recent visit of mr.Baltas to Cuba and the contacts he had there with the Ministers of Merchant Marine, Fishery, Foreign Trade and Finance as well as the economic and technological cooperation agreement that was signed between the two countries have strengthened the already solid ties between Greece and Cuba seting the basis for new business contacts.

[06] EARTHQUAKE MEASURING 5,5 ON THE RICHTER SCALE SHOOK NORTH- WESTERN GREECE

A strong earthquake measuring 5,5% on the Richter scale was registered today and its epicenter was located at lake Ohrid in Albania, 70 kilometers north-west of the Greek city of Florina.

According to the Aristotle University Geophysics Laboratory, the earthquake was recorded at 10:01am, Greek time, and its epicenter was located 200 kilometers north-west of Thessaloniki in the city of Pogradec, close to the Albanian-FYROM borders.

The tremor was felt in the Greek prefectures of Florina, Kastoria and Kozani and no damages were reported. Aristotle University Seismology professor Vasilis Papazachos stated that it was a surface earthquake and pointed out that there is no special concern for Greece.

[07] THE WOODEN BOX WITH THE PRICELESS CONTENT BELONGS TO THE GREEK STATE

The wooden box with the gold and silver ancient coins worth 150 billion drachmas, that was found in the basement of the Ionian Bank in Athens, it appears that it belonged to an archeologist.

According to information, in the box were also found binoculars and archeological maps and as it was made known, its contents now belong to the Greek state.

[08] AGREEMENTS WORTH MILLIONS OF DOLARS WERE SIGNED IN THE FUR EXHIBITION OF KASTORIA

Trade agreements worth hundreds of millions of dollars for the sale of furs and leather goods were signed in the first three days of the operation of the 22nd International Fur Exhibition of Kastoria, in north-western Greece which was visited by hundreds of people from all over the world.

Kastoria Furriers' Association President Panagiotis Pavlou stated that the future prospects for the fur sector are very encouraging based on the demand expressed by foreign commercial agents.

[09] GREECE HAS THE FIRST PLACE IN THE EXPORTS OF FISH TO EUROPE

Greece occupies the first place among the rest Mediterranean countries in the exports to Europe of dorado, sea bass and fish- farming products.

According to data provided by the Aristotle University Food Technology Department, at least 90% of the 25.000 tons of annual production is being exported, while it is estimated that in the next two years production will reach 38.000 tons due to the great demand abroad.

[10] G. PAPANDREOU: GREECE WILL NOT NEGOTIATE ITS SOVEREIGN RIGHTS

Greece's alternate Foreign Minister George Papandreou stated that the Greek government will not negotiate the country's sovereign rights, during his oration in Parliament last evening.

Mr. Papandreou briefed the parliamentarians on the Foreign Ministry officials' recent meetings with their Turkish counterparts, as well as the experts committees that have been formed by Greece and Turkey.

The Minister stressed that the meetings are held at a political level wherein Greece's positions are firmly presented. A.F.

[11] 75TH YEAR SINCE GENOCIDE OF GREEKS FROM PONTUS COMMEMORATED

In honor of the 75th year commemoration of the Genocide of Greeks from Pontus, the President of the Greek Parliament Apostolos Kaklamanis has issued a message that draws parallels between then and now.

"The memory of the genocide of the Greeks from Pontus remains vivid today, it teaches us and warns us.

"Today's Turkey continues to perpetuate the crime of Cyprus' invasion and occupation. It continues to issue threats over the Aegean through illegal, absurd and ignorant claims. It stubbornly resists the present international reality, international law and a part of this leadership continues to demonstate its persistence to Turkey's 'Ottoman heritage'," Mr. Kaklamanis stated.

The Parliament President also stated that Greece has a duty to not negotiate its sovereign rights.

Concurrently, he added that Greece has not abandoned the efforts to achieve a peaceful approach between the two peoples, something that would ease the quite negative climate that has been created by Turkey's overall behavior and stance towards Greece and Cyprus.

"We have the responsibility to prove ourselves as a power of security, peace, stability and cooperation in the Balkans and the eastern Mediterranean for the good of the Greek people, as well as for the good of all the peoples in the region," Mr. Kaklamanis added. A.F.

[12] GREECE REMAINS BY CYPRUS' SIDE, STATES GREEK PUBLIC ORDER MINISTER

The Greek government is supportive of Cyprus, stated the Greek Minister of Public Order George Romeos following his meeting in Nicosia with the President of the Republic of Cyprus Glafkos Clerides.

Mr. Romeos was briefed by President Clerides on the latest developments in the Cyprus issue. The Minister tabled the Greek government's support of all the Cyprus-related initiatives currently in progress.

Following his meeting with Mr. Clerides, Mr. Romeos met with Cyprus' Minister of Justice and Public Order, while this afternoon he is to meet with the President of the Cypriot Parliament Spyros Kyprianou.

As part of the collaboration between the two countries' police forces, the Cypriot police will be linked with Greece's state-of-the-art fingerprinting device, according to Mr. Romeos.

The Greek Public Order Minister also stated that Greece and Cyprus have common problems to face when it comes to crime, such as drug trafficking, illegal immigration, organized crime, terrorism and money laundering. A.F.

[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

[13] FYROM'S NAME ISSUE ABOUT TO BE RESOLVED, SKOPJE CLAIMS

The name issue currently pending between Greece and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia is on the last stages to being resolved, according to press reports in Skopje, where a by- lined article published in "Pools" states that a formal proposal has already been submitted to the United Nations mediator Cyrus Vance by FYROM's representative Ivan Tosevski.

The said proposal includes three basic points, according to the article: First, it asks that FYROM's constitutional name "Republic of Macedonia" be used in the country's international affairs and talks. Second, that bilateral contacts be embarked upon between Athens and Skopje, without a mediator and, third, that as a display of good will on behalf of FYROM, it is willing to be listed with international organizations under the letter R, as Repubic of Macedonia, not M, as in Macedonia.

The article does point out, that FYROM's Foreign Ministry has not confirmed or denied these proposals.

[14] FYROM'S OPPOSITION PARTY VMRO-DPMNE ASKS FOR EARLY ELECTIONS

The leader of FYROM's nationalist party VMRO-DPMNE lashed out against the Cervenkovski-led government, during the massive protest rally held yesterday by his supporters.

Liuptso Georgievski blamed the government for premeditated inefficiency in resolving the country's problems and demanded the Prime Minister's resignation within one week, as well as early elections.

[15] TURKEY'S FOREIGN MINISTER TANSU CILLER SAID TO WORK FOR CIA

Turkey's Foreign Minister and leader of the True Path Party Tansu Ciller has been working for the United States' Central Intelligence Agency since 1976, according to the leader of Turkey's Labour Party Dioyu Pericek.

Pericek made the claim in a detailed press conference he gave today, wherein he referred to the fact the Ms. Ciller did her post- graduate studies at American universities in the states of Connecticut and New Hampshire.

He added that "it is a lie that Ciller continued her studies at Yale, since her name is not posted among the other graduates."

According to Pericek, the Yale story was made up in order to cover the fact that during 1970-71 Ciller was training at CIA's Camp Peary in Virginia.

[16] EURO-PARLIAMENT RESOLUTION FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE ISLANDS

The European Parliament's plenary session adopted a resolution requesting the enactment of a complete European policy and strategy for equal chances of development of the island regions. Specifically, is being requested the immediate strengthening of the legal, political and economic measures aimed at the reduction of regional inequalities.

Greek Euro-Deputy of the governing party of PASOK ms.Anna Karapanou, who undertook the initiative to table the resolution on behalf of the Socialist Group, stated that 42% of the inhabited islands in the EU belong to Greece and pointed out that for the development of the island regions is necessary to be given special emphasis to the improvement of infrastructure in transportations, the tele-communications network, the strengthening of the small- medium sized businesses and the creation of more jobs.

[17] THE EUROPEAN INTER-PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY OF ORTHODOXY WILL MEET IN NICOSIA

The meeting of the International Secretariat of the European Inter-Parliamentary Assembly of Orthodoxy will be hosted in Nicosia next Monday and Tuesday.

The meeting will deal with programming and procedural issues before the annual meeting of the assembly's plenary session that is expected to be held in Halkidiki, northern Greece, at the end of June.

In the meeting participate delegations from Cyprus, the Russian Federation, Belarus, Romania, Georgia, Poland, Bulgaria and Greece.

[18] ALBANIAN PARLIAMENT APPROVES NEW ELECTION LAW

Albania's Parliament approved the country's new election law during the early morning hours, opening the way to elections on June 29.

Franz Vranitski, the special envoy of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe had travelled to Tirana in a - successful- effort to convince the Albanian opposition party leaders to seek a compromise solution. Earlier, Mr. Vranitski had met with Albanian President Sali Berisha.

Albania's Socialist Party, as well as other opposition parties, have said that the modifications in the election law are insufficient and, as such, they threaten to boycott the elections. The new law was voted in absence of the opposition parties' deputies. A.F.

[19] TURKEY: OPPOSITION PARTIES TABLE CENSURE VOTE ON TURKISH PM ERBAKAN

Turkey's opposition party's tabled a censure vote against the country's Prime Minister Necmetin Erbakan in parliament last night.

Also, businessman Yalim Erz, a former member of Foreign Minister Tansu Ciller's True Path Party who still maintains ties with the opposition, has also focused his efforts on overturning the Erbakan-led government.

Similar efforts are undertaken by the leader of the Motherland Party Mesut Yilmaz who appears confident for the outcome. A.F.

[20] EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: RELEASE IMPRISONED TURKISH JOURNALISTS NOW

The European Parliament has approved a resolution that calls on the Turkish government to lift all the legislative obstacles posed on the freedom of the press in Turkey, stressing that one of the most basic prerequisites in achieving improved relations between Turkey and the European Union is resprecting the principle of freedom of the press.

Moreover, the European Parliament asks for the immediate release of Turkish journalist Isik Yurtcu, as well as his colleagues, during its plenary session yesterday. The Turkish authorities had sentenced Mr. Yurtcu to 14 years in prison for having worked as chief editor on the Turkish daily "Ozgur Giudem", whose publication was halted by the Turkish government in 1994.

Greece's Euro-deputy (PASOK) Anna Karamanou also tabled a resolution on behalf of the European Socialist Party wherein she states that the Turkish state's failure to respect human rights and freedom of press and beliefs has reached dramatic and critical dimensions. She lists data provided by the Association of European Journalists and the Turkish Association of Journalists, according to which 78 Turkish colleagues are currently incarcerated. A.F.

Complete archives of the Macedonian Press Agency bulletins are available on the MPA Home Page at http://www.mpa.gr/ and on the U.S. mirror at http://www.hri.org/MPA/