Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 97-05-20

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

Macedonian Press Agency: News in English Directory

MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH

Thessaloniki, May 20, 1997

NEWS IN ENGLISH

[A] NATIONAL NEWS

[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

TITLES

[A] NATIONAL NEWS

[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

NEWS IN DETAIL

[A] NATIONAL NEWS

[01] GREECE'S PRESIDENT STEPHANOPOULOS RECEIVES NATO'S GENERAL JULUAN

NATO's Supreme Commander of European Forces and United States Army General George Juluan was received by the President of the Hellenic Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos today, during his two-day visit to Greece.

Earlier, Mr. Juluan had visited the country's National Defense Ministry where he met with its leaders and discussed the impact born by Greek-Turkish differences on the restructuring of the Alliance's forces. A.F.

[02] NATIONAL DEFENSE MINISTER STRESSES GREECE'S STABILIZING ROLE IN BALKANS

National Defense Minister Akis Tsochatzopoulos stressed Greece's stabilizing role in the Balkans, during a press conference he gave today before foreign journalists.

The Minister reiterated that Greece will not negotiate its territorial rights and emphasized that if Turkey presses on with its aggressive and revisionist policy, then it will unavoidably lead to destabilization in the area.

Regarding the 12-mile zone in the Aegean, Mr. Tsochatzopoulos said that if there are some who want channels of trouble-free access to the Aegean, then Greece is ready to agree within the framework of the law of the sea and if that were to happen it would have to coincide with the extension of Greece's territorial waters to 12 miles.

Regarding the national defense policy, Mr. Tsochatzopoulos announced the Greek government's decision to create collaboration between the private and public sectors in the defense industry. A.F.

[03] PM TO MEET WITH DEFENSE MINISTER, ALTERNATE FM DEPARTS FOR THE HAGUE

Prime Minister Kostas Simitis is to meet with the Minister of National Defense this afternoon, while the alternate Foreign Minister George Papandreou is to depart for The Hague in order to participate at the European Union conference which will address common foreign policy and defense issues.

The EU's Dutch-held Presidency is to submit a draft document which, according to diplomatic circles in Athens, falls short of the initially-stated expectations.

Specifically, matters regarding the Western European Union do not concern the WEU as the EU's defense bracket, but rather convey the wish that it become closer linked with the Community in the future. A.F.

[04] GREEK FM TO MEET WITH ISRAEL PRESIDENT AND PREMIER TODAY

Greece's Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos is to meet with the President of Israel Ezer Weisman, Premier Benjamin Netanyahu and Foreign Minister David Levy, within the framework of his two- day visit to Israel and Gaza.

Mr. Pangalos will aim at alleviating the deadlock reached in Israeli-Palestinian relations and will relay the Palestinian side's concerns.

During his talks with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat yesterday, Mr. Pangalos clearly stated that Greece has undertaken a mediator role and also sharply condemned all efforts to halt the Oslo Agreement and the Israeli government's settlement policy. Mr. Pangalos called on all parties to respect and uphold the agreement.

Mr. Arafat saluted Greece's support, a country which, as he characteristically stated, has always stood by the Palestinian people during difficult times and added that the eforts to reach a peaceful process must be continued.

Also, Msrs. Arafat and Pangalos discussed bilateral issues and the Greek FM vowed that Greece will contribute to the Palestinian vision that all religious factions celebrate together in Bethlehem in the year 2000. A.F.

[05] PREMIER IN PARLIAMENT STRESSES ECONOMY'S POSITIVE COURSE

Greece's Premier Kostas Simitis stressed the state economy's positive course, during his address in Parliament last night, while he also said that significant steps remain to be taken towards the Economic and Monetary Union.

During his rejoinder, Mr. Simitis also referred to the advances the government has made for bringing social justice into the country and blamed the main opposition party New Democracy for its policies. A.F.

[06] MAIN OPPOSITION PARTY LEADER CRITICIZES GOVERNMENT IN PARLIAMENT

In his first parliamentary face-off with the Premier, the main opposition party's leader, New Democracy's Kostas Karamanlis, sharply criticised the government for its economic policies.

Also, Mr. Karamanlis was critical of the state's rate in absorbing European Union funds and asked that the privatization process be intensified and that the public sector limit its expenditures.

Other opposition party leaders blamed both the government and New Democracy for the course of the national economy. A.F.

[07] MACEDONIA-THRACE MINISTER: AREA PROJECTS ARE MOVING AHEAD AS PLANNED

The Minister of Macedonia-Thrace Philippos Petsalnikos stated that Central Macedonia's regional programs have absorbed 36% of the allocated funds, totaling 260 billion drachmas, an amount that is expected to reach the 55% mark by the end of the year.

According to the Minister, the funds-absorption rate is satisfactory and he said that if this rate continues as it is, then the funds will be completely absorbed by the end of 1999, which is when the relevant program will have been completed as well. A.F.

[08] GREECE INSISTS IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PAPOULIAS-YILMAZ MEMORANDUM

Greek Minister of Defence Akis Tsochatzopoulos stated after his meeting with Prime Minister Kostas Simitis today that Greece insists in the implementation of the Papoulias-Yilmaz memorandum.

Responding to a question on the confidence-building-measures in the Aegean, mr.Tsochatzopoulos stated that there is an agreement between Papoulias and Yilmaz since 1988 and for Greece it constitutes a realistic basis for the settlement of any pending issue that may come up concerning the movement and the military exercises in the Aegean.

Mr.Tsochatzopoulos also reiterated that Greece has unilateraly accepted to send electronic images to the NATO Headquarters in Naples, Italy of the flights made over the Aegean, which must be based on the International Law and Treaties.

[09] PRIME MINISTER SIMITIS MET WITH MEMBERS OF THE BALKAN CHAMBERS

Prime Minister Kostas Simitis met with the Presiding Boards of the members of the Association of Balkan Chambers, visiting Greece on the occasion of their general assembly meeting that was held today.

President of the Central Association of Greek Chambers Andreas Kyriazis, who is also President of the Balkan Chambers Association, stated that the Prime Minister presented his views regarding the development of the Balkan region and referred to the efforts made through the EU for its economic growth.

National Economy Minister Yiannos Papantoniou, speaking in the general assembly meeting of the Association of Balkan Chambers, pointed out that the Greek government has recently undertaken an initiative to join efforts with other European countries, the US and international financial institutions in order to secure the necessary capital for the financing of large infrastructure investments in the Balkan states.

In the Association's general assembly meeting was decided the establishment of a committee of experts to prepare a meeting of Balkan Banks aimed at drawing up a cooperation text.

[10] THE GREEK FOREIGN MINISTER MET WITH THE ISRAELI LEADERSHIP

Greek Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos and Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Yiannos Kranidiotis, who are on a formal visit to Israel, met today with President of Israel Ezer Weisman, Prime Minister Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Levy.

Yesterday, mr.Pangalos met in Gaza with Palestinian President Yasser Arafat. In statements he made mr.Pangalos stressed that Greece unequivocally condemns the settlements policy followed at this time by Israel in the occupied territories. Mr.Pangalos and mr.Kranidiotis with their visit are seeking the normalization of relations between Israel and the Palestinians.

[11] GREECE'S PARTICIPATION IN THE EMU IS A FEASIBLE TARGET

Greek Industries' Association President mr.Iason Stratos expressed optimism that Greece's participation in the European economic and monetary union is a feasible target.

Mr.Stratos stated that the drop in the competitiveness of the economy constitutes a problem, but added that the two main political parties in the country have realized that there is a need to reform the public sector, to proceed with the privatizations and to make structural changes in order to cut spending.

[12] GREECE HELD THE 5TH PLACE LAST YEAR IN THE PREFERENCE OF FOREIGN TOURISTS VISITING THE MEDITERRANEAN

Greece was 5th in the preference of foreign tourists who visited the Mediterranean last year, with 9,7 million visitors. According to the 4-page presentation on tourism and its contribution to the economies of the Mediterranean countries which was published in the Portuguese newspaper "Diario de Noticias", Greece came 5th after France, Spain, Italy and Portugal.

According to the same presentation, which includes statements made by Portugal's National Tourist Organization General deputy Director mr.Sancho Silva, Spain, Greece and Italy are the main competitors of Portugal in the region regarding the visitors from northern countries, followed by Marocco, Tunisia and Turkey.

[13] GREEK LIEUTENANT SERVING AT GJIROCASTER'S CONSULATE SHOT IN ACCIDENT

A Greek police lieutenant serving at the Greek consulate in Albania's Gjirocaster, was accidentally shot this morning while he was on duty.

According to the Greek Ministry of Public Order, Nikos Markakis, 32, was killed at 10 am when he was cleaning his gun and it backfired. The consulate was open at that time, full of people who were applying for a visa to enter Greece.

Immediately after the incident the consulate was evacuated and the victim's body was transported to Greece. Greek investigators are to travel to Gjirocaster today in order to examine the conditions under which the tragic event occurred. A.F.

[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

[14] ISRAELI FM: ISRAEL-TURKEY EXERCISES ARE NOT AIMED AGAINST GREECE

Israel's Foreign Minister David Levy assured his Greek counterpart Theodoros Pangalos that the common military exercises planned by Israel and Turkey are not aimed against Greece.

Mr. Pangalos, who was received today by Mr. Levy in Tel Aviv, responded that he will "hold on" to Mr. Levy's assurance.

Earlier, the Greek Foreign Minister was received by Israeli President Ezer Weisman to whom he relayed the Greek President's invitation to come to Thessaloniki and officiate with President Stephanopoulos the inauguration of the city's Monument of the Holocaust of Greek Jews. A.F.

[15] INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE IN THESSALONIKI ON ROLE OF SUPREME COURTS

An International Conference on the role of the Supreme Courts at a national and international level is to begin in Thessaloniki tomorrow, organized by the Aristotle University's Law and Economic Sciences Department.

The four-day conference will examine the contemporary role of the Supreme Courts in modern culture as well as in the development of social values and the rule of the law.

The Minister of Culture Evangelos Venizelos will inaugurate the event, while among those expected to address the participants are the Minister of Justice Evangelos Yiannopoulos, the Minister of Macedonia-Thrace Philippos Petsalnikos, the Mayor of Thessaloniki Konstantinos Kosmopoulos, and the President of the International Association of Procedural Law M. Storme. A.F.

[16] ALBANIA: DISTANCE GROWS BETWEEN OPPOSITION PARTIES AND PRESIDENT

Albania's early elections, scheduled for June 29, are at risk of not being held, in spite of the repeated contacts between the country's opposition parties and President Sali Berisha.

The opposition parties have said that they are determined to withstand any effort of rigging the elections result.

The new political crisis has been sparked by the recently- voted election law in the country's parliament, which is overwhilmingly in favor of Mr. Berisha's Democratic Party.

The opposition threatens to boycott the upcoming elections if the President insists on his stated positions. The Albanian President has already embarked on his pre-election campaign. A.F.

[17] TURKISH PARLIAMENT REJECTS CENSURE VOTE AGAINST ERBAKAN

The Speaker of the Turkish Parliament Mustafa Kalemli announced today that the Parilament has voted to drop the censure motion filed against Islamist Premier Necmettin Erbakan and his cabinet by the secularist opposition parties. A.F.

[18] THE CYPRUS ISSUE WAS NOT DISCUSSED IN THE US-BRITISH MEETING

US State Department spokesman Nicolas Burns denied that the Foreign Secretaries of the United States and Britain discussed the Cyprus issue in the meeting they had.

Mr.Burns stated that he did not believe that the Cyprus issue was among the main topics discussed. He said that the Cyprus problem is always an issue that concerns the US and Britain and everything necessary must be done to help toward the promotion of peace on the island and the improvement of relations between Greece and Turkey regarding the Aegean.

Responding to a question concerning the proposals made by NATO Secretary General Javier Solana for the confidence-building- measures in the Aegean, mr.Burns stated that the NATO Secretary General has promoted certain ideas for the easing of tensions between Greece and Turkey.

[19] ZIVKOV DENIED THAT HE HAS BANK ACCOUNTS IN SWITZERLAND

Former President of Bulgaria Todor Zivkov with a letter to the newspaper "Trud" denied allegations made against him concerning the existence of secret bank accounts in Switzerland.

Mr.Zivkov in his letter stresses that the Reuters news agency has published the information and that his name had been associated with that of deposed Zairian President Mobutu who had millions of dollars in Swiss banks.

The former President of Bulgaria cites western newspapers according to which, he was the only one among the Eastern European leaders who did not have bank accounts neither in Bulgaria nor abroad.

The newspaper "Trud" mentions that foreign bankers have refused to give information to Bulgaria's prosecutor on the existence of Zivkov's bank accounts invoking bank secrecy laws.

[20] BULGARIAN SCIENTISTS DISCOVERED A METHOD THAT MINIMIZES THE SPREAD OF "MAD COW" DISEASE

A special electric knife that removes the spinal cord of the slaughtered animals was invented by two Bulgarian neurosurgeons, the brothers Alexander and Ivan Stefanov.

This way the "mad cow" disease is prevented from spreading to the meat of the slaughtered animals as the deadly para-proteins that cause it are removed together with the spinal cord, according to the Bulgarian newspaper "Trud".

The invention of the two Bulgarian doctors has obtained legal patent from Upsala, Sweden.

[21] THE 5TH INTERNATIONAL FILM BIENALLE FOR THE ARTS WILL BE PRESENTED IN THESSALLONIKI

Most of the 50 films screened in the 5th International Film Bienalle for the Arts that was held in France last October, with main theme the night, will be presented in Thessaloniki's French Institute in May 23-29, within the framework of the Cultural Capital of Europe events.

Among the films that will be srceened will be Antonioni's "Night" (1961), Vim Venters' "Silver city" (1970), Alain Rene's "Hiroshima, my love" (1959) and others, mainly French films.

[22] THE POPE WILL VISIT BULGARIA

Pope John-Paul B' has accepted an invitation by Bulgarian President Petar Stoyanov to visit the country, according to the newspaper "Standart" which cites statements made by the Bulgarian Ambassador to the Vatican.

The Pontiff has sent a formal letter to the Bulgarian President stating that he will visit Sofia as soon as he has the chance to do so.

The newspaper comments that the acceptance of the invitation by the Pope proves that there was no Bulgarian involvement in the 1981 assassination attempt against him.

[23] APPEAL TO THE WEST TO STOP THE MASSACRE OF THE KURDS

In a press conference held in Nicosia today a delegation of the National Liberation Front of Kurdistan made an appeal to the western states to act in an effective and drastic way to stop the massacre of the Kurdish people by the Turkish army and the gangs of the Democratic Party of Kurdistan.

Antar Serket, spokesman of the delegation, stated characteristically that the massacre of the Kurdish people is the greatest crime against humanity, while he insinuated that the west and the US are silent and their stance encourages the murderers to continue their bloody work.

[24] ROUVAS-KUT CONCERT HELD ON GREEN LINE AMIDST EPISODES AND ARRESTS

Forty persons were wounded and another fifty-five were arrested during episodes that erupted last night before and after the concert given on Cyprus' green line by Greek pop idol Sakis Rouvas and his Turkish counterpart Burat Kut.

Groups of protesters were confronted by police forces, while episodes also occurred on the Turkish-Cypriot side.

Nevertheless, the concert went on as planned, and both of the singers expressed the hope that it will contribute to the establishment of peace.

Among the three thousand spectators, of whom one thousand were Greek-Cypriot, were the United Nations' Secretary General's alternate special representative to Cyprus Gustav Feishel, an array of dignitaries from both communities and many foreign diplomats.

Commenting from New York, the UN Secretary-General's spokesperson Fred Ekchard said that the concert was "a sign that the two communities wish to bridge their differences." A.F.

[25] TURKEY CONTINUES "CLEAN-UP" OPERATION IN NORTH IRAQ FOR SEVENTH DAY

Turkish military forces continue their "clean-up" operations against the PKK's Kurds in Northern Iraq for the seventh successive day, in spite of the resounding reactions voiced by the United Nations' Secretary General Kofi Annan who has asked that the Turkish troops withdraw from the region, as well as from Egupt, Libya and Baghdad.

Turkish Defense Minister Turan Tayan said that the operation will continue until it produces the desired results.

According to reports from Turkey's General Army Staff, 1,139 PKK members have been killed since the beginning of this mission. A.F.

[26] HUNDREDS OF TURTLES SMUGGLED FROM GREECE TO AUSTRIA ARE IN DANGER

Four hundred and thirty six turtles that were smuggled from Greece last October and were impounded by Austrian customs authorities are now at risk of dying, after having been stored for seven months at the zoo of Vienna's Schonbrunn summer palace.

If the turtles are not soon returned to Greece, there is a risk that they might not be able to re-adjust to the summer's high temperatures.

The delay of the animals' return to their natural environment is mostly due to bureaucratic hurdles as Klagenfurt's judicial authorities has halted the deportation of the turtles until their smugglers are tried and sentenced in court. A.F.

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